Alberta invited Express Entry candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System scores as low as 302 in one of two draws held so far this month.
Candidates are not required to have a job offer in Alberta, but the AINP says having one may increase the likelihood of a candidate being invited.
Selected candidates are issued a Notification of Interest, or NOI, from the AINP and are invited to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence.
A provincial nomination results in an additional 600 points towards an Express Entry candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, effectively assuring an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry invitation round..
The Alberta Express Entry Stream is a popular provincial option because it selects Express Entry candidates with scores that are usually well below federal cut-off scores.
The lowest Alberta draws this year invited candidates with scores of 300, whereas the lowest all-program federal Express Entry draw this year required candidates to have scores of 438 and up.
So far, in 2019, the AINP has issued 4,378 nomination certificates.