The federal government has given the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) 200 additional nomination spaces for 2026. The increase will allow Alberta to nominate more workers for permanent residence this year.
With the additional spaces, Alberta’s total nomination allocation for 2026 has increased from 6,403 to 6,603.
The Government of Alberta announced the change on August 10, 2026, through its AAIP updates page. The province has also changed the number of spaces available under several AAIP streams to reflect the new allocation.
How Will Alberta Distribute The New Spaces?
The additional nomination spaces have not been divided equally among all AAIP streams. Some pathways received more spaces, while others saw their allocations reduced.
The Alberta Opportunity Stream received the largest increase, with 137 additional spaces. The Rural Renewal Stream received 57 more spaces.
The province also increased the spaces available under the Tourism and Hospitality Stream, Dedicated Health Care Pathways, the Accelerated Tech Pathway, and Priority sector draws and initiatives.
At the same time, the Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway and entrepreneur streams received fewer spaces.
| Stream/ Pathway | New Nomination Allocation | Previous Nomination Allocation | Difference | Nominations Already Issued |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 3,562 | 3,425 | +137 | 2,085 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 1,057 | 1,000 | +57 | 613 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 156 | 150 | +6 | 129 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways (EE + non-EE) | 518 | 500 | +18 | 220 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 619 | 600 | +19 | 388 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 12 | 38 | -26 | <10 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/initiatives | 619 | 600 | +19 | 420 |
| Entrepreneur streams | 60 | 90 | -30 | 30 |
The Alberta government said the extra spaces will strengthen the province’s ability to respond to local labour needs and support its main immigration priorities.
Alberta Has Already Issued Thousands Of Nominations
As of July 30, Alberta had issued 3,892 nominations through the AAIP.
The province had also issued another 65 nominations to practice-ready physicians and French-speaking candidates through federal programs outside the Provincial Nominee Program.
After the additional allocation was included, Alberta had 2,711 nomination spaces remaining at the end of July.
Alberta had a total allocation of 6,603 nominations in 2025 but issued 6,750 nominations by the end of that year. The province said the higher number was possible because the federal government provided a small administrative increase through Express Entry.
It is not yet clear whether Alberta will receive a similar increase in 2026.
Earlier this year, the Government of Alberta said it would focus on rural settlement and workers in several key sectors:
- Healthcare
- Technology
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Aviation
- Agriculture
These sectors remain the province’s primary focus areas for 2026. However, the list is not limited to these sectors, and workers in other fields may also receive consideration.
Demand Remains Higher Than Available Spaces
The increase in Alberta’s nomination allocation will create more opportunities for workers seeking permanent residence. However, the number of people in the AAIP pool remains much higher than the number of available spaces.
As of July 30, the AAIP had 36,948 Worker Expressions of Interest (WEOIs) in its inventory.
The Alberta Opportunity Stream had the largest share of applications, making up 62.4% of the total pool.
| Stream/Pathway | Number Of WEOIs In The Pool |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 23,056 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 1,850 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 3,558 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways (EE + non-EE) | 1,332 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 2,136 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 53 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/initiatives | 4,963 |
The number of WEOIs in each pathway may have influenced how Alberta divided the additional nomination spaces, along with the province’s labour market needs.
For example, the Alberta Opportunity Stream has more than 23,000 WEOIs, while the Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway has only about 50.
Alberta Continues To Focus On Key Workers
The federal government plans to welcome 380,000 new permanent residents to Canada in 2026. Of this total, 91,500 are expected to arrive through Provincial Nominee Programs.
The AAIP is one of several Provincial Nominee Programs across Canada and has a 2026 allocation of 6,603 nominations.
The additional spaces give Alberta more room to select workers who can support the province’s labour needs. However, the large number of people in the WEOI pool means that many candidates will still have to wait for an opportunity to receive a nomination.
Workers in healthcare, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture, and rural communities are expected to remain important to Alberta’s immigration plans as the province continues its selections throughout 2026.
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