Alberta Sends 441 Immigration Invitations in All Six February Draws

Alberta stepped up its immigration efforts in mid-February, holding six draws under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) between February 6 and February 19, 2026. During this period, the province issued at least 441 invitations to candidates across several streams.

Invitations Spread Across Key Pathways

The draws covered a mix of immigration pathways. Alberta selected candidates through the Rural Renewal Stream and several Alberta Express Entry options. These included the Accelerated Tech Pathway, the Law Enforcement Pathway, and Priority Sector draws focused on construction, manufacturing, and agriculture.

On February 19, Alberta invited 50 candidates under the Priority Sectors pathway for construction occupations, with a minimum score of 61. Two days earlier, on February 17, the province held a smaller agriculture-focused draw, issuing fewer than 10 invitations with a minimum score of 49.

A manufacturing-focused draw took place on February 12, where 32 candidates received invitations with a minimum score of 50. This marked the first time Alberta selected manufacturing workers under the Express Entry stream after naming the sector a priority earlier this year.

The Accelerated Tech Pathway draw on February 11 resulted in 147 invitations, with a minimum score of 59. The largest draw during this period occurred on February 10 under the Rural Renewal Stream, where 212 candidates received invitations with a minimum score of 54.

On February 6, Alberta also invited fewer than 10 candidates through the Law Enforcement Pathway, with a minimum score of 50.

Changes to Rural Renewal Stream

The February 10 Rural Renewal draw marked the first selection since Alberta introduced new rules on January 1. The province now requires candidates already in Canada to hold a valid work permit. Alberta also limited the number of endorsements each designated community can issue every year, along with other adjustments.

These changes aim to manage applications more closely while continuing to support rural communities that need workers.

Alberta’s 2026 Nomination Numbers

For 2026, the federal government allocated 6,403 nomination spaces to Alberta under the AAIP. As of February 18, Alberta had issued 612 nominations. The province still has 5,791 spaces available for the rest of the year. Officials also report 1,032 applications currently under review.

Breakdown by Stream

The Alberta Opportunity Stream holds the largest allocation this year, with 3,425 spaces. So far, Alberta has issued 403 nominations under this stream, leaving 3,022 spots open. The selection pool currently includes 28,916 Expressions of Interest (EOIs).

The Rural Renewal Stream has 1,000 allocated spaces and 3,002 EOIs in the pool. The Tourism and Hospitality Stream has 150 spaces, with 32 nominations issued and 118 remaining.

Dedicated Health Care Pathways, which include both Express Entry and non-Express Entry options, have 500 spaces in total. Alberta has already issued 47 nominations in this category.

The Accelerated Tech Pathway has 600 spaces, with 54 nominations granted so far. The Law Enforcement Pathway has 38 spaces, with fewer than 10 nominations issued to date.

Priority sector draws under Express Entry have 600 spaces, and Alberta has issued 68 nominations so far. Entrepreneur streams hold 90 spaces this year.

Across all streams, Alberta reports 45,698 worker EOIs in its selection pool, reflecting strong interest from candidates hoping to settle in the province.