The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) released a flurry of draw results on 22 February, confirming that 441 skilled workers received invitations between 6 and 19 February across six selection rounds. Streams targeted ranged from the Accelerated Tech Pathway—focused on software engineers and data scientists—to the Rural Renewal Stream aimed at candidates with job offers outside Edmonton and Calgary.
Minimum scores varied sharply: tech candidates needed as low as 302 in the Alberta Express Entry ranking system, while law-enforcement professionals required 360. The law-enforcement stream, launched in 2025, seeks experienced police officers and border agents to fill provincial vacancies.
![Alberta invites 441 candidates in six provincial immigration draws]()
Alberta continues to leverage category-based selection to meet regional labour needs while competing with B.C. and Ontario for international talent. The February activity suggests the province is front-loading nominations before the 2026 federal allocation caps are reached. Successful nominees receive a provincial nomination certificate worth 600 Comprehensive Ranking System points, virtually guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in a subsequent federal Express Entry draw.
Before moving forward, prospective applicants may need to secure or extend temporary visas to remain compliant. VisaHQ’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) streamlines this process by offering step-by-step support for visitor visas, eTAs and work-permit renewals, allowing candidates to focus on meeting AAIP criteria without worrying about documentation snags.
Employers with critical vacancies—particularly in tech, construction and advanced manufacturing—should align their HR strategy with the AAIP pathways and prepare job-offer documentation that meets program guidelines. Foreign workers already in Alberta on post-graduation or employer-specific work permits should review whether they now meet the updated selection thresholds.
Minimum scores varied sharply: tech candidates needed as low as 302 in the Alberta Express Entry ranking system, while law-enforcement professionals required 360. The law-enforcement stream, launched in 2025, seeks experienced police officers and border agents to fill provincial vacancies.
Alberta continues to leverage category-based selection to meet regional labour needs while competing with B.C. and Ontario for international talent. The February activity suggests the province is front-loading nominations before the 2026 federal allocation caps are reached. Successful nominees receive a provincial nomination certificate worth 600 Comprehensive Ranking System points, virtually guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in a subsequent federal Express Entry draw.
Before moving forward, prospective applicants may need to secure or extend temporary visas to remain compliant. VisaHQ’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) streamlines this process by offering step-by-step support for visitor visas, eTAs and work-permit renewals, allowing candidates to focus on meeting AAIP criteria without worrying about documentation snags.
Employers with critical vacancies—particularly in tech, construction and advanced manufacturing—should align their HR strategy with the AAIP pathways and prepare job-offer documentation that meets program guidelines. Foreign workers already in Alberta on post-graduation or employer-specific work permits should review whether they now meet the updated selection thresholds.
