How the tool works

The Eligibility Explorer is designed to point foreign nationals toward the AAIP streams that best fit their circumstances. Users begin by stating whether they intend to work, or keep working, in Alberta, or whether they plan to start or buy a business in the province. They then answer a short questionnaire, and within minutes the tool returns a list of possible permanent residence pathways, along with links to review the requirements for each option and to create an Expression of Interest (EOI).

The questions differ depending on the path chosen. Prospective workers are asked about whether they hold a job offer, their Alberta residency, the type of work permit they hold if they are already living in the province, and their National Occupational Classification (NOC) code. Prospective entrepreneurs are asked about their educational background, their investment capacity, and whether they are interested in establishing a business in a rural part of the province.

Alberta is clear that the tool is intended for guidance only. It does not confirm eligibility, nor does it guarantee an invitation once an EOI has been submitted. In other words, a positive result from the Eligibility Explorer is a starting point for further research, not an assurance of selection.

Application fees

Submitting an EOI now carries a cost for most applicants. As of April 2026, Alberta charges CAD $135 to submit a worker EOI, a fee that was newly introduced this year; previously, submitting a worker EOI was free. Entrepreneurs pay CAD $200 to submit an EOI for an entrepreneur stream.

The Farm Stream works differently from the other entrepreneur options. It has no EOI step and instead goes straight to a CAD $3,500 application. That same CAD $3,500 application fee also applies at the application stage of the other entrepreneur streams.

AAIP worker streams

The AAIP offers four worker streams, each aimed at a different category of applicant:

• Alberta Opportunity Stream: For those who want to live and work in Alberta with a job offer from an Alberta employer.
• Alberta Express Entry Stream: For candidates with an active profile in the federal Express Entry pool who have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 300 and a primary occupation tied to a provincial economic, sector, or occupational priority. This stream includes four pathways: the Dedicated Health Care Pathway, the Accelerated Tech Pathway, the Law Enforcement Pathway, and the Priority Sectors Pathway. It is worth noting that the CRS score of 300 is a minimum eligibility threshold rather than a guaranteed selection score; draw cut-offs are set as needed and may be higher.
• Rural Renewal Stream: For temporary workers who have a job offer in a designated community along with a community endorsement letter.
• Tourism and Hospitality Stream: For those who want to live and work in Alberta with a full-time job offer from a provincial tourism or hospitality employer.

AAIP entrepreneur streams

The program also offers four entrepreneur streams for those looking to build or buy a business in the province:

• Rural Entrepreneur Stream: For those who want to start or buy a business in a rural Alberta community.
• Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: For international graduates of approved Alberta post-secondary institutions.
• Farm Stream: For experienced farmers who are buying or starting a farm in Alberta.
• Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: For foreign graduates with a degree from a post-secondary institution outside Canada who are launching a start-up or innovative business.

Why now: shrinking allocation amid surging demand

The new tool arrives against a backdrop of tightening numbers and rising competition. Alberta's 2024 allocation stood at 9,750 nominations. For 2025, the federal government cut Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations nationwide by roughly 50 percent, dropping Alberta's initial allocation to 4,875 before a mid-year federal top-up of 1,528 raised it to 6,403. The 2026 allocation holds at 6,403, still about one-third below the 2024 peak. Even though the national 2026 PNP target rose to approximately 91,500, Alberta's individual allocation did not rebound.

Demand, meanwhile, has continued to climb. As of early June 2026, the worker EOI pool held more than 38,000 expressions of interest competing for 6,403 nominations, a ratio of roughly six to one, with the Tourism and Hospitality Stream proving especially competitive. Alberta has repeatedly said that demand far exceeds what it can accommodate within its limited allocations.

The province has been adjusting its system in response. Alberta introduced the worker EOI scoring and draw system in September 2024, moving to as-needed, targeted draws, and added the worker EOI fee in 2026. The AAIP itself was renamed from the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) in February 2022 and is administered by the Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration.

Applicants should keep in mind that confirming a possible stream through the Eligibility Explorer is only the first step. After submitting and passing an EOI, worker candidates enter a pool and must be selected in periodic draws and receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) before they can submit a full application. The self-assessment, the EOI, and an actual invitation or nomination are not the same thing.