In certain paths of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), Alberta is altering the process by which it issues Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to applicants.
Candidates who wish to apply to one of the AAIP worker streams must submit a Worker Expression of Interest (EOI) starting today, September 30.
Candidates must accomplish this by going to the AAIP portal and filling out an online form with personal data. Those that submit a Worker EOI, according to the province, will be added to a pool for consideration in the Worker Stream. Applying is free of charge.
The Worker EOI points grid, which functions similarly to the federal Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), will be used to rank candidates.
For instance, their points will be determined by human capital factors like age, having a family connection in the province, language proficiency, work experience (with more points given for work experience in Alberta), education (including whether or not they completed their education in the province), and so on.
Higher scorers have a better chance of being chosen for provincial nomination. Emails will be used to send invitations.
Alberta notes that candidates cannot create a Worker EOI if they “have an existing Worker EOI or Entrepreneur EOI or a draft or active AAIP application. Existing applications or EOIs must be withdrawn prior to creating a Worker EOI.”
The province says candidates do not need to rush to submit their application as it will not begin conducting worker stream draws until mid to late October.
Alberta Worker Streams
Earlier this year, Alberta changed the way it accepts applications for Worker streams to better handle overwhelming demand and meet labour market priorities.
In June, the province announced it would only accept a targeted number of applications into the application pool at one time. If a target were reached by the monthly deadline, no further applications would be accepted.
The system was meant to better balance processing time and the 9,750 PNP nominations that IRCC allocated Alberta for 2024. The impacted programs included:
- Alberta Opportunity Stream
- Rural Renewal Stream
- Accelerated Tech Pathway
- Tourism and Hospitality Stream
This approach was meant to “provide applicants with multiple opportunities to apply and access to the program year-round.”
In fact, the Alberta Opportunity Stream has been so high in demand this year that the province had to pause accepting applications for this stream between February and June.
At the time, the province said the pause was necessary to help enable the AAIP to “address its current inventory and focus its limited immigration nominations on priorities, such as filling labour shortages in healthcare, technology, construction, agriculture, tourism and hospitality and other in-demand sectors.”