The number of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates that each province can nominate every year are determined by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

However, Alberta has received a significant increase in its PNP allocation compared to the previous year. In 2023, the province will be able to nominate 9,750 candidates, which is a significant rise from 6,500 in 2022. Alberta also plans to issue 10,140 nominations in 2024 and 10,849 nominations in 2025, as mentioned in a recent media release.

Alberta is experiencing economic growth and has around 100,000 job vacancies that need to be filled with skilled workers. The province’s immigration minister, Rajan Sawhney, has highlighted the need for more immigrants to boost the local economy and address labour shortages in key sectors. The province has been pushing the federal government to increase its nomination numbers for several months, and they are pleased with the recent decision to raise their allocation.

Despite adding 120,000 jobs since the beginning of 2021, Alberta still has 74,140 job openings, and there is a projected shortage of 33,100 workers across various occupations, skill levels, and sectors by 2025.

To increase opportunities and attract skilled newcomers, Alberta has implemented several new immigration pathways, adjusted programs, and established priority processing mechanisms.