This page is not yet available in your language. The English version is shown below.

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta — Photo: Gorgo / Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)

Last updated: 2026-09-17

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) lets Alberta select and nominate immigrants who meet the province's labour market needs. Candidates submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), enter a pool and wait for targeted draws; nominees then apply to IRCC for permanent residence. The Alberta Express Entry Stream is aligned with the federal pool, so a nomination there adds 600 CRS points.

Who it suits: People already working in Alberta on a valid permit, Express Entry candidates, rural community hires and entrepreneurs
Job offer needed?: Yes for all four worker streams; entrepreneurs invest and run a business instead
2026 nomination allocation: 6,603 (increased by 200 in August)
How to apply: Submit an Expression of Interest and wait for a targeted invitation

Official processing times

Taken from IRCC's own processing times tool and synced twice a month.

Application type	Published processing time
Provincial nominee — Express Entry	about 7 months
Provincial nominee — base track	about 13 months

IRCC data updated: October 9, 2026 · Synced by us: 2026-10-20

Check the current times on IRCC's site ↗

Processing times are IRCC's statistics on applications it has already finished — a guide, not a commitment. Individual files vary with document completeness, requests for more information and background checks. For applications where the time depends on where you file, only a few common locations are listed; use IRCC's tool for others.

The four worker streams

All worker streams need a full-time Alberta job offer; they differ by your current status and sector.

Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS)

Alberta's largest stream, with 3,562 nominations in 2026
You must already work full-time in Alberta on an eligible work permit
A full-time, permanent Alberta job offer in your current occupation
No need to be in the federal Express Entry pool
Clear minimums for work experience, language and education (below)

Alberta Express Entry Stream (AEE)

For candidates already in the federal Express Entry pool
Dedicated pathways for health care, accelerated tech and law enforcement
Also targets construction, agriculture and aviation priority sectors
Most pathways require an Alberta job offer
A nomination adds 600 CRS points, effectively securing an invitation

Rural Renewal Stream

Designated rural communities recruit and endorse candidates
You need both a job offer from an employer in that community and a community endorsement letter
Open to temporary workers in Canada and to applicants abroad
1,057 nominations in 2026, the second-largest stream
Designed to attract and retain newcomers in rural Alberta

Tourism and Hospitality Stream

For people working in Alberta's tourism and hospitality sector
You need a full-time offer to continue with your Alberta employer
You must already live and work in Alberta
Only 156 nominations in 2026
Suits hotel, food service and tourism roles

The four entrepreneur streams

Entrepreneur streams need no job offer, but require investment, active management and job creation. Together they had just 60 nominations in 2026.

Rural Entrepreneur

Buy or start a business in a rural Alberta community
Engage with and gain support from the community
Investment, net worth and active management requirements apply

Graduate Entrepreneur

For international graduates of approved Alberta institutions
Start or buy a business in Alberta and run it yourself
The main route for graduates who want to build a business in Alberta

Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur

For graduates of institutions outside Canada
Launch an innovative start-up in Alberta
Requires support from a designated agency

Farm Stream

For applicants with farm management experience
Plan to buy or start a farm in Alberta
A farm business plan and investment are required

Alberta Opportunity Stream requirements in detail

AOS has the most nominations and the clearest published criteria.

Work permit: an LMIA-based permit, an eligible LMIA-exempt permit (trade agreements, intra-company transfer, International Experience Canada, Mobilité Francophone, religious work, vulnerable worker), a Post-Graduation Work Permit from an Alberta institution, or an open permit under specific public policies
Work experience: 12 months full-time (30+ hours/week) in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months, or 24 months in that occupation in Canada or abroad within the last 30 months
Post-Graduation Work Permit holders: 6 months in the occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months
Language: CLB/NCLC 5 for TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 occupations; CLB/NCLC 4 for TEER 4 and 5; CLB/NCLC 7 for nurse aides (NOC 33102); results must be under 2 years old
Education: Canadian high school equivalent or higher, with an Educational Credential Assessment for foreign credentials; PGWP holders need an approved Alberta credential
Job offer: full-time, permanent, on-site with an Alberta employer in your current occupation — not self-employment, agency placement or remote work
Not eligible: refugee claimants or people in removal proceedings, those living or working outside Alberta, people without valid temporary status, part-time, casual or seasonal employees, and business owners or shareholders
Some occupations are excluded, including legislators, school principals, secondary teachers, real estate agents, taxi drivers and landscaping labourers

2026 allocation by stream

Stream	2026 nominations
Alberta Opportunity Stream	3,562
Rural Renewal Stream	1,057
Express Entry: Accelerated Tech Pathway	619
Express Entry: priority sectors	619
Dedicated health care pathways	518
Tourism and Hospitality Stream	156
Entrepreneur streams (all four)	60

As of September 2026 Alberta had issued 4,864 nominations with 1,739 remaining. Physicians and francophone candidates draw on separate federal spaces outside Alberta's allocation.

Recent draws (September 2026)

Draw	Date	Minimum score	Invitations
Dedicated health care pathway	2026-09-09	60	51
Alberta Opportunity Stream	2026-09-01	56	575

About 35,957 eligible Expressions of Interest are in the pool and cut-offs change each round. Processing as of September 2026: AOS is assessing applications received by June 17, Rural Renewal to August 11, and health care pathways to July 30.

See Alberta's official draw and processing updates →

How to apply

1
Identify your stream
Choose based on whether you already work in Alberta, are in the Express Entry pool, or have a community endorsement. Alberta also publishes an eligibility explorer tool.
2
Submit an Expression of Interest
File your EOI in the AAIP portal; it is scored on work experience, language, education and your job offer, then ranked in the pool.
3
Wait for a targeted invitation
Alberta draws by stream; you are invited once your score meets that round's cut-off.
4
Submit the full nomination application
File within the deadline with your job offer, work permit, proof of experience, language results and credential assessment.
5
Receive the nomination
Once approved you hold an Alberta nomination; Express Entry candidates add 600 CRS points to their profile.
6
Apply to IRCC for permanent residence
Express Entry candidates apply through the federal pool; others file a provincial nominee permanent residence application directly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between AOS and the Express Entry stream?+

AOS is for people already working in Alberta and does not require Express Entry eligibility — it also holds the most nominations. The Express Entry stream requires you to qualify federally and be in the pool first; a nomination then adds 600 CRS points and is usually faster overall.

Can international graduates apply?+

Yes. With a Post-Graduation Work Permit from an Alberta institution, the AOS work experience requirement drops to 6 months in Alberta within the last 18 months, though your credential must be an approved Alberta one. Graduates who want to start a business can look at the Graduate Entrepreneur stream.

Do I have to be working in Alberta already?+

AOS and the Tourism and Hospitality stream require it. Rural Renewal accepts candidates inside and outside Canada but requires a community endorsement and a job offer from that community. Express Entry and entrepreneur streams vary by pathway.

Who cannot apply?+

Refugee claimants or people in removal proceedings, those living or working outside Alberta, people without valid temporary status, part-time or seasonal employees, self-employed people and company shareholders or directors, remote workers, and anyone in an excluded occupation such as real estate agent or taxi driver.

Does a nomination guarantee permanent residence?+

No. The nomination is the first step; IRCC still assesses medical, criminal and admissibility requirements. It greatly improves your chances but is not automatic.

Wondering whether you qualify?

Book a consultation

This page summarizes official information from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for general reference only. Immigration rules change often, so always check IRCC's latest requirements. Every case is different — contact us for an assessment of your situation.