Dear future neighbour,
Alberta has been busy. Between October 23 and November 2, 2026, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) ran five selection rounds and sent out 425 invitations to apply for provincial nomination. Health care workers, Rural Renewal Stream candidates and Alberta Opportunity Stream candidates with qualifying job offers all received invitations.
Wondering what this means for your own plans? Let’s break it down.
What happens after an invitation?
An invitation is not a nomination yet. Invited candidates apply to the AAIP, and if the province approves the application, they then apply to the federal government for permanent residence (PR).
There is also good news for people already in Canada. A nominee who has submitted a PR application may qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), which lets them keep working while waiting for a decision. Under a temporary federal measure that took effect on June 9, 2026, candidates selected through the AAIP’s non-Express Entry streams and pathways may get access to a BOWP earlier than before.
Here is how the five rounds went
| Date of draw | Stream/pathway | Invitations issued | Minimum score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 2 | Rural Renewal Stream | 173 | 51 |
| Oct. 30 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 132 | 59 |
| Oct. 29 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 64 | 50 |
| Oct. 27 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry | 19 | 60 |
| Oct. 23 | Rural Renewal Stream | 37 | 51 |
Four of these five rounds lined up with Alberta’s 2026 priority areas, which are health care candidates and people eligible under the Rural Renewal Stream. The October 23 round was also the smallest Rural Renewal draw of the entire year. With these latest rounds, Alberta has now held 95 selection rounds in 2026.
Who is in the pool, and how many have been invited?
The table below shows how many workers have active profiles in each stream and pathway, and how many invitations Alberta has issued so far this year. The figures are AAIP data as of November 4.
| Stream/pathway | Workers with active profiles | Invitations issued |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 20,603 | 8,551 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 1,283 | 1,384 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 2,846 | 252 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways (EE + non-EE) | 976 | 1,031 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 1,883 | 1,466 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 39 | <60 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/other initiatives | 4,581 | ≥1,894 |
| Total | 32,211 | ≥14,584 |
So as of November 2, Alberta has invited at least 14,584 candidates to apply this year. The Alberta Opportunity Stream has by far the biggest pool, with over 20,000 active profiles. The Rural Renewal Stream and the Dedicated Health Care Pathways, on the other hand, have issued more invitations than they currently have active profiles.
Why invitations and nominations are not the same thing
People mix these up all the time. An invitation only gives you the chance to apply. You still have to submit your application and get approved before you receive a nomination certificate, and that can take several months.
Also, a province’s yearly allocation limits how many nominations it can issue, not how many people it can invite. That is why you can see so many invitations going out while the nomination numbers move more slowly.
As of November 4, Alberta had issued 6,108 nominations out of 6,603 available spaces, which is about 92.5% of its 2026 allocation. The allocation started at 6,403 spaces, then grew by 200 after an increase announced in early August. That leaves 495 nomination spaces, with 756 applications waiting to be processed.
Alberta has also nominated 50 practice-ready physicians and 12 francophone candidates, using supplementary spaces that sit outside its regular allocation.
Don’t leave your Alberta dream to chance
Alberta is clearly still inviting workers, especially in health care and rural communities, but spaces are filling up and the competition is real. Knowing which stream fits your profile, how your score compares, and what to do once an invitation lands can make a big difference.
Whether you’re aiming for provincial nomination, Express Entry, a work permit, a postgraduate work permit, spousal sponsorship, a visitor visa, a super visa, citizenship or school admission, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Book a consultation at https://euiacademy.selar.com/30minutes and let’s find the right route for you before the next draw.
