Alberta PNP 2026 - AAIP Spaces, EOI Draws & Employer Pathways

The Alberta Opportunity Stream is AAIP's primary worker pathway and has the largest 2026 nomination allocation - 3,562 of 6,603 spaces. As of October 7, 2026, 3,105 nominations have been issued and 457 spaces remain, with 367 applications waiting to be processed. This stream is for temporary foreign workers already living and working full-time in Alberta.

2026 draw highlights:

• October 2, 2026: 123 invitations, minimum EOI score 54
• September 23, 2026: 113 invitations, minimum EOI score 58
• September 1, 2026: 575 invitations, minimum EOI score 56
• 2026 minimums have ranged from 50 to 65 - results, not thresholds; draws may also apply additional selection factors AAIP does not disclose
• Currently assessing AOS applications received on or before July 13, 2026 (excluding work-permit-support-letter holders)

Key eligibility requirements:

• ✓ Currently living and working in Alberta with a valid work permit - maintained/implied status is NOT accepted
• ✓ Work permit must be based on: a positive LMIA, an LMIA exemption (international trade agreements, intra-company transfer, IEC, Mobilité Francophone, R205(d) religious work), specific open work permits for vulnerable workers, a Post-Graduation Work Permit from an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution, or certain IRCC temporary public policy open work permits
• ✓ Working in an eligible occupation in Alberta (most NOC TEER 0-5 - see ineligible list)
• ✓ Job offer in same NOC as current occupation, from eligible Alberta employer
• ✓ Work experience: minimum 12 months full-time in current occupation in Alberta within last 18 months, OR minimum 24 months full-time in Canada or abroad within last 30 months
• ✓ For PGWP holders: minimum 6 months full-time in current occupation in Alberta within last 18 months, and occupation must be related to field of study
• ✓ Language: CLB 5 minimum for NOC TEER 0-3; CLB 4 minimum for NOC TEER 4-5; CLB 7 for NOC 33102 (nurse aides)
• ✓ Education: minimum high school equivalent - ECA required for foreign credentials; PGWP holders must meet additional Alberta education requirements
• ✓ Genuinely intend to live and work permanently in Alberta

Who is NOT eligible for AOS:

• ✗ Refugee claimants or anyone subject to a federal appeal or removal process
• ✗ Temporary residents living or working outside Alberta
• ✗ Anyone without valid temporary resident status in Canada (maintained status not accepted)
• ✗ Independent contractors, business owners, or temporary agency workers
• ✗ Employees working at a home-based business (not zoned for commercial operations)
• ✗ Remote workers serving an employer from outside Alberta
• ✗ Part-time, casual, or seasonal employees regardless of hours
• ✗ PGWP holders from institutions outside Alberta or from non-ministerially approved programs

Ineligible occupations (partial list - the AOS list has 34 NOC codes, 4 of them only partly ineligible; check the full list at alberta.ca):

The AOS has a specific list of ineligible NOC codes including: Legislators (00010), School principals (40021), Social services managers (40030), Fire chiefs (40041), Judges (41100), Elementary and secondary teachers (41220, 41221), Real estate agents (63101), Home child care providers (44100), Home support workers (44101), Casino occupations (64321), Harvesting labourers (85101), and others. Always verify your NOC before submitting an EOI.

The Alberta Express Entry Stream invites candidates from the federal Express Entry pool through targeted selection draws. An AEES nomination adds 600 CRS points to your federal Express Entry profile — regardless of your base CRS score; the federal invitation and PR decision remain IRCC's. Alberta publishes no 2026 draw requirements for these four Express Entry-based pathways, so being eligible does not mean you will be invited.

Minimum requirements for ALL AEES pathways:

• ✓ Active federal Express Entry profile (FSW, FST, or CEC)
• ✓ Minimum CRS score of 300
• ✓ Primary occupation in EE profile must be in an eligible AEES pathway occupation
• ✓ Must intend to live and work permanently in Alberta
• ✓ Must not have an active AAIP nomination
• ✓ Must not be a refugee claimant or under federal appeal/removal

Note: Alberta may invite you to apply to a different pathway than the one indicated in your EOI. Maintain your EE profile up to date - if it expires after you apply, you can submit an updated profile through the AAIP portal.

The AEES has four pathways:

Sub-pathway 2A: Accelerated Tech Pathway

2026 allocation: 619 spaces | Issued: 528 | Remaining: 91, with 149 applications already waiting to be processed (October 7, 2026)

2026 draws: Sep 22 (min 59, 100 invites), Sep 3 (min 60, 96 invites); 2026 minimums have ranged from 55 to 63

Who qualifies: Must be working full-time in Alberta (valid work permit or implied status) OR have a bona fide Alberta job offer in an eligible tech occupation at an Alberta employer whose primary business activities fall within AAIP's eligible tech NAICS codes. Primary occupation in Express Entry must match the Alberta employment or job offer.

Ineligible: Part-time/casual employees, independent contractors, remote workers outside Alberta

Key requirement: Both the occupation (from AAIP's eligible tech NOC list) AND the employer's industry (from AAIP's eligible tech NAICS code list) must qualify - not just one or the other. The published tech NOC list (44 codes) is dated November 16, 2022, while AAIP's processing page says the list includes jobs that support data centre needs - confirm your NOC with an RCIC.

Sub-pathway 2B: Dedicated Health Care Pathway (Express Entry option)

2026 allocation: shared with non-EE (518 total) | Combined issued: 342 | Remaining: 176, with 25 applications waiting (October 7, 2026)

2026 draws: Sep 9 (min 60, 51 invites), Aug 12 (min 60, 57 invites); EE-option minimums have ranged from 55 to 64

Eligible professions (must have proof of ability to practice in Alberta from applicable regulatory body):

• Physicians - College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA)
• Registered Nurses (RNs) - College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) - College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA)
• Nurse Practitioners (NPs) - College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)
• Physician Assistants - College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA)
• Occupational Therapists - Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT)
• Physiotherapists - College of Physiotherapists of Alberta (CPA)
• Clinical Social Workers - Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
• Psychologists - College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP)

Requirements: Valid Alberta healthcare job offer from employer with WCB coverage + verifiable proof of meeting regulatory requirements to practice in Alberta + active EE profile (CRS 300+) + intent to live in Alberta permanently. If you can have an Express Entry profile with CRS 300+, this option is mandatory.

Sub-pathway 2C: Law Enforcement Pathway

2026 allocation: 12 spaces (fewer than 10 issued). Latest draw Sep 21: min 49, fewer than 10 invitations

Who qualifies: Internationally recruited police officers identified directly by the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police (AACP). AAIP receives candidate information from AACP member organizations - candidates cannot self-apply. Eligible NOC codes: 40040 (commissioned police officers), 41310 (police investigators), 42100 (police officers except commissioned). Alberta police job offer required.

Sub-pathway 2D: Priority Sectors

2026 allocation: 619 spaces | Issued: 616 | Remaining: 3, with 164 applications waiting - capacity is nearly used up (October 7, 2026)

2026 draws: Oct 7 (Aviation, min 56, 22 invites), Sep 29 (General, min 64, 200 invites), Sep 18 (Health Care, min 62, 100 invites), Sep 15 (Agriculture, min 60, 18 invites), Sep 10 (Manufacturing, min 60, 48 invites)

Priority sectors: construction, manufacturing, agriculture, aviation and health care - and skilled trades linked to each sector. Primary occupation in EE profile must be in an eligible priority sector occupation. 2025 priority-sector draws required a full-time Alberta job offer; the family-connection and occupation-in-demand invitations ended March 17, 2025.

2026 allocation: 518 spaces shared with EE option | Combined issued: 342 | Remaining: 176, with 25 applications waiting (October 7, 2026)

2026 draws: Aug 19 (min 60, 24 invites); non-EE minimums have ranged from 45 to 63 - results, not thresholds

This option is specifically for healthcare workers who do not have - or do not qualify for - a federal Express Entry profile. If you can create an Express Entry profile with CRS 300+, you must use the EE pathway instead.

Same 9 eligible healthcare professions as the EE pathway:

Physicians, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Clinical Social Workers, and Psychologists. Each must have proof of meeting minimal requirements to practice with the applicable Alberta regulatory body.

Requirements:

• ✓ Valid Alberta healthcare job offer from employer with Workers' Compensation Board coverage
• ✓ Verifiable proof of meeting regulatory requirements to practice eligible profession in Alberta
• ✓ Valid work permit OR maintained/implied status if working in Alberta - note: maintained status IS accepted for this pathway (unlike the AOS, Tourism and Hospitality and Rural Renewal; the Accelerated Tech Pathway also accepts implied status)
• ✓ Genuinely intend to live and work permanently in Alberta
• ✓ Language: CLB 5 minimum (or sufficient for licensure in the regulated profession) - IELTS, CELPIP, PTE, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada; must be less than 2 years old
• LPNs: must show how language requirement for licensure was met; if through employer verification, an AAIP-accepted language test at CLB 5+ is still required

Federal PR after nomination: non-EE pathway, direct IRCC application outside Express Entry - check IRCC's current processing times.

Special note for physicians: Practice-ready physicians (NOC 31100, 31101, 31102) nominated through AAIP - whether EE or non-EE - do not count against Alberta's standard 6,603 allocation. They access a separate federal initiative pool of up to 10,000 spaces nationally.

2026 allocation: 1,057 spaces | Issued: 766 | Remaining: 291, with 36 applications waiting (October 7, 2026)

Currently assessing applications received on or before August 17, 2026

The Rural Renewal Stream connects foreign workers with designated Alberta communities outside Calgary and Edmonton that face specific labour shortages. Communities must apply to be designated, and once designated, their local Economic Development Organization (EDO) endorses candidates. The stream has a two-step process: (1) community endorsement, then (2) candidate Worker EOI submission and AAIP selection draw.

Endorsement requirement:

You must have a valid Endorsement of Candidate letter issued by the EDO of your specific designated community. The letter is valid for one year from issuance and is required at the time of Worker EOI submission to claim the endorsement points. AAIP lists 31 designated communities (designated between May 13, 2022 and February 5, 2025); designation lasts 3 years (extendable to a maximum of 5), and extension status and each community's yearly endorsement allocation are not published.

2026 draws:

Sep 24 (min 51, 131 invites), Aug 11 (min 51, 127 invites); 2026 minimums have ranged from 50 to 55

Who qualifies:

• ✓ Temporary workers in Alberta with valid work permit: NOC TEER 0-5 eligible
• ✓ Temporary workers outside Alberta but within Canada with valid work permit: NOC TEER 0-3 only
• ✓ Individuals outside Canada: NOC TEER 0-3 only
• ✓ Valid Endorsement of Candidate letter from designated community EDO
• ✓ Job offer in eligible occupation within designated community
• ✓ Work experience: minimum 12 months full-time in eligible occupation within last 18 months (combined Alberta + elsewhere in Canada + abroad)
• ✓ Exception: PGWP holders who completed a 2-year program at an IRCC designated learning institution in their designated community are exempt from the 12-month experience requirement
• ✓ Language: CLB 5 for NOC TEER 0-3; CLB 4 for NOC TEER 4-5
• ✓ Education: minimum high school equivalent; ECA required for foreign credentials
• ✓ Must intend to reside and work in the designated community

Settlement funds (if not residing in Canada, or in Canada but not working):

Required based on family size and community population. Examples - single person in community under 1,000: $8,922 CAD; in community 1,000-30,000: $10,151 CAD; in community 30,000-100,000: $11,093 CAD, with more required for each additional family member. Funds must be unencumbered and verifiable.

Ineligible for Rural Renewal:

• ✗ Refugee claimants
• ✗ Foreign nationals in Canada without valid work permit
• ✗ Part-time, casual, or seasonal workers
• ✗ Independent contractors or temporary agency workers
• ✗ Remote workers not physically in Alberta

Ineligible occupations: Rural Renewal has its own list of 17 ineligible NOC codes (3 of them only partly ineligible: 60040, 42200, 33100). It is not the same as the AOS list, so check it separately on the Rural Renewal eligibility page.