Candidates for Canadian immigration who receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence through the Express Entry immigration selection system have had their skills and potential to succeed recognized by the government of Canada. Consequently, they are rewarded with an opportunity for them and accompanying dependent family members to begin a new life in Canada.
About the Invitation To Apply for Canadian permanent residence
An Invitation to Apply is offered to any candidate in the Express Entry pool who has been selected to apply for immigration to Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) through the Express Entry immigration selection system. Invitations to Apply are issued on a priority basis when IRCC performs a draw from the Express Entry pool, which is made up of candidates who have made an expression of interest in immigrating to Canada.
An Invitation to Apply should not be confused with initial eligibility to enter the Express Entry pool, nor should it be confused with a job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial nomination certificate. The Invitation to Apply is an auto-generated letter issued to Express Entry candidates through their Express Entry profiles.
How candidates may obtain an Invitation to Apply
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 aprovincial nomination or a qualifying offer of arranged employment.
There are a total of 1,200 points available under the Comprehensive Ranking System, 600 of which are awarded for either a provincial nomination or a qualifying offer of arranged employment, and up to 600 of which are awarded for core human capital factors and skill transferability factors.
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.
Documentation required to submit an e-application
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
The 60-day deadline
It is important to note that from the date the ITA is issued there is only a 60-day period in which to apply and submit all supporting documents. IRCC has indicated that no extensions will be granted.
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.
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
