Maple News reports that Alberta held a new Express Entry-linked draw under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) on March 2, inviting 200 candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence. Notably, the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this draw was just 301, one of the lowest thresholds seen recently.
This draw was conducted through the Alberta Express Entry Stream, an enhanced pathway aligned with the federal Express Entry system. All invited candidates already had active profiles in the federal Express Entry pool, which manages applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.
Candidates selected by Alberta will receive an additional 600 points added to their existing CRS score. With that boost, even those who scored the minimum 301 in this round will now have a powerful total of 901 points, positioning them strongly for selection in upcoming federal draws.
In this stream, Alberta typically targets candidates who have existing ties to the province or whose skills align with Alberta’s economic development and diversification priorities. During the pandemic, Alberta has focused on candidates who are already residing and working in the province. Additionally, only applicants working in eligible occupations are considered, with an official list of occupations deemed ineligible available from the province.
It’s important to note that, despite federal restrictions introduced on November 1, 2020, which expanded the list of occupations not processed under the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), candidates working in those roles may still be selected through Alberta’s provincial stream.
While Alberta was permitted to issue 6,250 nomination certificates in 2020, the impact of COVID-19 led the province to reduce its allocation to 4,000. These were all issued by mid-year, explaining the absence of draws in the latter half of 2020. No figures have yet been released regarding Alberta’s nomination quotas for 2021.
The Alberta Express Entry Stream offers an essential alternative to federal immigration pathways, particularly for candidates with modest CRS scores. With targeted provincial draws like this one, skilled workers find expanded opportunities to secure Canadian permanent residency.
Maple News will continue to monitor and report on upcoming provincial and federal immigration draws as Canada adjusts its strategies to meet labor market needs and post-pandemic recovery goals.