Alberta Issued 562 Nomination Invitations Across Five Draws in October

Alberta sent out at least 562 invitations to apply for provincial nomination between October 9 and October 20, 2026, through five draws run by the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). Four of the five rounds aligned with the federal Express Entry system, and scores ranged from 49 to 73.

The largest draw, held October 20 under the Alberta Express Entry Stream's Priority Sectors (General) pathway, issued 389 invitations—386 in the general round per the published figure—with a minimum score of 60. That round recorded both the highest invitation volume and the lowest cutoff score for this selection type in 2026. The takeaway: Alberta's broadest stream is moving faster and cutting deeper this year.

Which streams drew, and at what scores?

Draw date	Stream/pathway	Invitations	Minimum score
Oct. 20	Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (General)	386	60
Oct. 16	Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway	<10	49
Oct. 14	Tourism and Hospitality Stream	25	73
Oct. 13	Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry	53	57
Oct. 9	Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Health care)	97	60

The October 14 tourism and hospitality draw issued the fewest invitations of any round in its category this year, and it also carried the highest cutoff score at 73. In short, competition is tightest in tourism and hospitality right now.

Alberta's 2026 priority sectors include health care, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation and agriculture. The province also prioritizes communities designated under the Rural Renewal Stream.

What happens after an invitation?

Candidates who receive an invitation may apply for provincial nomination. Once approved, they can proceed with a federal application for Canadian permanent residence. In short, an invitation is the first step on a two-stage path, not the nomination itself.

The gap between invitation and nomination can stretch across several months. Nominees already in Canada may qualify for a bridging open work permit (BOWP) after submitting their PR application. Eligible Tourism and Hospitality Stream nominees may access BOWPs earlier under a temporary federal measure in effect since June 9, 2026. Workers who apply for a BOWP before their current permit expires can keep working under maintained status while awaiting a decision, provided they stay in Canada.

How large is the candidate pool?

As of October 21, the AAIP counts 33,291 workers with active expressions of interest (WEOIs) across its streams.

Stream/pathway	Active profiles	Invitations issued in 2026
Alberta Opportunity Stream	21,150	8,419
Rural Renewal Stream	1,069	1,174
Tourism and Hospitality Stream	1,527	252
Dedicated Health Care Pathways (EE + non-EE)	2,991	948
Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway	1,945	1,466
Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway	43	<60
Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/other	4,566	>1,861
Total	33,291	≥14,127

The Alberta Opportunity Stream holds the largest pool by far, yet its invitation count of 8,419 is below the combined draw activity elsewhere in some categories. The practical read: stream choice shapes odds more than pool size alone.

How close is Alberta to its nomination cap?

The AAIP has held 89 selection rounds in 2026 and invited at least 14,127 candidates. Figures on the AAIP's Processing Information page show the province had issued 5,831 nominations as of October 21, 2026—roughly 88.3% of its annual allocation of 6,603.

Alberta originally received an allocation of 6,403 from the federal government for 2026, then announced an increase of 200 spaces in early August. An allocation sets how many candidates a province may nominate in a year; it is separate from the number of invitations issued in selection rounds. Beyond the regular allocation, Alberta has nominated 50 practice-ready physicians and 12 francophone candidates using supplementary spaces. With about three months left in the year, Alberta has limited nomination room remaining for 2026.