On 23 September 2026 the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program invited 113 workers through the Alberta Opportunity Stream. Alberta.ca lists a minimum Worker expression of interest score of 58 for invited candidates. The province last updated the draw table the same day. The Alberta Express Entry Stream sat out this round.
As of 23 September 2026 Alberta reports 6,603 nomination spaces for 2026, with 5,221 nominations issued and 1,382 spaces left. Alberta Opportunity Stream holds 3,562 of those spaces, with 2,911 nominations issued and 651 spaces left. AAIP also shows 22,315 Opportunity Stream expressions of interest in the selection pool.
An invitation is not a nomination. An invitation opens a short filing window for a full Alberta Opportunity Stream application. Miss the window and the invitation dies. A later nomination certificate then supports a permanent residence filing with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Who the Opportunity Stream serves
Alberta Opportunity Stream targets temporary foreign workers already living and working in Alberta. You need a full-time Alberta job offer in an eligible occupation. You also need a valid work permit based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment or an accepted LMIA exemption path. Status maintained during processing and restoration status do not qualify at filing or at assessment.
Accepted permit routes include LMIA-based permits and selected LMIA exemptions such as international trade agreements, intracompany transfers, International Experience Canada, and Mobilité Francophone. Post-Graduation Work Permit holders from Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded institutions face extra education and occupation-link rules.
Refugee claimants and people in federal appeal or removal processes stay outside the stream. Workers living or employed outside Alberta also stay outside. Most NOC 2021 TEER 0 to 5 occupations qualify, yet Alberta publishes a long ineligible occupation table covering roles such as legislators, school teachers, taxi drivers, and several service and performing arts codes. Check your NOC 2021 code against the Alberta Opportunity Stream eligibility page before you rely on a pool score.
Language, education, and work experience floors
Language floors follow TEER. TEER 0, 1, 2, and 3 occupations need CLB or NCLC 5 in each skill. TEER 4 and 5 occupations need CLB or NCLC 4 in each skill. Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates under NOC 33102 need CLB or NCLC 7 in each skill. Accepted tests include CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, PTE, TEF Canada, and TCF Canada. Results must be under two years old on the submission date of your AAIP application.
Except for Post-Graduation Work Permit holders under special rules, you need education equal to Canadian high school completion. An Educational Credential Assessment from an IRCC-designated organization usually proves foreign education. Canadian secondary or post-secondary credentials from listed institutions and Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training trade certificates follow separate proof routes.
Work experience rules are strict. Most applicants need either 12 months of full-time work in the current occupation in Alberta inside the last 18 months, or 24 months of full-time work in the current occupation in Canada or abroad inside the last 30 months. Post-Graduation Work Permit holders need at least 6 months of full-time Alberta work in the current occupation inside the last 18 months. Full-time means at least 30 hours a week. Co-op and internship time usually fails for non-PGWP applicants.
How Worker Expression of Interest scoring works
You enter the worker pool only after you submit a Worker Expression of Interest and pay the $135 fee. The fee took effect on 7 April 2026. The portal awards up to 100 points on the Worker Stream Expression of Interest grid. No minimum score blocks submission, yet draws pick from ranked scores plus labour priorities. Your EOI stays valid for 12 months from fee payment for filings on or after 7 April 2026.
AAIP also collects NOC, employer NAICS, wage, hours, and IRCC status data for priority selection. Those fields do not add points. AAIP states EOI score is not the sole selection factor and refuses to publish recent draw parameters beyond the public table. Treat a 58 cut-off as a floor for one draw, not a permanent bar for every future Opportunity Stream round.
Compare recent Opportunity Stream floors on Alberta.ca. The 1 September 2026 draw invited 575 candidates at a minimum score of 56. The 23 September 2026 draw invited 113 candidates at 58. Keep language scores, Alberta work months, and job offer documents ready rather than waiting for a softer cut-off.
What invited candidates must do next
- Read the invitation email sent to your Alberta.ca Account address
- Confirm Opportunity Stream eligibility and the Worker Stream Document Checklist before you accept
- Accept the invitation and create a draft application within 15 days
- Complete, submit, and pay the $1,500 worker application fee within 30 days after draft creation
- Pay the fee online within 24 hours of portal submission or the file cancels
Decline the invitation inside 15 days if your documents are incomplete. Declining returns your Worker Expression of Interest to the pool. Creating a draft and then quitting forces cancellation of the draft and the EOI, plus a new EOI fee to re-enter. AAIP application fees are non-refundable after submission.
After nomination, file permanent residence with IRCC under the provincial nominee path named in your certificate. Nomination does not issue a permanent resident visa on its own. Keep pay stubs, work permits, job offers, and language results current while AAIP assesses the file. Officers contact applicants from @gov.ab.ca addresses only.
Context around the 23 September 2026 week
Alberta ran several worker draws in mid-September 2026. On 18 September 2026 Alberta Express Entry Stream priority health care invites reached 100 candidates at a minimum score of 62. On 21 September 2026 Law Enforcement Pathway invites stayed under 10 at a minimum score of 49. On 22 September 2026 Accelerated Tech Pathway invited 100 candidates at a minimum score of 59. The 23 September 2026 Opportunity Stream draw then targeted workers already on Alberta payrolls.
For 2026 AAIP says draws prioritize health care, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture, and Rural Renewal communities. Priority lists guide selection and do not erase Opportunity Stream eligibility for other eligible jobs. If your NOC sits outside headline sectors, raise language scores, protect continuous Alberta employment, and keep your Worker Expression of Interest accurate.
As of 27 September 2026, treat the official Alberta.ca draw row as the source of truth: Alberta Opportunity Stream, 23 September 2026, minimum score 58, 113 invitations. Ignore secondary sites quoting a different floor. Update your Worker Expression of Interest when language results, job offers, or work months change, then watch for the next Opportunity Stream invite.
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