Alberta issues hundreds of invitations to foreign workers across two AAIP draws
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) held two draws on February 20 and February 24, 2026, issuing close to 900 invitations to candidates.
The two selections encompassed the first draw for priority sectors under the Alberta Opportunity Stream and the first Tourism and Hospitality Stream draw of the year.
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This selection round represents the province’s 11th and 12th provincial immigration draws of the year.
Draw details
The AAIP issued 899 invitations across the two draws, with the majority going to candidates working in priority sectors under the Alberta Opportunity stream.
The number of invitations and the minimum score required to have been invited varied by stream:
| Draw date | Stream / focus | Minimum score | Invitations issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 24, 2026 | Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 73 | 68 |
| February 20, 2026 | Alberta Opportunity Stream – Priority Sectors | 56 | 831 |
Provincial nomination figures for 2026
AAIP’s processing summary totals for 2026 (as of February 26, 2026) show the province has issued 612 nominations against its federal nomination allocation of 6,403.
This leaves 5,791 nominations still to be issued throughout 2026. The AAIP is currently processing 1,032 applications, which can count towards further nominations if applications are not refused at the processing stage.
Worker Expression of Interest (EOI) pool composition
As of February 26, the AAIP reports 45,698 worker expressions of interest (EOIs) currently in the candidate pool, across all streams and pathways.
Once a candidate has submitted an EOI and entered the selection pool, they await selection for an invitation from the AAIP to submit a full application to the province for provincial nomination.
The AAIP notes that candidates may be invited to apply to a stream/pathway different from the one they selected in their EOI, should they meet all eligibility and selection criteria.
You can view the table below to see EOI distribution by stream/pathway.
The majority (64%) of active EOIs in the candidate pool are under the Alberta Opportunity Stream:
| Stream / pathway (EOI selection pool) | EOIs in pool |
|---|---|
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 28,916 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways | 1,572 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 3,002 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 4,758 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 2,646 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Family connection & occupation in demand | 116 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 88 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/initiatives | 4,600 |
| Total | 45,698 |
Stream-by-stream snapshot for 2026
Below is AAIP’s published status for allocations, nominations issued, nomination allocation, and processing progress by stream/pathway, as of the most recent update.
| Stream / pathway | 2026 allocation | Nominations issued | Spaces remaining | Applications to be processed | Currently assessing applications received on/before |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 3,425 | 403 | 3,022 | 483 | November 1, 2025* |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 1,000 | <10 | N/A | <108 | February 10, 2026 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 150 | 32 | 118 | <10 | February 24, 2026 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways (EE + non-EE) | 500 | 47 | 453 | 26 | February 6, 2026 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 600 | 54 | 546 | 81 | November 3, 2025 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 38 | <10 | N/A | <10 | N/A |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/initiatives | 600 | 68 | 532 | 59 | October 26, 2025 |
| Entrepreneur streams | 90 | <10 | N/A | 268 (in process) | Evaluated upon receipt |
*The AAIP notes this “currently assessing” date excludes certain files tied to the work permit support letter process under the temporary public policy to issue open work permits (OWPs) to certain Provincial Nominee Program candidates.
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