In 2025, the Government of Alberta introduced significant changes to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), affecting selection categories, support for federal initiatives, and technical aspects of participation in the program. Below is an official summary of the current updates with corresponding legal explanations for candidates planning to apply or already participating in Alberta’s immigration process.
1. Elimination of “Family connection” and “In-demand occupation” categories
As of March 17, 2025, the Government of Alberta ceased using the “Family connection” and “In-demand occupation” categories as targeted selection criteria for AAIP. These categories are no longer used to issue invitations under the Express Entry stream.
However, the Expression of Interest (EOI) system continues to award additional points for having close relatives (Canadian citizens or permanent residents) living in Alberta. This means family connections remain a relevant factor in profile evaluation, even though they no longer serve as a standalone targeted selection category.
2. Alberta is not supporting the federal temporary public policy for open work permits
In 2025, Alberta officially declined to participate in the federal temporary public policy entitled “Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Work Permits for Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates,” which allows applicants to obtain an open work permit based on a job offer and a letter of support from the province.
Therefore, AAIP does not issue support letters for obtaining open work permits under the above-mentioned IRCC policy. Candidates applying through Alberta cannot benefit from this temporary mechanism, unlike in other provinces of Canada that agreed to support the IRCC policy.
3. Technical update: Express Entry profiles can now be renewed for applicants after September 30, 2024
From a technical standpoint, IRCC and AAIP now allow candidates whose Express Entry profiles expired after September 30, 2024, to renew their profiles and continue participating in the program.
Applicants who submitted a provincial application to AAIP but whose Express Entry profile was inactive or had expired at the time of submission can now update and restore their Express Entry profile without losing linkage to their provincial application. This is a critical improvement aimed at increasing flexibility and maintaining candidate eligibility in the Express Entry–Alberta Stream.
Conclusion
The announced changes to the AAIP in 2025 are substantial and directly impact strategic planning for immigration to Alberta. It is important to note:
- The “Family connection” and “In-demand occupation” categories are no longer used for targeted draws, although the presence of close relatives is still considered in the EOI scoring.
- Alberta does not issue support letters for open work permits under the federal temporary public policy.
- Applicants can now update their Express Entry profiles if they submitted their AAIP application after September 30, 2024, ensuring continuity in processing.
Candidates are strongly advised to monitor official updates at:
👉 www.alberta.ca/ainp.aspx
Employers and immigration representatives should promptly inform their foreign workers and clients about these changes to avoid submitting applications that no longer meet the updated program requirements.
