Invitations to Apply - Themillenniumimmigration

Express Entry: What to do if you get an Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence

Successful candidates under Express Entry receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Canada issues ITAs approximately every two weeks.

If you successfully receive an ITA, you will then need to submit your completed permanent residence application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This comprehensive themillenniumimmigration.com page provides you with everything you need to know on ITAs.

About the ITA
Obtaining an ITA
Required Documentation
Misrepresentation
Accepting an ITA
Expiration of an ITA
Declining an ITA

About the ITA

An Invitation to Apply (ITA) is issued to candidates in the Express Entry pool who have been selected to apply for immigration to Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) through the Express Entry system. ITAs are granted on a priority basis during draws from the Express Entry pool, which comprises candidates who have expressed interest in immigrating to Canada.

It’s important to note that an ITA should not be confused with the initial eligibility criteria to enter the Express Entry pool, a job offer from a Canadian employer, or a provincial nomination certificate. The ITA is an auto-generated letter sent to candidates via their Express Entry profiles.

Obtaining an ITA

Only candidates eligible to immigrate to Canada by meeting the minimum entry criteria of a federal economic immigration program may enter the Express Entry pool, where they are ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS ranks candidates under the following components:

core human capital factors;
accompanying spouse or common-law partner factors, if applicable;
skill transferability factors; and
factors relating to a provincial nomination, a qualifying offer of arranged employment, previous study in Canada, having a sibling in Canada, or proof of French ability.

There are a total of 1,200 points available under the Comprehensive Ranking System.

The government of Canada issues Invitations to Apply to certain candidates in the Express Entry pool according to their ranking by publishing a minimum CRS cut-off score at the time of the draw and notifying those candidates who have been invited to apply for permanent residence.

Required Documentation

All candidates who receive an Invitation To Apply are currently required to submit the following supporting documents along with their application, along with government processing fees:

Valid passport
Birth certificate
Language test results
Documentation attesting to work experience
Police clearance certificate(s)
Upfront medical receipt
Photographs of principal applicant and family members

Depending on the program under which a candidate was issued an Invitation To Apply and the information provided in his or her Express Entry profile, the following documentation may be required:

Canadian Education Credential OR Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
Letter of attestation
Official transcripts of post-secondary education study program courses taken
Secondary education documents
Original letter from a Canadian employer indicating an offer of arranged employment
Proof of family relationship(s) in Canada
Proof of settlement funds
Legal documents showing changes in name or date of birth
Marriage certificate(s)
Signed Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union and documents attesting to cohabitation for a period of at least 12 months
Divorce or annulment certificate(s)
Death certificate(s) for former spouse(s) or common-law partner(s)
Children’s birth certificates
Adoption papers
Proof of full custody for children
Travel documents (non-passport)
Certified copy of a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade occupation issued by a Canadian provincial/territorial authority
Copies of work contracts and/or pay stubs
Documents relating to income taxation

Misrepresentation

If the information provided by the potential candidate turns out to be false, this is known as misrepresentation and, depending on the nature and severity of the false claim, carries penalties. The purpose of the misrepresentation provisions is to ensure that applicants provide complete, honest, and truthful information in every manner when applying for entry into Canada, and to ensure the integrity of Canadian immigration programs.

A potential candidate who has been found to have provided false information going into the Express Entry pool can be banned from re-entering the pool for five years. Therefore, it is hugely important to provide accurate and correct information always.

An applicant may be found inadmissible to Canada due to misrepresentation for directly or indirectly misrepresenting or withholding material facts relating to a relevant matter that induces or could induce an error in the processing of his or her application. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is truthful and that the supporting documents are genuine, and he or she may be found to have misrepresented him or herself whether or not that misrepresentation was intentional.

Examples of misrepresentation may include:

An applicant asks a relative or friend to obtain information in support of an application. The information provided by the applicant’s representative turns out to be false and the applicant claims to not be aware of the inaccuracy. Nevertheless, the applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is truthful and the supporting documents are genuine. The applicant could therefore be inadmissible for misrepresentation due to having submitted false documents and/or information, even though he or she was not the one who fabricated evidence.
An individual states that he or she has never been convicted of a crime, but a criminal background check reveals a criminal record. This is direct misrepresentation.

The scope of misrepresentation is not limited to such cases. In cases of possible misrepresentation, the applicant may be given the opportunity to respond to concerns raised about his or her application.

Accepting an ITA

The original profile information will be kept for 60 days after the Invitation To Apply is issued. Candidates will have this length of time to submit a complete and accurate application along with all supporting documents.

Because of this limited time period, candidates are encouraged to begin collecting these documents and ensuring they are in good order before an Invitation To Apply for Canadian permanent residence is issued. If a candidate misses the 60-day deadline, the Invitation To Apply for permanent residence that was issued to him or her is no longer valid and he or she will have to re-enter the Express Entry pool.

Once all portions of the document checklist are uploaded and complete, applicants are given the option to submit an application. The option to submit is not available until after all fields are accounted for. The submission of the complete application is considered the acceptance. An Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) will be automatically issued once the file is submitted.

IRCC will review the application and determine whether or not it is both complete and eligible. IRCC aims to complete this process within six months of the applicant having submitted his or her application.

Expiration of an ITA

If no application is submitted within the specified time frame, the Invitation to Apply (ITA) will be deleted. Candidates who do not decline an ITA and fail to apply within 60 days will see their ITA expire. In this case, candidates who still wish to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry will need to complete and submit a new Express Entry profile and re-enter the pool to be considered in future rounds of invitations. To re-enter the pool, candidates must continue to meet the minimum eligibility criteria.

Declining an ITA

Candidates who choose to decline an Invitation to Apply (ITA) will have their profiles returned to the Express Entry pool for consideration in future rounds of invitations, provided they still meet the minimum criteria of a federal economic immigration program.

There is no guarantee that candidates will receive another ITA in the future. However, declining an invitation will not negatively impact their chances of being invited to apply later.

For more information on past draws from the Express Entry pool, including details on:

The number of ITAs issued for each draw
The minimum CRS points required to receive an ITA
The program(s) under which candidates received ITAs for each draw

About THE MILLEENIUM IMMIGRATION

THE MILLEENIUM IMMIGRATION is a leading with over 11 years of experience. Our team comprises more than 60 immigration lawyers, paralegals, and professionals dedicated to helping you navigate the immigration process to Canada.

THE MILLEENIUM IMMIGRATION website serves as the online platform for our services. Since its launch in 2013, it has become one of the most trusted resources for Canadian immigration information. If you’re considering immigrating to Canada, the first step is to complete a free assessment form on our website. If you’re eligible for Canadian immigration, a member of our team will reach out to provide you with the support you need.