Alberta: First Round of Draws Focus on Medical and Rural Talent
On February 15, Alberta’s Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) announced the results of its first provincial nominee draw for 2025. The draw covered three immigration streams targeting talents in different sectors:
1. Rural Renewal Stream (February 3)
- Minimum score: 68 points
- Invitations issued: 190
- Priority given to applicants with local employment ties or community support
2. Medical Care Stream - Express Entry Category (February 5)
- Minimum score: 52 points
- Invitations issued: 70
- Only for candidates already in the Federal Express Entry pool whose occupations match the medical shortage list
3. Medical Care Stream - Non-Express Entry Category (February 6)
- Minimum score: 50 points
- Invitations issued: 48
- For applicants who do not meet Express Entry criteria but meet other requirements of the medical stream
It is important to note that Alberta’s Medical Care Stream includes both enhanced (linked to Express Entry) and non-Express Entry pathways. Applicants can choose the path that they meet the criteria for. Candidates who do not meet Alberta’s Express Entry requirements but still meet other criteria of the specialized medical health stream may apply through the non-Express Entry pathway.
New Brunswick: System Overload Causes Delay, Official Draws to Start in March
On February 14, New Brunswick’s Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) issued an announcement explaining that its Expression of Interest (EOI) portal experienced technical issues due to an “unexpected surge in traffic,” and the technical team is working to resolve the performance problems.
In addition, New Brunswick clarified how applications in the skilled worker category will be processed, emphasizing that EOIs are not processed on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Applicants should ensure they meet the latest immigration program eligibility requirements, including National Occupational Classification (NOC) code restrictions, before submitting their EOIs. Once submitted, an EOI is valid for 365 days.
The New Brunswick Immigration Department reminded applicants that system pressure may affect the experience of submitting documents, and they advised avoiding peak times for submission.
Policy Comparison and Application Suggestions
The policy adjustments in both provinces reflect the differentiated strategies of Canada’s provincial immigration programs: Alberta continues to focus on recruiting for the medical and rural regions, while New Brunswick optimizes its talent structure by using occupational code restrictions. With continuous adjustments and improvements to immigration policies, applicants need to closely follow the specific requirements and processing updates for each provincial nominee program to seize the best immigration opportunities.
