AAIP 2026 Draw Activity at a Glance (updated July 2026)
Alberta held 56 AAIP Expression of Interest (EOI) draws between January 26 and June 29, 2026, issuing roughly 9,600 invitations across all streams. As of Alberta’s June 30, 2026 update, 3,261 nominations have been issued against a 2026 federal allocation of 6,403 nominations (down from 9,750 in 2024), leaving 3,204 nomination spaces for the rest of the year. Physician and Francophone nominations issued under the federal 10,000-space initiative do not count against the 6,403 cap. The Alberta Opportunity Stream is the largest 2026 lane so far (~5,200 invitations, minimum scores 50–65), followed by Accelerated Tech and Rural Renewal. Sources: Alberta.ca AAIP Processing Information and AAIP 2025 Draw Summary PDF.
Living page: we refresh this tracker each time the Government of Alberta publishes a new AAIP draw. If you need the underlying eligibility rules for each stream, our Alberta PNP 2026 Guide is the companion page — this page is a chronological data record of who was invited, when, and at what score.
AAIP DRAW HISTORY 2026
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) does not publish a fixed draw calendar. Instead, the Government of Alberta issues Notification of Interest (NOI) invitations from the Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI) pool on an as-needed basis, targeted by stream, priority sector and occupation. This page maintains a chronological ledger of every AAIP round that Alberta has published — date, stream, invitations issued and the minimum WEOI score of invited candidates — so that current WEOI holders can see exactly what has been happening in their lane. We rebuild this tracker from Alberta.ca’s official Processing Information page and the annual AAIP Draw Summary PDF after each update.
How AAIP EOI Draws Work in 2026
A candidate submits a Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI) in Alberta’s online portal and receives a WEOI score based on the AAIP points grid (education, language, Alberta work experience, occupation demand, and the newer wages/hours fields added on February 25, 2026). WEOIs remain in the pool for 12 months. Alberta then conducts targeted draws by stream, pathway or priority sector — invitations go to candidates who meet the stream’s eligibility parameters, ranked by WEOI score subject to sector targets. The published “minimum WEOI score of invited candidates” is the score of the lowest-ranked person invited in that round.
Because Alberta targets by sector, a candidate with a high overall WEOI score can still be skipped over if they are not in a priority occupation for that draw. Alberta states plainly on its website that “EOI score is not the only factor” used to select candidates. For the full stream-eligibility rules, refer to our Alberta PNP 2026 Guide; for once-nominated wait times, see our AAIP Processing Times 2026 page.
Full 2026 AAIP Draw History Table (Jan – Jun 2026)
Every 2026 draw published by Alberta.ca as of the most recent update. Rows are chronological, most recent at the top. “Min score” is the minimum WEOI score of the lowest-ranked invited candidate; where Alberta reported a draw as fewer than 10 invitations, we show “<10”.
| Draw date (2026) | Stream / Pathway | Invitations | Min WEOI score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 75 | 63 |
| Jun 24 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Aviation) | 35 | 47 |
| Jun 22 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry | 46 | 64 |
| Jun 19 | Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 100 | 59 |
| Jun 18 | Tourism & Hospitality Stream | 61 | 71 |
| Jun 17 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 720 | 58 |
| Jun 15 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Manufacturing) | 56 | 50 |
| Jun 12 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Agriculture) | 37 | 52 |
| Jun 11 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Health Care) | 50 | 63 |
| Jun 10 | Rural Renewal Stream | 54 | 51 |
| Jun 9 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 35 | 45 |
| Jun 8 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry | 49 | 60 |
| Jun 5 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 462 | 50 |
| Jun 2 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Manufacturing) | 49 | 53 |
| May 29 | Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 200 | 55 |
| May 27 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 993 | 51 |
| May 25 | Rural Renewal Stream | 83 | 50 |
| May 22 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Agriculture) | 76 | 48 |
| May 21 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Manufacturing) | 99 | 56 |
| May 20 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Construction) | 50 | 61 |
| May 13 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry | 61 | 57 |
| May 7 | Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 146 | 57 |
| May 6 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 832 | 54 |
| May 1 | Rural Renewal Stream | 12 | 50 |
| Apr 27 | Tourism & Hospitality Stream | 98 | 71 |
| Apr 23 | Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | <10 | 58 |
| Apr 16 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 37 | 46 |
| Apr 15 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Health Care) | 50 | 55 |
| Apr 14 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Construction) | 50 | 60 |
| Apr 13 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry | 62 | 59 |
| Apr 10 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 447 | 65 |
| Apr 9 | Rural Renewal Stream | 74 | 50 |
| Apr 8 | Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 146 | 59 |
| Mar 27 | Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | <10 | 46 |
| Mar 26 | Rural Renewal Stream | 60 | 50 |
| Mar 24 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 102 | 54 |
| Mar 19 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Construction) | 109 | 59 |
| Mar 17 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Manufacturing) | 27 | 50 |
| Mar 16 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Health Care) | 50 | 63 |
| Mar 13 | Rural Renewal Stream | 349 | 51 |
| Mar 12 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 47 | 47 |
| Mar 6 | Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 139 | 56 |
| Mar 5 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 832 | 61 |
| Feb 26 | Rural Renewal Stream | 30 | 55 |
| Feb 24 | Tourism & Hospitality Stream | 68 | 73 |
| Feb 20 | Alberta Opportunity Stream – Priority Sectors | 831 | 56 |
| Feb 19 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Construction) | 50 | 61 |
| Feb 17 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Agriculture) | <10 | 49 |
| Feb 12 | Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Manufacturing) | 32 | 50 |
| Feb 11 | Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 147 | 59 |
| Feb 10 | Rural Renewal Stream | 212 | 54 |
| Feb 6 | Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | <10 | 50 |
| Feb 2 | Alberta Opportunity Stream | 915 | 57 |
| Jan 29 | Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 148 | 63 |
| Jan 27 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 43 | 45 |
| Jan 26 | Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry | 63 | 61 |
Source: Government of Alberta — Alberta.ca AAIP Processing Information, table of 2026 draws (retrieved July 2026). Data is refreshed by Alberta.ca whenever a new draw is conducted.
2026 Running Total vs the 6,403 Nomination Allocation
The federal Government of Canada reduced Alberta’s 2026 provincial nominee allocation to 6,403 nominations, down from 9,750 in 2024 — a cut of roughly 34%. As of Alberta’s June 30, 2026 update, 3,261 nominations had been issued and 3,204 nomination spaces remained for the second half of the year. Alberta has issued more invitations (~9,600 across 56 draws) than the 3,261 nominations figure suggests because not every invited candidate submits a complete AAIP application, and not every application results in a nomination — the invitation-to-nomination conversion in 2026 is running around one-third based on the published figures. Note that any nomination issued in 2026 for a practice-ready physician or Francophone candidate meeting the federal criteria is drawn from a separate federal pool of up to 10,000 spaces and does not count against Alberta’s 6,403 cap.
Stream-by-Stream Breakdown of 2026 Draws
The 56 draws Alberta conducted in the first half of 2026 fall into six recurring lanes. The Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) is doing the heavy lifting; the Accelerated Tech Pathway, Dedicated Health Care Pathway, and the Priority Sectors sub-draws of the Alberta Express Entry Stream fill the rest.
Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) — 2026
Seven AOS rounds January to June 2026 issuing 5,199 invitations combined (915 on Feb 2, 831 on Feb 20, 832 on Mar 5, 447 on Apr 10, 832 on May 6, 993 on May 27, 720 on Jun 17, and 462 on Jun 5). The minimum WEOI score for AOS rounds ranged from 50 to 65; the June 17 draw at score 58 is a useful current benchmark. Most 2026 AOS rounds pull broad NOC ranges rather than sector-specific; the February 20 “Priority Sectors” AOS variant is the exception.
Alberta Express Entry — Accelerated Tech Pathway — 2026
Six Tech rounds so far: 148 (Jan 29), 147 (Feb 11), 139 (Mar 6), 146 (Apr 8), 146 (May 7), 200 (May 29), 100 (Jun 19) — roughly one round every three weeks with a minimum WEOI score band of 55–63. The Tech Pathway has moved from a small-volume specialty stream (63 invited on Feb 12, 2025) to a consistent 100–200-invitation lane.
Alberta Express Entry — Priority Sectors (Health Care, Construction, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Aviation) — 2026
Priority Sector draws in 2026 are running roughly monthly per sector. Health Care rounds are at score 55–63 with 50-invitation caps; Construction has been steady at 50–109 invitations per round (scores 59–61); Manufacturing has emerged as a new priority sector in 2026 with four rounds (27, 32, 49, 56, 99 invitations at scores 50–56); Agriculture and Aviation are the smaller sector rounds (typically under 40 invitations each).
Dedicated Health Care Pathway — Express Entry and non-Express Entry — 2026
Alberta runs two parallel Health Care Pathway tracks: one for candidates already in the federal Express Entry pool, and one for candidates outside it. Six Express-Entry Health Care rounds and six non-Express-Entry rounds Jan–Jun 2026, invitations ranging from 35 to 102 per round, and minimum scores 45–64. The June 22 Express Entry round (46 invitations, score 64) was the highest cut-off of the health-care rounds this year, and any nominations issued to eligible practice-ready physicians here can draw on the separate federal 10,000-space pool. Our Healthcare Stream Eligibility 2026 page covers eligibility on this pathway.
Rural Renewal Stream — 2026
Seven Rural Renewal rounds Jan–Jun 2026 with widely varying sizes (12, 30, 54, 60, 74, 83, 212, and 349 invitations). The March 13, 2026 round of 349 invitations at score 51 is the single largest Rural Renewal round Alberta has published in either 2025 or 2026 — a signal that Alberta is prioritizing designated rural communities in the 2026 allocation.
Tourism & Hospitality Stream — 2026
Three T&H rounds so far (68 on Feb 24, 98 on Apr 27, 61 on Jun 18) with the highest minimum scores of any stream at 71–73. Combined with lower per-round volume, T&H is the most competitive AAIP lane in 2026.
Alberta Express Entry — Law Enforcement Pathway — 2026
Three Law Enforcement rounds Jan–Jun 2026, each with fewer than 10 invitations (minimum scores 46–58). This remains a specialty niche for candidates with job offers from members of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police.
2025 AAIP Draw History Summary (77 Rounds)
For historical context, Alberta conducted 77 published EOI draws between February 3, 2025 and November 24, 2025, issuing approximately 9,378 invitations. There were no published draws between November 24, 2025 and January 26, 2026 — a nine-week gap while Alberta reconciled its 2025 nominations against the federal allocation cut and rolled out the WEOI edit function, wage/hours WEOI fields and the new $135 WEOI fee introduced in February and April 2026. The table below shows the highest-volume and highest-cut-off 2025 rounds by stream; the full round-by-round 2025 list is published in the Government of Alberta’s official 2025 AAIP Draw Summary PDF.
| Stream (2025) | Rounds | Largest single round | Cut-off range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 9 | 1,113 (Sep 12) then 1,045 (Nov 10) | 52–77 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 8 | 320 (Sep 16) | 52–73 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Construction) | 6 | 121 (Sep 8) | 60–67 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Health Care) | 4 | 142 (Oct 24) | 42–71 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Agriculture) | 6 | 71 (Sep 5) | 48–67 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority Sectors (Aviation) | 5 | 30 (Sep 10) | 46–53 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway | 6 | <10 per round | 45–56 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry | 10 | 126 (Sep 2) | 45–62 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry | 10 | 67 (Sep 3) | 44–53 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 2 | 190 (Feb 3) | 68 |
| Tourism & Hospitality Stream | 3 | 39 (Jun 17) | 71–73 |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream – Sector variants (Construction/Aviation/Agriculture) | 3 | 118 (Jun 20 Agriculture) | 52–61 |
Summary derived from the Government of Alberta’s 2025 AAIP Draw Summary PDF (35 pages, published March 30, 2026 by Alberta Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration).
What Actually Changed Between 2025 and 2026
Five patterns emerge from comparing the 2025 and 2026 draw data side by side.
1. Denser draw cadence, fewer big-batch AOS rounds
In 2025, Alberta held very large AOS rounds late in the year (891 on Sep 4, 1,113 on Sep 12, 1,003 on Oct 1, 900 on Oct 23, 1,045 on Nov 10). In 2026, AOS rounds are more frequent but smaller: seven rounds ranging 447–993 rather than end-of-year mega-rounds. The mid-year 6,403 allocation constraint means Alberta cannot repeat a September 2025-style clearance without exhausting the cap.
2. AOS minimum scores have dropped
2025 AOS cut-offs ranged from 52 to 77 with most rounds at 60–77. 2026 AOS cut-offs are 50–65 — the pool below score 60 is now being reached. This is a genuine loosening at the entry level for candidates with a valid Alberta job offer, even as the total nomination cap has tightened.
3. Manufacturing is a new priority sector in 2026
Zero Manufacturing-specific Priority Sector draws in the 2025 PDF; five Manufacturing draws in H1 2026 (27, 32, 49, 56, 99 invitations). Manufacturing has been formally added to Alberta’s 2026 priority list — a policy shift, not a pool anomaly.
4. Rural Renewal is being scaled up dramatically
2025 saw two Rural Renewal rounds (190 in Feb, 165 in May). 2026 has already had seven Rural Renewal rounds totalling 874 invitations by June, with the single largest RR round on record (349 on Mar 13). Rural community endorsement is now a genuinely faster lane if you have the community relationship.
5. WEOI system changes have raised the effective barrier to entry
Three material policy changes hit the WEOI pool in early 2026: mandatory wage and hours reporting for candidates with Alberta job offers (February 25), the new $135 WEOI submission fee (April 7), and a WEOI edit function plus one-year validity confirmation (May 26). These changes clean the pool of low-quality speculative WEOIs, which mechanically raises the minimum score at which the top of the pool clears.
What This Data Means for a Current WEOI Holder
Three tactical takeaways for anyone sitting in the AAIP pool right now.
- Look at your specific stream, not the aggregate. A WEOI score of 62 puts you comfortably above the AOS cut-off band (50–65 in 2026) but well below the Tourism & Hospitality band (71–73). The right stream matters more than the raw score.
- Priority Sector alignment beats raw score in 2026. The Manufacturing rounds have gone at scores as low as 50. If your NOC aligns with an emerging priority sector, apply against it.
- The 6,403 cap has a deadline built in. With 3,204 nomination spaces left at mid-year and Alberta’s recent invitation-to-nomination conversion running around one-third, the second-half runway is finite. Complete files first, incomplete files never.
Related Alberta Immigration Resources
This page tracks draw data only. For the underlying program mechanics and companion analyses:
- Alberta PNP 2026 Guide — stream eligibility rules, fees, application process
- AAIP Processing Times 2026 — how long each stream takes once nominated
- Healthcare Stream Eligibility 2026 — Dedicated Health Care Pathway detail
- AAIP Alberta Opportunity Stream Guide — the largest stream, full requirements
- Express Entry Canada 2026 Guide — federal side that follows an AAIP nomination for Express Entry-linked streams
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does Alberta conduct AAIP EOI draws in 2026?
Alberta held 56 published AAIP draws between January 26 and June 29, 2026 — on average about two per week, but distribution is uneven. Some weeks have four or five draws targeting different streams; other weeks have none. Alberta explicitly states that “AAIP draws are not regularly scheduled” and are conducted as needed to meet sector priorities and available nomination spaces.
What is the minimum WEOI score to get an AAIP invitation in 2026?
There is no single minimum score — the cut-off is set per draw, per stream. In 2026, minimum WEOI scores of invited candidates have ranged from 45 to 73 depending on the stream and priority sector. The Alberta Opportunity Stream cut-offs have been between 50 and 65; the Tourism & Hospitality Stream has run at 71–73; Accelerated Tech has been at 55–63.
How many nominations does Alberta have available in 2026?
Alberta’s 2026 nomination allocation from the federal government is 6,403 nominations, down from 9,750 in 2024. As of Alberta’s June 30, 2026 update, 3,261 nominations had been issued and 3,204 spaces remained. Nominations issued for practice-ready physicians and Francophones under the federal 10,000-space initiative do not count against the 6,403 cap.
Why did AAIP draws pause between November 2025 and January 2026?
There were no published AAIP draws between November 24, 2025 and January 26, 2026 — a nine-week gap. This is typical year-end behaviour: Alberta reconciles the 2025 allocation, waits for the new federal allocation to be confirmed for the following year, and rolls out any WEOI system changes. In early 2026 those changes included the introduction of mandatory wage and hours reporting fields, the new $135 WEOI submission fee (April 7), and the WEOI edit function.
Which AAIP stream had the largest single draw in 2026?
The largest single 2026 draw as of the June 30 update was the Alberta Opportunity Stream round on May 27, 2026 with 993 invitations at a minimum WEOI score of 51. The largest Rural Renewal round on record for either 2025 or 2026 was March 13, 2026 with 349 invitations at score 51.
Does the WEOI score guarantee an invitation if I clear the last cut-off?
No. Alberta states explicitly on its website that WEOI score is not the only factor used to select candidates. Alberta targets draws by stream, priority sector and occupation. A candidate with a high WEOI score can be skipped over if they are not in a priority occupation for a given draw, and a lower-score candidate in a targeted priority sector can be invited ahead of a higher-scoring candidate who is not.
Sitting in the AAIP Pool? Get a Read on Your Real Odds.
TopNation Immigration Services has filed more than 1,600 successful AAIP nominations since 2013. We review your WEOI score against the current draw cut-offs by stream and priority sector, and file a complete AAIP application the moment you receive a Notification of Interest.
| 📞 Call 587-400-0077 | Alberta PNP 2026 Guide → |
CICC-Regulated Immigration Firm | Edmonton, Alberta | 1,600+ Alberta nominations since 2013
Last updated: July 2026. Data sourced from the Government of Alberta’s AAIP Processing Information page and the official 2025 AAIP Draw Summary PDF. Alberta refreshes published draw data after each round; this page is refreshed against Alberta.ca on a rolling basis. Individual invitation eligibility varies by stream; consult a CICC-regulated immigration professional for case-specific analysis.
