An applicant nominated through the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP, via Express Entry) shared a full PR processing timeline, and the replies add useful context about who Alberta picks. Timeline figures are from 2021–22 and should be treated as historical.
The stages, in order:- AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt) — 21 Dec 2021. IRCC confirms your e-APR is in the queue.
- Medical exam passed (MEP) — 3 Feb 2022.
- Biometrics — 8 Feb 2022.
- Eligibility passed — 25 Mar 2022 (primary visa office: CIO Sydney, NS; secondary: Ottawa).
- Info sharing — 26 Mar 2022, followed by criminality passed; security and background check were still pending at Ready-for-Visa.
- Ready for Visa — 25 Apr 2022, roughly four months after AOR.
What the replies add:- Alberta reaches deep into the Express Entry pool. The applicant received an Alberta NOI (Notification of Interest) directly from the EE pool — not through a job offer. Another member with CRS 430 was hoping for the same; Alberta was known for inviting candidates well below federal draw cutoffs.
- NOI-to-nomination timing: members reported acquaintances receiving results in roughly 3–3.5 months after the provincial stage.
- Stages don't always complete strictly in order — security/background can still show 'Not Started' when Ready-for-Visa arrives.