Alberta Confirms 6,403 AAIP Nominations for 2026, with Priority on Key Worker Streams
Sreejith
Alberta has officially confirmed its Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) nomination allocation for 2026, setting a provincial total of 6,403 nominations. The province will continue to focus on addressing labour shortages by prioritising worker streams tied to critical sectors of Alberta’s economy rather than relying solely on ranking scores.
The 2026 allocation highlights Alberta’s strategy of targeting in-demand occupations across health care, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture, and rural communities.
AAIP 2026 Nomination Breakdown
Alberta has distributed its 6,403 nomination spaces across the following streams:
- Alberta Opportunity Stream: 3,425
- Rural Renewal Stream: 1,000
- Dedicated Health Care Pathways: 500
- Alberta Express Entry (all pathways): 1,238
- Tourism & Hospitality Stream: 150
- Entrepreneur Streams: 90
This distribution clearly signals Alberta’s emphasis on retaining temporary foreign workers already contributing to the province, while also supporting rural growth and essential services.
Strong Focus on Priority Sectors
For 2026, Alberta is prioritising worker streams connected to sectors experiencing persistent labour shortages, including:
- Health care
- Technology
- Construction and manufacturing
- Aviation
- Agriculture
- Rural and regional communities under the Rural Renewal Stream
Nomination spaces are issued through specific AAIP streams aligned with these priorities, allowing the province to respond directly to real-time labour-market needs.
Extra Nomination Spaces for Physicians and Francophone Candidates
In addition to Alberta’s provincial cap of 6,403 nominations, nominations issued in 2026 to physicians and Francophone candidates will not count toward this allocation.
This exception is made possible by the federal government’s decision to create up to 10,000 additional immigration spaces across all Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) specifically for these two groups. As a result, Alberta has extra flexibility to nominate French-speaking candidates and physicians beyond its regular quota.
No Fixed AAIP Draw Schedule
It is important for candidates to note that AAIP draws are not scheduled in advance. Alberta selects candidates based on labour-market needs and sector priorities rather than purely on Expression of Interest (EOI) scores.
To protect the integrity of the selection process, the AAIP does not disclose draw parameters or detailed selection criteria ahead of time.
Why This Matters
Alberta’s 2026 AAIP allocation reflects a highly targeted immigration approach, one that prioritises economic needs, regional development, and critical public services. With thousands of nominations reserved for workers already in Alberta and additional federal spaces available for Francophone candidates and physicians, 2026 presents meaningful opportunities for skilled workers aligned with Alberta’s priority sectors.
For candidates considering Alberta, aligning work experience, occupation, and community ties with provincial priorities will remain far more important than simply meeting minimum eligibility thresholds.