Alberta Express Entry Stream – Eligibility

Overview

Based on available profile information in the federal Express Entry portal, Alberta may send a Notification of Interest letter or invite candidates to apply to the program depending on the selection factors or pathway design. Profile information is self-declared by candidates in the federal Express Entry pool.

The eligibility cut-off for Express Entry is now TEER 3 (equivalent to Skill Level B). Use the Find your NOC tool to determine your primary occupation’s NOC code and TEER Category.

The information on the process and priorities for Express Entry is shared here as a courtesy and is subject to change without prior notice. It is important to note that Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) selections through Express Entry are often based on more than one factor. In addition, the minimum requirements and factors that increase the chances of selection remain applicable to all pathways and category-based selections.

If you receive a Notification of Interest letter from Alberta and you are interested in being considered for this stream, you must send a copy of the letter, along with additional information to the AAIP by email within 2 weeks of receiving the letter. AAIP may seek additional information after receiving your response before sending you an email with a link inviting you to apply. Instructions on how to contact the AAIP are on the How to apply page.

There is no guarantee that you will receive a Notification of Interest letter or be invited to apply even if your profile matches information on this page. Notification of Interest letters and invitation to apply are affected by the volume of potential candidates meeting these requirements, the type (occupation or sector) of submissions in AAIP processing queues, and the number of available nominations.

Selection, notification and eligibility requirements differ depending on the Alberta Express Entry Stream selection factors or pathways under which you received a Notification of Interest letter or invitation to apply to the AAIP. In 2023, the AAIP will send Notifications of Interest letters or consider an invitation to apply based on the following priorities:

• family connection and primary occupation in demand
• Dedicated Healthcare Pathway
• Accelerated Tech Pathway
• priority sectors – agriculture, construction, tourism and hospitality

Ensure you read the process and requirements for each pathway below.

Alberta’s Express Entry Stream approach, based on the allocations received, in 2023 is:

• Express Entry Allocations in 2023 (50% of total 2023 allocations) – 4,875
  • Alberta Express Entry Stream:
    • family connection and occupation in demand – expected to use 1,219 allocations
    • Dedicated Healthcare Pathway – expected to use 1,462 allocations
    • Accelerated Tech Pathway – expected to use 1,219 allocations
    • priority sectors – agriculture, construction, tourism and hospitality – expected to use 975 allocations

Minimum requirements

You may receive a Notification of Interest letter if:

• you have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool
• you meet the criteria of at least one of the federal immigration programs managed by Express Entry:
  • Canadian Experience Class
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program
• your primary occupation in your federal Express Entry profile is an occupation in demand, included as part of a specific Express Entry stream pathway, or is identified an occupation connected to a provincial economic, sector or occupational priority
• you intend to live and work permanently in Alberta and have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta
• you have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300
• your primary occupation is not on the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list
• AAIP volume of applications or nominations for your primary occupation in the current calendar year is considered reasonable to meet provincial economic immigration priorities
• intend to and be able to live and work in Alberta
• you are neither a refugee claimant nor subject to a federal appeal or removal process
  • AAIP cannot intervene in the federal refugee claim, appeal or removal process
• you do not have an active nomination under any AAIP stream
  • an active nomination is one that has not expired or is eligible for extension, or both
• you are not currently identified as ineligible to re-apply to the AAIP due to misrepresentation

Chances of selection

Factors that increase your chances of selection

Your chances of receiving a Notification of Interest letter or preference from the AAIP may increase if:

• you have an Alberta job offer
• you are a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary institution
• you have a parent, child, or sibling who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Alberta
• French is your first language
• your Express Entry profile is valid for more than 5 months

If you claimed any of these factors in your Express Entry profile at the time you received your Notification of Interest letter, your application may be assessed against them.

Family connection

Family connection and primary occupation in demand

Based on available profile information in the federal Express Entry portal, Alberta may select candidates and send them a Notification of Interest letter in their federal Express Entry profile.

AAIP will be conducting draws for a minimum of 25% of certificates of nomination available in the Alberta Express Entry Stream based mainly on selection parameters that include the principal applicant having a parent, child or sibling in Alberta (who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident) and that the primary occupation (regardless of where the applicant is currently living) is an occupation in demand in Alberta.

AAIP is basing ‘occupation in demand in Alberta’ using one or more of the following approaches to select individuals who have experience in:

• in-demand occupations with significant cumulative imbalance on Alberta’s Occupational Outlook or occupations in ‘High’ or ‘Moderately High’ demand in the Short-Term Employment Forecast
• select occupations in the agriculture, construction, healthcare, or tourism and hospitality sectors

Priority may be given to candidates with a verifiable Alberta job offer from a legitimate, established and verifiable business in Alberta.

Important: Family connection and relative eligibility is evaluated on the basis of the connection to the principal applicant (in-laws of the principal applicant are not eligible). Only connections or relationships that match the AAIP definition with the principal applicant (parent, child or sibling) and are verifiable and apparent through essential supporting documents are considered eligible.

Dedicated Healthcare Pathway

Based on available profile information in the federal Express Entry portal, Alberta may select candidates and send them a Notification of Interest letter in their federal Express Entry profile.

AAIP will use 30% of its Express Entry allocations in 2023 towards category-based selections of persons:

• whose primary occupation is in an eligible National Occupational Classification (NOC) code
• have a valid, verifiable job offer from an Alberta employer in the health sector (based on valid Workers’ Compensation Board coverage) in an eligible healthcare profession
  • See the Assessment criteria section below for more details on a valid, verifiable job offer.
• provide verifiable proof of meeting the minimal requirements prescribed by the applicable regulatory organization to be able to practice the eligible healthcare profession in Alberta

Important: NOC codes cover many different occupational titles. AAIP will seek additional information from prospective applicants regarding the occupation identified in the job offer, and the regulatory organization’s proof of ability to practice the eligible healthcare profession in Alberta, to ensure the individual is eligible under this pathway.

Eligible healthcare professions under this pathway, and the applicable regulatory organization responsible for proof of ability to practice in Alberta, include:

• Physicians – College of Physicians and Surgeon of Alberta (CPSA)
• Registered Nurses (RNs) – College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) – College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA)
• Nurse Practitioners (NPs) – College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)
• Physician Assistants – College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA)
• Occupational Therapist – Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT)
• Physiotherapist – College of Physiotherapist of Alberta (CPA)
• Clinical Social Worker – Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
• Psychologist – College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP)

Other Alberta Express Entry Stream selections and other streams’ nominations will complement the selections targeting this specific sector.

Accelerated Tech Pathway

Candidate selection and notification process

The Accelerated Tech Pathway has specific minimum eligibility and assessment criteria which are provided below. Review the criteria to determine if you may qualify.

Submit the Accelerated Tech Pathway form

If you believe you meet the assessment criteria, you must first complete and submit the Accelerated Tech Pathway form. This form includes information on your Alberta-based job offer or employment, as well as your federal Express Entry profile.

Complete the Accelerated Tech Pathway form

Invitation to apply – Requirements

The AAIP will review the information in the form and determine if you meet the minimum eligibility criteria. If you meet minimum criteria, the AAIP will then send an email with a link inviting you to submit an application.

You may be invited to submit an application if:

• you meet the minimum requirements of the Alberta Express Entry Stream
• you are working full-time in Alberta under an employment contract or have a bona fide job offer for full-time employment based in Alberta (full-time is a minimum 30 hours per week), signed by you and your employer that:
  • meets job offer and current employment contract requirements identified in the Assessment criteria, and:
    • is in an occupation on the list of eligible Accelerated Tech Pathway occupations (PDF, 135 KB)
    • is for an Alberta employer whose primary business activities belong to the Alberta tech industry, as defined by the AAIP list of eligible North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes (PDF, 190 KB)
    • has a base monetary wage or salary that:
      • meets provincial minimum wage, and
      • meets or exceeds the requirements set out in your Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or if you are LMIA exempt or do not have an LMIA, meets or exceeds the lowest starting wage for your occupation across all industries in Alberta
    • Note: Non-wage compensation, including but not limited to compensation from company ownership, is not considered as part of the applicant’s base monetary wage or salary.
• you have valid immigration status (work permit or implied status), if you are working in Alberta for your Alberta employer at the time of AAIP application
• you intend to, and are able to, live and work in Alberta permanently
• the primary occupation in your Express Entry profile is the same occupation as your current Alberta employment or job offer

The following individuals are not eligible to apply for or be nominated under the Accelerated Tech Pathway, even if they are working for an eligible Alberta employer in an eligible tech occupation or have a job offer to work 30 hours a week or more in a 12-month or greater period:

• part-time, casual or seasonal employees, regardless of their working hours
• independent contractors or temporary agency workers
• employees who do not work in Alberta, such as those who work online from a location outside Alberta or who work at a premises outside of Alberta

You may be less likely to be asked to submit an application if your Express Entry profile expires in 3 months or less.

It is recommended you keep your Express Entry profile up to date so that you remain eligible for consideration under the Accelerated Tech Pathway in the future.

Priority sectors

Agriculture, construction, tourism and hospitality

Based on available profile information in the federal Express Entry portal, Alberta may select candidates and send them a Notification of Interest letter in their federal Express Entry profile.

AAIP will use 20% of its Express Entry allocations in 2023 towards category-based selections of persons whose primary occupation is connected to agriculture, construction, or hospitality and tourism sectors. Priority may be given to candidates with a verifiable Alberta job offer from a legitimate, established and verifiable business in Alberta or whose primary occupation is in demand.

Other Alberta Express Entry Stream selections and other streams’ nominations will complement the selections targeting this specific sector.

Selection draws

Information on Alberta Express Entry Stream selection draws from the federal Express Entry pool and Notification of Interest letters issued is available on AAIP – Processing times and inventory.

Assessment criteria

The AAIP will advise you by email if you are invited to submit an application. If you are invited to apply the email will include a link you must use to submit an application. Read How to apply for information on how to submit an application.

If you are invited to submit an application, you must also meet assessment criteria. You must review the assessment criteria before applying.

It is recommended you keep your Express Entry profile up to date so that you remain eligible for consideration under the Alberta Express Entry Stream in the future.

Minimum requirements

You must continue to meet the minimum requirements of the Alberta Express Entry Stream outlined at the top of this page at the time your application is submitted and at the time your application is assessed.

You must demonstrate that you meet the specific selection parameters for the draw for the Notification of Interest letter you received. AAIP will verify the parameters on which draws were based when assessing applications. For example, if a draw included an Alberta job offer as part of the selection parameters used to issue Notification of Interest letters, the candidate's job offer must meet the Alberta job offer requirements set out in the Assessment criteria section. 

• Detailed selection parameters are included in the Express Entry draw section of the AAIP processing and inventory page. 

If you are applying under the Accelerated Tech Pathway, you must also continue to meet the requirements to receive an invitation to apply at the time your application is submitted and at the time your application is assessed.

Alberta job offer or current employment contract requirements

The following job offer and current employment contract requirements apply to all Alberta Express Entry Stream Pathways (including the Accelerated Tech Pathway). Notes have been included where there are differences in requirements for a specific pathway.

Alberta job offers and current employment contracts must be from a legitimate, established and verifiable Alberta employer:

• that is incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province, territory or the Parliament of Canada and that is operating an established production capacity, plant or a place of business in Alberta, and
• for which you do not hold more than 10% of the overall voting shares for the business
  • Note: Fee for service contracts with an Alberta heath-care provider for a health care occupation are not subject to ownership limits.

The job offer must be bona fide, signed by your legitimate, established and verifiable Alberta employer and must offer:

• continuous, paid work under an employer-employee relationship
  • Note: Fee for service contracts are eligible for Alberta heath-care providers
• employment for 12 months or more
• full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours per week
  • Note: In the Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, work as employees under contracts for full-time, part-time, part-time with actual full-time hours and casual terms will be considered employment for 12 months or more
• wages and benefits that meet or exceed provincial minimum wage:
  • Non-wage compensation, including but not limited to compensation from company ownership, is not considered as part of the applicant’s base monetary wage or salary.
  • Note: In the Accelerated Tech Pathway, must also meet or exceed the requirements of the LMIA, or if LMIA exempt or do not have an LMIA, meet or exceed the lowest starting wage for your occupation across all industries in Alberta
  • Note: Meal and lodging deductions that meet Employment Standards are permitted for NOC 41302 – Religious leaders and NOC 42204 – Religion workers. Proof of employee authorization of deductions is required.
• work in a location in Alberta:
  • if you are or will be working at a home-base business in Alberta, your employer must be authorized to operate that business location from a personal residence
  • for an eligible occupation or employer, or both, as defined under each of the 4 Alberta Express Entry Stream pathways

Important: For applications requiring an Alberta job offer, AAIP reserves the right to request additional documents to complete a business legitimacy assessment to verify and make a determination on the legitimacy of the job offer as bona fide. This assessment also includes the reasonableness of the job offer based on the length of time the business has been established and the number of employees on the company’s payroll, inclusive of the job offer being evaluated. Only reasonable job offers connected to legitimate, established and verifiable businesses are eligible. Determinations to the contrary may result in the decline of the application and a finding of misrepresentation.

Accuracy of information

When the AAIP selects candidates, it expects that information contained in the federal Express Entry portal is accurate. The information and documents you identified in the federal Express Entry portal must be provided to the AAIP at the time your Express Entry application package is submitted.

Documents and information provided in the application must confirm the information identified in the federal Express Entry portal at the time that the Notification of Interest was issued or the date you submitted the Accelerated Tech Pathway form. If there are discrepancies between the information in the federal portal and the information the AAIP receives, your submission may be declined.

Terms and conditions

The AAIP does not guarantee that all complete applications received by the AAIP will be assessed, or that all candidates who meet the assessment criteria will be issued a nomination. Review the Terms and conditions on the How to apply page for more information. Submission of an application or nomination by the AAIP does not guarantee you will be issued a permanent resident visa.