Alberta issues invitations to Express Entry candidates who have CRS scores as low as 301

2019 saw seven Alberta Express Entry Stream draws inviting candidates with a minimum CRS range between 300 and 302. This development can prove promising to a large number of candidates whose CRS is not off the charts. The province of Alberta has already issued invitations to 197 Express Entry candidates who have Comprehensive Ranking System scores well below the 350-mark. Candidates with a CRS score of 301 also got an opportunity to apply for a provincial nomination which could help them receive Canadian permanent residence.

The draw, held on 15th May through the Alberta Express Entry Stream by The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) revealed the details of the draw recently. The AINP is a part of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program. It allows participating provinces and territories to nominate economic immigration candidates who have the required skills to be a valuable addition to the local labor market needs.

A total of 3,554 Express Entry candidates were invited to apply for the provincial nomination. They have a chance to gain Canadian permanent residence under this stream in 2019. For a person to be eligible for the Alberta Express Entry Stream, Express Entry, he or she has to have a CRS score of at least 300. He or she also has to work in a profession which will hold up Alberta’s ‘economic development and diversification priorities.’ Unless these conditions are met, getting an invitation from the AINP can be difficult. The AINP has not created a specific list of the occupations which are eligible.

Candidates need not necessarily have a job offer or previous work experience in Alberta to be considered, but the AINP can prioritize candidates who do. 15 Alberta Express Entry Stream draws have been held in 2019 till now, and seven of them have seen the CRS score requirement range between 300 and 302. The figure is significantly lower than the lowest score which has been chosen in the federal Express Entry draw this year.