Alberta Advantage Immigration Program Issues 165 Invitations in Recent Draws Across Four Streams
According to recent data published on the official website of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), between April 11 and 22, 2025, the AAIP actively conducted several targeted draws aimed at selecting international talent to meet the province's labour market needs. These draws collectively covered four main immigration streams under the AAIP, issuing a total of 165 invitations to eligible candidates to apply for provincial nomination.
Specific details of this series of draws are as follows:
| Draw Date | Worker Stream / Pathway | Minimum Score of Invited Candidates | Number of Invitations Issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 22, 2025 | Alberta Express Entry Stream – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 71 | 22 |
| April 17, 2025 | Alberta Express Entry Stream – Law Enforcement Pathway | 49 | 2 |
| April 15, 2025 | Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 73 | 33 |
| April 11, 2025 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 77 | 108 |
Several points among these draws are particularly noteworthy:
- Firstly, April 15, 2025, marked Alberta's first immigration selection through the Tourism and Hospitality stream in 2025.
- Secondly, these two draws for the Accelerated Tech Pathway and Law Enforcement Pathway were also the second selections for these two streams conducted in 2025.
- Furthermore, the draw on April 11, 2025, for the Alberta Opportunity Stream was the first "general" draw for this stream in 2025. Previous draws under the Alberta Opportunity Stream had focused primarily on professionals in the aviation and construction sectors.
The AAIP official website also provides transparent information regarding the current processing status of each stream, including the remaining nomination spaces for 2025, the current number of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in the selection pool, and the number of applications still to be processed. Data summarized as of the time of writing is as follows:
| Stream / Pathway | Nomination Spaces Remaining (2025) | Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in Selection Pool | Applications to be Processed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 1,529 | 35,479 | 1,501 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 182 | 5,508 | 321 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 89 | 3,007 | 81 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | Not applicable (Total 2025 allocation is 20 nominations) | 97 | > 10 |
It is important to specifically explain to readers that within the context of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), "Invitation" and "Nomination" represent two distinct stages. Typically:
- Submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI): Candidates first create an EOI profile, indicating their interest in immigrating to the province through a specific Provincial Nominee Program stream.
- Receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Provincial Nomination: If the EOI meets the province's selection criteria and is chosen, the candidate will receive an invitation from the province to apply for provincial nomination.
- Submitting the Provincial Nomination Application: The candidate must submit a complete provincial nomination application package to the provincial government for processing.
- Obtaining Provincial Nomination: If the complete provincial nomination application is approved, the foreign national will formally receive the province's nomination.
- Applying for Permanent Residence (PR)
- Basic PNP Streams: After obtaining provincial nomination, the applicant can directly submit a permanent residence application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- Enhanced PNP Streams (aligned with Express Entry): After obtaining provincial nomination, the applicant's Express Entry profile will receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. This significantly boosts their ranking in the Express Entry pool, making them more likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for PR in subsequent Express Entry draws. Upon receiving the ITA, the applicant can submit a complete PR application.
Alberta's recent series of draws once again highlights the province's strategy to actively attract and retain international talent that meets its economic development needs through its provincial immigration programs, particularly addressing labour shortages in key sectors such as technology, hospitality services, and law enforcement. Prospective immigration applicants should closely follow the requirements for AAIP streams and draw updates, and refer to the EOI pool and pending application data to assess their application opportunities.
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