Alberta holds first draw since June 2020

Alberta invited eligible candidates with Express Entry profiles to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence in the province's latest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on January 8.

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) issued 50 invitations to candidates who may be eligible through the Alberta Express Entry Stream.

Invited candidates must have a valid Express Entry profile with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) requirement of at least 406.

Express Entry is the system that the federal Canadian government uses to manage permanent residence applications for the three federal immigration streams:

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP); and
Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

In order to be in the Express Entry pool, candidates need to qualify for one of these immigration streams. They are assessed based on multiple factors such as their age, education, work experience and language ability and are ranked according to the CRS.

The highest ranking candidates are then invited to apply for permanent residence through regular Express Entry draws. Candidates who receive a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 CRS points. This effectively guarantees receipt of an invitation to apply in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

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Alberta Express Entry Stream

Candidates in the Express Entry system have the opportunity to receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination from Alberta, as well as other provinces with Express Entry-aligned PNPs. They need to have work experience in an eligible occupation that supports the province's economic development and diversification priorities.

The AINP provides a list of occupations that they will not consider. Any other occupation may be considered.

On November 1, 2020, the federal government increased the number of occupations that are not eligible to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in Alberta. However, candidates who received a Notification of Interest on or after November 1, 2020 can be selected through the Alberta Express Entry Stream, even if they are working in an occupation that the federal government refuses to process an LMIA for.

Alberta was allowed to issue 6,250 nomination certificates in 2020. However, due to COVID-19, Alberta planned to issue just 4,000 nomination certificates. The AINP issued all 4,000 certificates by June 2020. This is why there has been no draws for the second half of the year.

As of yet, the number of nominations that the AINP can issue in 2021 is undisclosed.

Find out if you're eligible for Canadian immigration