Alberta has announced that its maximum Provincial Nominee Program allotment for 2018 is 5,600 nominations.
The 2018 maximum represents an increase of 100 nominations over the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)’s 2017 allotment of 5,500.
Alberta was expected to receive a slightly higher allotment in 2018 as a result of the federal government’s multi-year immigration plan, which was announced on November 1, 2017. The federal plan includes an increased Provincial Nominee Program target of 55,000 for 2018, up to eight percent over 2017’s target of 51,000.
New streams due in 2018
The AINP is currently divided into three immigration streams, the Strategic Recruitment Stream, the Employer-Driven Stream, and the Self-Employed Farmer Stream. In 2018, the Strategic Recruitment Stream the Employer-Driven Stream, and their sub-categories are due to be condensed into one stream, the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
Alberta is also expected to introduce a second stream aligned with the federal Express Entry pool in 2018, but the criteria for this stream have yet to be made public.
The Alberta Express Entry Stream will allow the AINP to nominate a limited number of candidates in the Express Entry pool, which includes candidates from the federal government’s three economic immigration classes  the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC), the Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
According to the AINP, the following 10 National Occupational Classification codes make up more than half of applications for provincial nomination certificates.
6311 – Food Service Supervisors
6211 – Retail Sales Supervisors
7511 – Transport Truck Drivers
6315 – Cleaning Supervisors
7284 – Plasterers, Drywall Installers and Finishers and Lathers
1241 – Administrative assistants
0631 – Restaurant and Food Services Managers
0621 – Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers
6421 – Retail Salespersons
1221 – Administrative Officers