Alberta AAIP Update January 2026: What the Numbers Say About Provincial Nominations This Year

The January 2026 AAIP update offers an early snapshot of how the year is unfolding – and what candidates should realistically expect. 

AAIP 2026 at a glance 

As of January 2026, Alberta’s overall AAIP figures are as follows: 

• 2026 nomination allocation: 6,403 

• Nominations issued: 111 

• Nomination spaces remaining: 6,292 

• Applications still to be processed: 1,386

Additional federal nomination spaces for physicians and Francophones 

In addition to the spaces allocated to Alberta, there are 10,000 more spaces that can be distributed across the provinces specifically for physicians and French speakers.  

These spaces are reserved for: 

• 5,000 Practice‑ready physicians, and 

• 5,000 Francophone candidates, either in Canada or abroad 

Crucially, AAIP nominations issued in 2026 to eligible physicians or Francophones under this initiative do not count toward Alberta’s 6,403‑nomination allocation. 

Who qualifies under this initiative? 

Physicians must: 

• Fall under NOC 31100, 31101, or 31102, and 

• Be practice‑ready, meeting AAIP’s Dedicated Healthcare Pathway requirements. 

Francophones: 

• May work in any AAIP‑eligible NOC, and 

• Must demonstrate CLB/NCLC 5 in French across all four language competencies. 

No new streams have been created for this initiative. Existing AAIP stream rules apply, and Alberta will publish nomination numbers for these candidates as they are confirmed with IRCC. 

Alberta Opportunity Stream: steady movement, heavy demand 

The Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) remains the largest AAIP worker stream, with 28,377 candidates in the pool.  

2026 figures: 

• Nomination allocation: 3,425 

• Nominations issued so far: 70 

• Nomination spaces remaining: 3,355 

• Applications to be processed: 741 

• Currently assessing applications received on or before: October 3, 2025 

This stream currently excludes applicants who received a work permit support letter under the temporary federal public policy for prospective PNP candidates.  

It’s worth noting that demand for this stream far exceeds the number of nominations allocated for 2026. If you’re able to work on improving your score within the pool, this may increase your odds of receiving an invitation this year.  

Rural Renewal Stream 

2026 figures: 

• Nomination allocation: 1,000 

• Nominations issued: Fewer than 10 

• Applications to be processed: Fewer than 10 

• Processing dates: To be determined 

As of the January update, the Rural Renewal Stream has 3,248 candidates in the pool. So, again, demand is far higher than the number of nominations allocated to this program for 2026.  

It also seems like this program may be facing some administrative challenges going into the 2026 PNP season. Bonnyville, one of the RRS designated towns, has paused its intake pending further information from the provincial government. The town notes that it doesn’t have accurate information about eligibility for the program.  

Tourism and Hospitality Stream 

• The Tourism and Hospitality Stream continues to operate with a modest annual cap, especially compared to demand for the pathway with 5,139 candidates currently in the pool. 

2026 figures: 

• Nomination allocation: 150 

• Nominations issued: 10 

• Nomination spaces remaining: 140 

• Applications to be processed: 73 

• Currently assessing applications received on or before: January 10, 2025 

Dedicated Health Care Pathways 

Alberta continues to prioritise health care workers through both Express Entry and non‑Express Entry pathways. There are currently 1,505 candidates in the pool for these streams, which is one of the smaller numbers we’ve seen (likely due to higher volumes of invitations in 2025). 

2026 figures: 

• Nomination allocation: 500 

• Nominations issued: Fewer than 10 

• Applications to be processed: 29 

• Currently assessing applications received on or before: December 1, 2025 

There is the possibility that some of the candidates currently in the pool are physicians. Since physicians won’t ‘count’ towards the nomination allocation for 2026, it’s possible that this pool is less competitive than it appears, which would be good news for candidates. Still, those in healthcare roles in Alberta could benefit from working to improve their score this year.  

Alberta Express Entry Stream 

The Alberta Express Entry Stream is divided across several targeted pathways and initiatives: 

Accelerated Tech Pathway 

There are 2,752 candidates currently in the pool for this pathway.  

• Allocation: 600 

• Applications to be processed: 88 

• Currently assessing applications received on or before: October 6, 2025 

Law Enforcement Pathway 

• Current number of candidates in the pool: 87  

• Allocation: 38 

• Applications to be processed: Fewer than 10 

Priority sector draws and other initiatives (including construction, manufacturing, agriculture, aviation, and linked skilled trades) 

• Number of candidates in the pool: 4,252  

• Allocation: 600 

• Nominations issued: 16 

• Applications to be processed: 124 

• Currently assessing applications received on or before: October 14, 2025 

Entrepreneur Streams 

Entrepreneur streams continue to attract strong interest despite longer processing times. 

2026 figures: 

• Nomination allocation: 90 

• Applications to be processed: 246 

Business applications are evaluated upon receipt, and processing times vary due to extensive documentation and verification requirements. On average, it can take up to four months to assess both an expression of interest and a business application. 

What this update means for AAIP candidates in 2026 

Here’s what the January 2026 AAIP update tells us: 

• Most 2026 nominations are still to come 

• Processing timelines remain long across major streams 

• Targeted initiatives (health care, Francophones, priority sectors) may offer stronger prospects 

• Competition within EOI pools remains intense with most pathways having more candidates in the pool than nominations available for 2026.  

For candidates considering Alberta as part of their immigration strategy, provincial nomination should be viewed as one pathway among several, rather than a guaranteed outcome. 

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