The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has confirmed that, starting April 7, 2026, foreign nationals submitting a Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI) will be required to pay a new $135 fee, a step that ends the previously free submission process and applies across every worker stream and pathway — including the Alberta Opportunity Stream, the Alberta Express Entry Stream (covering the Accelerated Tech Pathway, the Law Enforcement Pathway and priority sector draws), the Dedicated Health Care Pathways, the Rural Renewal Stream and the Tourism and Hospitality Stream — while remaining entirely separate from the existing $1,500 application fee; the change follows the February 25, 2026 addition of new wage and hours-of-work fields to the WEOI form and comes as more than 44,000 WEOIs sit in the selection pool, with Alberta holding a 2026 allocation of 6,403 nominations from IRCC, of which 1,475 had been issued as of April 1 and 4,928 remain available, with upcoming draws expected to prioritize health care, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture and occupations tied to designated Rural Renewal communities.

On April 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the year's first category-based Express Entry draw targeting Trades Occupations, issuing 3,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 477. The draw marks a significant milestone as the first Trades selection since IRCC raised the minimum work experience requirement from six months to one year in February 2026, and represents the twentieth Express Entry draw of the year. Notably, the 3,000 ITAs issued in this single draw already exceed the 1,250 total issued under the Trades category throughout all of 2025, underscoring IRCC's growing emphasis on skilled tradespeople. With 58,830 ITAs issued across all categories in 2026 so far, the Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency categories continue to account for the largest share.

Over the past three weeks, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) announced results from six provincial immigration draws held between February 26 and March 16, 2026. A total of 1,447 invitations were issued across several streams and pathways, including the Alberta Opportunity Stream, Rural Renewal Stream, Alberta Express Entry Priority Sectors pathway for healthcare, the Accelerated Tech pathway, and the Dedicated Health Care Pathway outside Express Entry. The latest round of draws shows Alberta is continuing to prioritize rural labour shortages, healthcare staffing needs, and the attraction of technology talent in 2026. As of March 17, Alberta had received 6,403 nomination spaces for the year, of which 1,127 had already been used, leaving 5,276 spots remaining.

On March 5, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new category-based Express Entry draw, issuing invitations to apply (ITAs) for the first time under the Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category. A total of 250 ITAs were issued in this round, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement of 429. This category is one of three new occupational streams introduced when IRCC overhauled the Express Entry system in February 2026. Looking at the overall trend of Express Entry draws so far in 2026, IRCC has shown a clear preference for prioritizing immigration candidates already residing in Canada, particularly those with local work experience or provincial nominations.

In mid-November 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) issued a total of 1,125 provincial nominee invitations across two rounds, targeting candidates in the Healthcare Priority sector under Express Entry as well as the Alberta Opportunity Stream. The November 14 draw invited 80 healthcare candidates with a minimum score of 52, while the November 10 draw issued 1,045 invitations under the Opportunity Stream—a notably large round this year. With Alberta receiving over 1,500 additional nominations in September, bringing its 2025 total to 6,403, the province continues to strengthen efforts to retain local workers and attract healthcare professionals.

The Government of Alberta has officially announced significant updates to the Rural Renewal Stream (RRS) under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), marking one of the most substantial overhauls since the program's inception. Scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, these changes are a response to a surge in community endorsements that have far exceeded the province’s federal nomination allocations. To realign the program with provincial economic priorities and manage labor market pressures, Alberta will implement four core changes: establishing annual endorsement allocation limits for designated communities, setting a one-year validity period for candidate endorsement letters, introducing a TEER-based occupation assessment model, and enforcing a mandatory requirement for all in-Canada applicants to hold a valid work permit at both the time of application and assessment.

Between October 1 and October 7, 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) held three separate provincial nomination draws, issuing a total of 1,324 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Among them, the Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) accounted for the majority, with 1,003 invitations, maintaining its lead as the province’s largest channel of nominations. The Accelerated Tech Pathway and Priority Sectors (Construction) streams, both aligned with the federal Express Entry system, targeted applicants in high-demand occupations. In addition, the Government of Alberta received an increase of 1,528 nomination spots in September, raising its total 2025 allocation to 6,403. As of October 10, the province had issued 4,228 nominations, leaving 2,175 available for the remainder of the year.

Between September 12 and 17, 2025, Alberta conducted three rounds of immigration invitations across different categories through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), issuing over 1,400 invitation letters to technology professionals, law enforcement workers, and candidates under the Alberta Opportunity Stream. This series of invitations demonstrates the province's targeted immigration strategy addressing specific labor market demands.

In early September 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) conducted a series of seven immigration draws, issuing a total of 1,376 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates. These draws primarily targeted applicants in the Alberta Express Entry stream and the Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, focusing on inviting candidates with Alberta job offers who can help fill labor gaps in high-demand sectors. The number of invitations issued in the first half of September alone has already surpassed that of any other single month in 2025, indicating that the province is accelerating its efforts to meet its economic development needs.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its first Express Entry draw of the year for trade occupations on September 18, 2025. A total of 1,250 candidates received an Invitation to Apply (ITA). However, the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score soared to 505, significantly higher than the previous draw for this category. The primary reason for the score increase is the long interval between draws, which led to an accumulation of high-scoring candidates. Additionally, internal documents suggest IRCC plans to issue more invitations to trade candidates in the second half of the year.