AINP processing times
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Application status
Nomination certificate maximums for 2015
Status questions
Confirming application was received
Expiring work permits
This page was updated on March 2, 2015.
AINP does not assess applications on a “first in, first out” basis.
Applications are assessed based on:
date on which the application was received
nomination guidelines
Application intake guidelines and nomination guidelines will ensure that each of Alberta’s sectors have an opportunity to access the AINP. Improving access for all sectors will help grow and diversify Alberta’s economy.
The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) cannot provide guaranteed processing times for any application because applications are not assessed on a “First-In, First-Out” basis. Each individual application is assessed on its own merits and requires varying levels of follow-up and verification.
There are a few things you can do to help avoid delays once your application is assessed:
Submit a complete application with all required documents indicated on the Document Checklist for the stream under which you apply.
Keep your application information up-to-date after you have submitted it. This includes, but is not limited to, address and telephone information, employment changes, family composition changes, renewed work permits, etc. Please refer to the Application Forms (‘Other AINP Forms’) section for information on how to notify the AINP of updates.
The AINP cannot confirm that we received additional information from you; if you want to confirm that we received anything, send it by registered mail or by courier so that you can trace the delivery yourself.
Maintain your work permit, separately from your AINP application
Do not expect to get an AINP decision before you need to apply for a work permit; you need:
a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or
you can work based on a Free Trade Agreement or International Experience Canada (both exempt from an LMIA)
Application Status
The table below shows the earliest application received date and how many applications the AINP has for each Stream, Category and Industry which have not received a decision yet (as of February 20, 2015):
Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS)
AINP Stream/Category/Industry Number of applications received Earliest application received date
Alberta Workforce Development Stream 0 N/A
Employer-Driven Stream (EDS)
AINP Stream/Category/Industry Number of applications received Earliest application received date
Food and Beverage Processing Industry Over 50 November 6, 2014
Foodservices Industry (Pilot Project) Over 900 November 27, 2013
Hotel & Lodging Industry Over 100 March 5, 2014
International Graduate Category Over 2,700 November 22, 2013
Manufacturing Industry Over 100 January 7, 2014
Skilled Worker Category Over 3,400 November 22, 2013
Trucking Industry Over 100 April 23, 2014
The AINP is no longer accepting applications under the Employer-Driven Stream.
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Strategic Recruitment Stream (SRS)
AINP Stream/Category/Industry Number of applications received Earliest application received date
Alberta Work Experience (AWE) Category Over 400 November 27, 2013
Compulsory & Optional Trades Category Over 300 March 3, 2014
Engineering Occupations Category Over 50 March 3, 2014
Post-Graduate Worker Category Over 1,000 March 3, 2014
The AINP is no longer accepting applications under the Strategic Recruitment Stream.
The 10 NOC codes and occupations listed below make up over half (57%) of the AINP’s applications (as of February 20, 2015):
6311 – Food Service Supervisors
6211 – Retail Sales Supervisors
6711 – Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations
7511 – Transport Truck Drivers
6421 – Retail Salespersons
0621 – Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers
6322 – Cooks
7284 – Plasterers, Drywall Installers and Finishers and Lathers
7237 – Welders and Related Machine Operators
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Self-Employer Farmer Stream
AINP works closely with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development to assess the eligibility of applicants under this stream. Processing times are therefore not applicable.
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Nomination certificate maximums for 2015
The AINP is authorized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to issue a maximum of 5,500 certificates of nomination for the 2015 calendar year.
As of March 2, 2015, the AINP:
has more than 9,900 applications that need to be assessed to determine if the application is eligible for a nomination
has issued more than 700 (out of the available 5,500) nominations so far in 2015
is able to issue less than 4,800 nominations from now until December 31, 2015
Note: You can only submit an application in a sector or occupation if:
the sector or occupation is not on the List of Sectors and Occupations at Maximum Capacity, and
the occupation is not on the Ineligible Occupations list
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Status questions
The AINP will not reply to questions or requests for status updates. If you ask about the status of your application, either directly or through a third party, we will refer you or your third party to the information on this page.
There are more applications and interest in the AINP than there are nomination certificates available. This is the only information available about processing times.
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Confirming application was received
Once the AINP receives and accepts your application, you will receive an email (or letter if you did not provide an email address) confirming that your file has been received along with your file number. It may take up to a few months to receive your email or letter so please be patient. If you used an immigration representative to submit your application, your file number will only be sent to your representative.
If you want to check whether we received your application before the AINP sends you this message, send your application by registered mail or by courier. This lets you track the delivery on your own. The AINP cannot confirm receipt of an application or additional information.
Do not send any additional documents or information to the AINP until you receive a file number.
Expiring work permits
You are responsible for maintaining your status in Canada as a foreign worker. Do not let your work permit expire while you wait for your AINP application to be assessed.
If you want to continue to live and work in Alberta as a foreign worker, and remain eligible for the AINP, you are responsible for extending your stay as a foreign worker separately from your AINP application.
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Note:
The availability of AINP streams and categories is dependent upon application volumes and labour market needs. The AINP reserves the right to close application intake for any AINP stream or category at any time, without prior notice. Further, the AINP may decline to consider applications to closed or suspended streams or categories, regardless of when the applications were submitted. Changes to the AINP, including notice of suspension or closure of its streams and categories are available on the AINP news page and/or the AINP application forms page.
The AINP is not obligated to assess/process any applications submitted. Applications to the AINP are treated as an expression of interest, and as such, will be processed according to quality of the application (completeness, eligibility), labour market information, occupational supply and demand forecasting, AINP application volumes, and/or any other factors at the AINP’s discretion. By submitting an application to the AINP you acknowledge and agree that your application may not be processed in the order received, or at all. Further, the decision to assess / process any particular application, and the outcome of any such assessment/processing, is at the AINP’s sole discretion. Program criteria are eligibility minimums, and meeting program criteria does not guarantee that an applicant’s application will be assessed, processed, or granted.
