On August 10th, 2021, Alberta’s Express Entry Stream sent notifications to eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool, advising them of the province’s interest in nominating them.
This draw issued 396 Notifications of Interest (NOI) letters. This is the highest volume of invitations Alberta has issued in the last two years. The lowest ranking candidate had a CRS score of 300.
Since Alberta posts only the number of invitations issued and CRS score of the lowest ranking candidates, drawing from an example of a candidate who received an invitation can provide some insight into their criteria.
What is Alberta Express Entry?
Alberta Express Entry is an immigration stream operated under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. Since it is an Express Entry aligned stream, candidates must have a valid Express Entry profile to be considered. The stream holds regular rounds of invitations in which they send Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to candidates in the Express Entry pool. Successful nominees may subsequently receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residency.
Minimum selection criteria for Alberta Express Entry
Alberta Express Entry applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:
- Have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool
- Have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta
- Are working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification, and
- Have a CRS score of at least 300
Alberta’s Express Entry stream releases draw details only pertaining to the lowest ranking candidate invited and the number of invitations issued. Though the province does not release additional details of their draws, they have identified that the following factors may increase a candidate’s chances:
- A qualifying relative that is a permanent resident or citizen living in Alberta;
- A job offer or work experience in Alberta; and
- Graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution
Who received an invitation in this Alberta Express Entry draw?
Approximately two to three times a month, Alberta invites candidates directly from the Express Entry pool to apply for provincial nomination. Since the province does not release information on the criteria used for each round of invitations, the criteria can only be found by looking at the kind of profile who received an invite. In this case, here is an example of a candidate that received an invitation in this draw:
| Alberta NOI Recipient: |
| Age: 31 |
| Connection to Alberta: None |
| Education: Master’s degree (foreign with Education Credential Assessment report) |
| Language: CLB 9 or above in each area of the exam |
| NOC code: 3212, Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants |
| CRS score: 466 |
The qualifications of this candidate were not necessarily the exact criteria targeted by Alberta. In fact, Alberta typically targets candidates with a CRS range as low as 300. Since this applicant did not have any ties to Alberta, it is likely that the invitation was extended to them on the basis of their work experience.
What are next steps after receiving an Alberta Express Entry invitation?
Candidates who have received a Notification of Interest on their Express Entry profile must firstly email Alberta to confirm their interest in proceeding. Alberta will then provide applicants with next steps on how to proceed with the process.
Following Alberta’s approval, candidates will receive a letter from AINP through their IRCC online account notifying them of their nomination. Applicants will then be given 30 calendar days to accept the nomination from Alberta in the Express Entry system. This nomination will provide a candidate with an additional 600 points toward their CRS score. As a result, the nomination will guarantee an invitation to apply for permanent residency in the next federal Express Entry draw.
Lauren Boorman
