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Non-Express-Entry PNP application stuck on "Submitted": what timelines to expect

Canada • Provincial Nominee Program • immigration 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Timeline

Applied
2022-02-08

Documents Needed

  • Upfront medical exam

    For EE-linked applications this goes in with the application; paper-based streams request it later.

  • Biometrics

    EE-linked applicants typically get the request within about a month of AOR.

Step-by-Step

Scenario: a non-Express-Entry PNP PR application (submitted online, Feb 2022) still showing "Submitted" with no AOR, and the applicant unsure what happens next. Timelines are from the 2022 backlog period — treat them as historical.

What group members explained:
  1. The stream determines everything. For an Express Entry–linked PNP application, AOR usually arrives within about a day and the biometrics request within roughly a month, with the medical provided upfront. For non-EE (paper-based/online non-EE) PNP applications, there is no quick acknowledgement — long silences at "Submitted" are normal.

  2. Non-EE PNP processing is measured in years, not months. Members' rule of thumb at the time: EE-linked federal stage ~6 months; non-EE applications typically 1–2 years at the federal stage.

  3. Status inquiries mostly return queue boilerplate. Asking IRCC for updates during this phase generally yields "your application is in the queue" — the next real event is a biometrics/medical request or an additional-document request.


The practical takeaway: first identify whether your PNP application is EE-linked or not; if it isn't, a long "Submitted" phase is expected — wait for the biometrics/medical request rather than reading anything into the static status.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Tip: EE-linked PNP: AOR ~next day, biometrics ~within a month, medical upfront. Non-EE PNP: no quick AOR, federal stage historically 1–2 years.
  • Don't: Don't expect an acknowledgement receipt for non-EE applications — long silence at "Submitted" is normal.
  • Tip: Status inquiries during the queue phase return boilerplate; the next meaningful event is a biometrics, medical, or document request.

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