Alberta Invites 82 Agriculture and Construction Workers

Alberta has invited 82 Express Entry candidates working in agriculture and construction through two targeted Alberta Advantage Immigration Program selection rounds held in July.

The province issued 29 invitations to agriculture workers on July 16 and another 53 to construction workers on July 21. Both rounds took place through the Alberta Express Entry Stream’s Priority Sectors pathway.

The latest results show Alberta is continuing to use immigration to address specific labour shortages rather than holding only broad occupation-based draws.

Targeted Invitations Reflect Labour Needs

Agriculture and construction remain important to Alberta’s economy and continue to face demand for skilled workers.

The agriculture sector relies on employees in farming, food production, equipment maintenance, logistics and agricultural technology. Labour shortages can affect production and place added pressure on rural communities and employers.

Construction demand remains strong because of population growth, housing development, infrastructure work and commercial expansion. Alberta’s targeted invitations are intended to help employers fill positions that support these projects and reduce delays caused by workforce gaps.

Although the two draws issued a relatively small number of invitations, the results point to a more focused provincial selection strategy.

More Than 10,400 Invitations Issued

Alberta has now issued 10,451 invitations through its provincial immigration streams in 2026.

The province has selected candidates through the Alberta Opportunity Stream, Rural Renewal Stream, Dedicated Health Care Pathway, Accelerated Tech Pathway, Law Enforcement Pathway and Alberta Express Entry Priority Sectors pathway.

By spreading invitations across several programs, Alberta can respond to different workforce needs across major cities, smaller communities and specialized industries.

Large Expression of Interest Pool

Alberta’s Expression of Interest system currently contains 36,948 active candidate profiles.

The Alberta Opportunity Stream accounts for the largest share, with 23,056 profiles. The size of the pool may increase competition, but Alberta’s growing use of occupation-specific draws means candidates in priority sectors can still receive invitations.

Large pools do not necessarily prevent workers in targeted sectors from consideration in future Alberta draws.

Recent provincial priorities have included agriculture, construction, healthcare, technology, rural communities and law enforcement.

This approach means a candidate’s occupation and work experience may be as important as their Comprehensive Ranking System score when Alberta selects Express Entry profiles.

Steps Candidates Can Take

People interested in an Alberta nomination should keep their Express Entry and provincial profiles accurate and current.

Candidates should update employment records, maintain valid language test results, monitor Alberta’s priority occupation announcements and review the requirements of each AAIP pathway.

Workers in agriculture, construction, healthcare and technology may want to follow future selection rounds closely because Alberta has repeatedly identified these areas as important.

A provincial nomination can provide another route toward permanent residence for candidates who may not receive an invitation through a federal Express Entry draw alone.

The July results confirm that Alberta is tying more of its immigration selections to immediate economic needs. For prospective applicants, understanding provincial priorities and preparing documents early may improve their ability to respond when a suitable invitation round is announced.