Alberta invites rural, health & tech workers in the latest draws, i.e., over the past three weeks, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has held six immigration draws between February 26 and mid-March 2026.
During these draws, more than 1,400 invitations were issued to candidates across different streams and pathways. These draws focused on key sectors such as healthcare, technology, and rural employment needs.
The invitations were issued through the following streams and pathways:
- Alberta Opportunity Stream
- Rural Renewal Stream
- Alberta Express Entry Stream – Priority Sectors pathway (Health Care)
- Alberta Express Entry Stream – Accelerated Tech pathway
- Dedicated Health Care pathway – non-Express Entry
As of now, Alberta has conducted a total of 18 draws in 2026. Most of the invitations so far have been issued through the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
Draw Details From February 26 To March 16
Most of the six draws took place in March. These draws mainly targeted candidates for rural jobs and those working in healthcare and technology sectors.
The number of invitations and minimum scores varied for each draw. Around 57.5% of the total 1,447 invitations were issued through the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
| Draw Date | Stream/Pathway | Minimum Score | Invitations Issued |
| March 16, 2026 | Alberta Express Entry Stream – Priority Sectors (Health Care) | 63 | 50 |
| March 13, 2026 | Rural Renewal Stream | 51 | 349 |
| March 12, 2026 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 47 | 47 |
| March 6, 2026 | Alberta Express Entry Stream – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 56 | 139 |
| March 5, 2026 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 61 | 832 |
| February 26, 2026 | Rural Renewal Stream | 55 | 30 |
The March 16 draw is important because it is the first time in 2026 that Alberta held an Express Entry draw focused on healthcare as a priority sector.
Provincial Nomination Updates
For 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has given Alberta a total of 6,403 nomination spots.
By March 17, Alberta had already issued 1,127 nominations. This means that 5,276 nomination spots are still available for the rest of the year.
There are currently 1,253 applications waiting to be processed across all AAIP streams.
So far in 2026, Alberta has issued at least 3,956 invitations through 18 draws.
Nomination Distribution By Stream
Alberta has also shared how its total nomination spaces are divided across different streams and pathways. It also shows how many nominations have been issued and how many are still available.
The following data is based on the latest update from March 17, 2026:
| Stream/Pathway | 2026 Nomination Allocation | Nominations Issued | Remaining Nomination Slots |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 3,425 | 718 | 2,707 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 1,000 | 99 | 901 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 150 | 33 | 117 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways (EE + non-EE) | 500 | 71 | 429 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 600 | 101 | 499 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 38 | <10 | N/A |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/initiatives | 600 | 98 | 502 |
| Entrepreneur streams | 90 | <10 | N/A |
More than half of all nominations this year, about 53.5%, will be issued through the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
EOIs And Applications Waiting For Processing
Alberta is one of the few provinces that regularly shares detailed data about its immigration system. This includes the number of candidates in the pool and applications waiting for processing.
As of March 17, there were 43,871 worker Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in the pool. This number does not include entrepreneur streams.
Out of these, about 63.7% of EOIs are under the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
There are also at least 1,251 applications waiting to be processed across all streams and pathways. Most of these applications are also under the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
| Stream/Pathway | EOIs In The Pool | Applications Awaiting Processing |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 27,949 | 590 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 1,569 | 156 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 2,585 | 12 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways (EE + non-EE) | 4,481 | 23 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 2,486 | 149 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Family connection and occupation in demand | 37 | N/A |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 87 | <10 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sector draws/initiatives | 4,677 | 55 |
| Entrepreneur streams | N/A | 266 |
Focus Areas For 2026
In January, Alberta shared its main focus areas for immigration in 2026. The province plans to invite more workers in key sectors such as:
- Healthcare
- Technology
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Aviation
- Agriculture
Rural immigration is also a major priority this year. Alberta is focusing on candidates who have job offers in smaller communities under the Rural Renewal Stream. These workers help meet local labour shortages and support community growth.
Overall, Alberta continues to adjust its immigration draws based on labour market needs. The focus on healthcare, technology, and rural jobs shows the province’s effort to attract skilled workers where they are needed the most.
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