Nomination certificate limits
The following numbers are accurate as of March 4, 2024.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sets the limits for nomination certificates the AAIP can issue each year. AAIP has met the number of nomination certificates allocated by the federal government in 2023. AAIP’s 2024 allocation has not yet been confirmed. Notional increases to more than 10,000 nomination allocations per year are expected in 2024 and 2025. Additional information about the 2024 allocation and the projected split between Express Entry and non-Express Entry pathways will be provided when available.
Summary of 2023 allocations by AAIP stream or pathway
Table 1. Summary of 2023 allocations by AAIP stream or pathway
| Stream / Pathway | Estimated allocation (October 23, 2023) |
|---|---|
| Non-Express Entry Streams – Allocations 5,850 | |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 4,970 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 875 |
| All (4) Entrepreneur streams | 5 |
| Express Entry Stream and Pathways – Allocations 3,900 | |
| Family Connection and Occupation in Demand | 1,220 |
| Accelerated Tech Pathway | 1,750 |
| Dedicated Healthcare Pathway | 75 |
| Sector Priorities (that is, construction, agriculture, hospitality and tourism) | 805 |
| Total allocations: | 9,750 |
Application volumes and processing
Information on average processing times and dates and application volumes is available to help you determine how long it takes for AAIP to process a complete application for each AAIP stream or pathway.
Approximate volumes, processing times and assessment dates for each AAIP stream or pathway are provided below.
‘Assessing’ means an AAIP officer was assigned an application to assess and decide if an application is eligible.
The most common factors considered in AAIP application processing include:
- application quality (completeness, eligibility, outdated information or documents)
- volume of applications received
- the date the application was received
- strategic priorities, informed by labour market and economic development information
- the number of nomination certificates remaining for the year
To check the status of your application or business application, go to the ‘Check Existing Applications’ section of the AAIP portal.
To check the status of your Expression of Interest, go to the ‘Check Existing Expression of Interest’ section of the AAIP portal.
Streams for workers
Table 2. Streams for workers: number of applications, allocations, processing time.
| AAIP Stream | Number of applications in the queue (approximate) | Processing time (estimated average) – from when a complete application is submitted until a final decision is issued | The AAIP is assessing applications received before… (approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | Approximately 4,956 | Approximately 6 months | September 18, 2023 |
| Alberta Express Entry Stream – All pathways | Approximately 871 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway - Approximately 2 weeks | February 13, 2024 |
| Priority Sectors – approximately 4 months | December 2, 2023 | ||
| Accelerated Tech Pathway – approximately 5 months | October 18, 2023 | ||
| Family Connection and In-Demand Occupation – approximately 4 months | November 21, 2023 | ||
| Rural Renewal Stream | Approximately 1,602 | Approximately 6 months | October 2 2023 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | Approximately 400 | Approximately 1 month or less | March 1, 2024 |
Streams for entrepreneurs
Table 3. Streams for entrepreneurs: processing times for EOI scoring, business application, and final report or decision.
| AAIP Stream | Expression of Interest (EOI) scoring (estimated) – from when EOI is submitted to scoring completed | Business Application decision (estimated) – from when a complete business application is received until a support letter is issued | Final report and nomination (estimated) – from when final report is submitted until a final nomination decision is issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Entrepreneur Stream | 1 month | 3 months | 4 months |
| Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream | 1 month | 3 months | 4 months |
| Rural Entrepreneur Stream | 1 month | 3 months | 4 months |
| AAIP Stream | Processing time (estimated average) – from when a complete application is submitted until a final decision is issued |
|---|---|
| Farm Stream | 4 months |
Applications by occupation
The AAIP has a high volume of applications in worker streams in the following occupations. When the volume of these applications exceeds the ability to issue nominations, these submissions may take longer to process or may be occupations excluded from Express Entry draws regardless of occupational demand.
- 62020 – Food service supervisors
- 63200 – Cooks
- 62010 – Retail sales supervisors
- 13110 – Administrative assistants
- 65201 – Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations
- 73300 – Transport truck drivers
- 13100 – Administrative officers
- 12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
- 42202 – Early childhood educators and assistant
- 21231 – Software engineers and designers
Express Entry draws
The AAIP regularly reviews available candidates in the federal Express Entry pool. Based on available profile information in the portal, the AAIP draws to select candidates from the pool, inviting them to submit a completed application to the AAIP. Information on Alberta Express Entry Stream Notification of Interest factors is included on the Eligibility page. Accelerated Tech Pathway candidates are invited to apply, depending on the outcome of the review of their Accelerated Tech Pathway form.
The following parameters will apply to Alberta Express Entry Stream selection for 2023:
- an estimated 31% of nominations will be allocated to candidates in in-demand occupations who have a close family connection (parent, child, brother or sister) in Alberta. In-demand occupations include occupations with significant cumulative imbalance on Alberta’s Occupational Outlook and occupations in ‘High’ or ‘Moderately High’ demand in the Short-Term Employment Forecast.
- an estimated 23% of nominations will be allocated to candidates with a primary occupation in the health care, construction, agriculture, hospitality and tourism sectors, with priority given to candidates with an Alberta job offer
- an estimated 45% of nominations will be allocated to the Accelerated Tech Pathway
Past draws
Draw information is updated within one week from a draw. Information on 2023 AAIP draws is provided below.
Read the 2022 AAIP Draw History Summary
Table 4. List of past draws
| Date of draw | Number of Notification of Interest letters sent | Draw parameters | Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of lowest ranked candidate who received a Notification of Interest letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 20, 2024 | 33 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 311 |
| February 6, 2024 | 44 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 302 |
| February 1, 2024 | 80 | Priority sector - Construction occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 382 |
| January 30, 2024 | 22 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 312 |
| January 16, 2024 | 22 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 312 |
| January 11, 2024 | 44 | Priority sector - Agriculture occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 312 |
| January 2, 2024 | 42 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 309 |
| December 5, 2023 | 19 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 301 |
| November 21, 2023 | 11 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 345 |
| November 9, 2023 | 16 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 305 |
| October 26, 2023 | 100 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 369 |
| October 24, 2023 | 22 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 326 |
| October 24, 2023 | 110 | Priority sector - Construction occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 300 |
| October 10, 2023 | 13 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 327 |
| October 5, 2023 | 150 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 323 |
| October 3, 2023 | 33 | Priority sector - Agriculture occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 313 |
| September 26, 2023 | 18 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 311 |
| September 14, 2023 | 142 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 301 |
| September 12, 2023 | 16 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 327 |
| September 12, 2023 | 300 | Priority sector - Tourism and hospitality occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 383 |
| August 29, 2023 | 18 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 300 |
| August 24, 2023 | 168 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 302 |
| August 22, 2023 | 89 | Priority sector - Construction occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 303 |
| August 16, 2023 | 300 | Priority sector - Tourism and hospitality occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 408 |
| August 15, 2023 | 14 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 326 |
| August 3, 2023 | 201 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 315 |
| August 1, 2023 | 32 | Priority sector - Agriculture occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 322 |
| August 1, 2023 | 11 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 317 |
| July 18, 2023 | 14 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 311 |
| July 13, 2023 | 142 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 302 |
| July 11, 2023 | 150 | Priority sector - Tourism and hospitality occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 435 |
| July 4, 2023 | 12 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-1200 | 354 |
| June 29, 2023 | 65 | Priority sector - Construction occupation and French as first language, CRS score 300-500 | 316 |
| June 22, 2023 | 125 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 306 |
| June 21, 2023 | 19 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-1200 | 318 |
| June 20, 2023 | 68 | Priority sector - Construction occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 301 |
| June 8, 2023 | 150 | Priority sector - Agriculture occupation and French as a first language, CRS score 300-500 | 382 |
| June 1, 2023 | 117 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 304 |
| May 30, 2023 | 20 | Priority sector - Agriculture occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-600 | 342 |
| May 23, 2023 | 5 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-1200 | 401 |
| May 11, 2023 | 119 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 311 |
| May 9, 2023 | 175 | Priority sector - Tourism and hospitality occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-600 | 444 |
| May 9, 2023 | 8 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 307 |
| April 25, 2023 | 8 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300 and above | 316 |
| April 24, 2023 | 124 | Priority sector - Construction occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-500 | 301 |
| April 20, 2023 | 152 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 302 |
| April 18, 2023 | 68 | Sector priority - Agriculture occupation with Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-700 | 307 |
| April 5, 2023 | 53 | Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, Alberta job offer, CRS score 300-600 | 351 |
| March 30, 2023 | 150 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 372 |
| March 9, 2023 | 134 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 301 |
| February 16, 2023 | 100 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 357 |
| January 23, 2023 | 154 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 385 |
| January 19, 2023 | 46 | Family connection and primary occupation in demand, CRS score 300-500 | 324 |