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The Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), also referred to as the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), won’t experience a rise in the yearly nomination limit for 2024.
Last week, officials from the province were notified by the Canadian government that they would only receive 9,750 provincial nominations for the year 2024.
In 2023, there was a 50% boost in the yearly quota for the province, increasing from 6,500 in 2022 to 9,750.
The federal government, operating through Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is responsible for determining the allocations of provincial immigration nominations across all provinces.
For the year 2024, the government’s annual immigration plan designates 110,000 spots for provincial nominee programs (PNPs), marking a rise of 4,500 from 2023. The province had anticipated an increase to 10,140 in 2024 and 10,849 in 2025.
As of February 2024, Alberta comprises just under 12% of Canada’s population. However, it’s noteworthy that the province is at the forefront of net employment expansion in the country. Specifically, it contributes to 42.8% of the overall employment gains between January and February 2024.
In February 2024, the province decided to temporarily halt accepting new applications for their “Opportunity Stream” due to constraints in nomination allocations.
Premier Danielle Smith’s Appeal to Justin Trudeau for Increased Immigration Quota
With Alberta experiencing population growth at levels not seen in forty years, the Provincial Nominee Program is well-suited to address the province’s unique immigration and economic goals.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022, has played a role in Alberta’s population growth. Since then, Alberta has welcomed a significant number of evacuees from Ukraine. While many may eventually return to Ukraine after the conflict, Alberta anticipates that some families will seek permanent residency under the AAIP.
Premier Danielle Smith has written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, urging him to reconsider the federal government’s decision to limit the number of nominations for the provincial nominee program in 2024. The Premier is calling for an increase in the annual immigration quota to 20,000 for 2024.
By declining to grant Alberta’s request for additional provincial nominee allocations, the federal government is constraining the province’s ability to meet the growing demands of its labor market, particularly in integrating Ukrainian evacuees into the workforce. Increased federal support would assist these newcomers in securing employment opportunities in Alberta.
Alberta’s Immigration Streams
- Alberta Express Entry Stream
- Accelerated Tech Pathway for Express Entry
- Alberta Opportunity Stream (currently on temporary pause)
- Tourism and Hospitality Stream
- Religious Workers Eligibility Program
- Rural Renewal Stream
- Rural Entrepreneur Stream
- Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
- Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
AAIP Applications Processing Status Overview
Alberta Immigration is currently managing a substantial number of applications, with approximately 7,700 nomination applications awaiting processing.
Here’s a breakdown of the number of applications in queue for each AAIP stream and the estimated processing times:
| AAIP Streams | Number of Applications in Queue | Estimated Processing Time | Applications Received Before |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | Approximately 4,731 | Approximately 6 months | September 27, 2023 |
| Alberta Express Entry Stream | |||
| – Dedicated Healthcare Pathway | Approximately 958 | Approximately 2 weeks | February 13, 2024 |
| – Priority Sectors | Approximately 4 months | December 2, 2023 | |
| – Accelerated Tech Pathway | Approximately 6 months | October 31, 2023 | |
| – Family Connection and In-Demand Occupation | Approximately 4 months | November 29, 2023 | |
| Rural Renewal Stream | Approximately 1,643 | Approximately 6 months | October 19, 2023 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | Approximately 368 | Approximately 1 month or less | March 1, 2024 |
Alberta’s 2023 Permanent Residency Nomination Summary
In 2023, Alberta efficiently utilized its allocation of 9,750 nominations, surpassing it by issuing a total of 10,029 nominations, including those within the federal government’s administrative buffer.
| Stream / Pathway | Nomination Certificates Issued |
| Non-Express Entry Streams – Allocations | |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 4,971 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 875 |
| All (4) Entrepreneur streams | 4 |
| Express Entry Stream and Pathways – Allocations | |
| Family Connection and Occupation in Demand | 1,220 |
| Accelerated Tech Pathway | 1,996 |
| Dedicated Healthcare Pathway | 122 |
| Sector Priorities (e.g., construction, agriculture, hospitality, and tourism) | 805 |
| General (applications received before 2023) | 36 |
| Total Nomination Certificates | 10,029 |