Alberta Issues 158 Invitations in Two AAIP Draws
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) recently issued a total of 158 invitations to provincial immigration candidates through two of its pathways: the Tourism and Hospitality Stream and the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
The draws occurred on May 13 and May 15.
- On May 15, the Tourism and Hospitality Stream issued 33 invitations, with a cut-off score of 72. This marks the second draw for this stream in 2024, which was introduced to address labour shortages in the sector and assist businesses in retaining workers. Eligibility requires at least six months of work experience in Alberta's tourism and hospitality sector, a valid full-time job offer from an approved employer, and meeting education and language requirements.
- On May 13, the Alberta Opportunity Stream issued 125 invitations, with a cut-off score of 76. This was the second general draw under this stream for the 2025 allocation year, with previous draws having focused on professionals in aviation and construction.
Alberta has received a provincial nomination allocation of 4,875 for 2025, with 2,077 nominations issued to date. According to the AAIP website, the Tourism and Hospitality Stream has an allocation of 245 for 2025 (122 remaining) with 5,755 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in the pool. The Alberta Opportunity Stream has an allocation of 2,592 (1,376 remaining) with a significant 37,934 EOIs in its pool.
Invited candidates can apply for provincial nomination. If successful, they can then use this nomination to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
Prince Edward Island (PEI) Invites More Skilled Workers, Prioritizes High-Demand Sectors
Last week, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) held its fifth draw of the 2025 allocation year, issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial immigration.
The draw on May 15 saw 168 ITAs issued through the Labour Impact and PEI Express Entry pathways. It targeted individuals working in occupations and priority sectors based on their economic impact in PEI.
Like most provinces, PEI's 2025 nomination allocation was halved to 1,025 spaces. So far in 2025, the province has issued 569 ITAs, all through its Labour Market Category and PEI Express Entry streams.
Given the limited nominations, the PEI Office of Immigration is currently prioritizing skilled workers in higher-demand sectors:
- Healthcare
- Trades
- Manufacturing
The province also specified that those working in sales and service might not receive an invitation in this round.
PEI’s Labour Impact Category offers a pathway to permanent residence for foreign nationals with a valid job offer and includes three streams: Skilled Worker, Critical Worker, and International Graduate. General eligibility requires applicants to be between 21 and 59, have sufficient settlement funds, meet a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 4, and hold a full-time permanent job offer from an eligible PEI employer. Submitting an EOI indicates interest; receiving an ITA allows a candidate to apply for nomination. A successful nomination grants an additional 600 points towards their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in the federal Express Entry system.
Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) Begins Sending 2025 Intake Invitations Amidst High Competition
The Yukon Territory has started sending out invitations to apply for territorial nomination following a competitive 2025 intake for its nominee program. On May 23, the territory announced it had received "more submissions aligned with the 2025 priorities than the number of available nomination spots."
During the YNP’s recent intake period (March 31 to April 22), 502 eligible submissions were received, with 392 aligning with Yukon’s 2025 priorities. Similar to other jurisdictions, Yukon's 2025 nomination allocation was slashed by 50%, bringing its total to 215 slots for the year.
Yukon is prioritizing applicants who previously received a temporary measure letter of support – a work permit granted to Yukon-based foreign nationals whose employers plan to nominate them for PR through the YNP in 2025 or 2026.
Remaining application spots will be filled through a random selection from qualifying submissions, which include:
- Foreign nationals who have lived and worked in Yukon for at least one year;
- Yukon University graduates;
- Francophone or French-speaking candidates;
- Those with letters of support.
Earlier this year, Yukon transitioned to an Expression of Interest (EOI) system for its PR nominations. Employers must submit a web form with information about the foreign worker they wish to nominate. The YNP reviews these EOIs. As of May 23, the Yukon government has begun sending ITAs to selected employers, along with instructions for submitting a full application. Employers not selected but added to the random selection pool, and those whose EOIs were found ineligible, will also be contacted.
The EOI system was established to manage higher demand than available slots, moving away from a first-come, first-served approach to better focus on high-priority candidates aligned with its 2025 priorities. The reduced YNP allocation reflects the federal government’s decision to lower PR admission targets, including a 50% cut to PNP targets as outlined in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan.
