After Your ITA: Express Entry Next Steps — 2026 Guide

1. What an ITA Is and Is Not

An Invitation to Apply (ITA) is an invitation from IRCC for you to submit a formal application for Canadian permanent residence. It is not a visa, not a guarantee of approval, and not the completion of the process — it is the start of Stage 2. Receiving an ITA means IRCC has pre-selected you as meeting the basic eligibility criteria for your Express Entry stream. It does not mean your application has been assessed or that approval is certain.

The ITA arrives via your My IRCC account as a letter. From the moment you receive it, you have exactly 60 days to submit a complete PR application. The clock runs from the date on the ITA letter, not from when you notice it in your account — check your account frequently if you have an active profile in the pool.

2. The 60-Day Deadline

The 60-day window is non-negotiable. IRCC does not grant extensions except in extremely limited circumstances entirely outside the applicant's control. Missing the deadline — even by one day — results in the ITA being automatically withdrawn. You cannot appeal or reverse this outcome; you would need to re-enter the Express Entry pool and wait for a new draw.

The most common reason applicants struggle with the 60-day window is that they begin gathering documents only after the ITA arrives. The correct strategy is to start assembling your document package as soon as you enter the pool, so that most documents are ready before an ITA is issued. Police certificates are the most common bottleneck — see section 7 below.

3. Identity and Travel Documents

Your application requires the following identity documents for you, your spouse/partner, and any dependent children:

• Valid passport (must be valid for the expected duration of processing — ideally with at least 18 months remaining)
• All passports held in the past 10 years (or since age 18, whichever is shorter)
• National identity card (if applicable)
• Record of any international travel in the past 10 years, including dates and destinations

If your passport is close to expiry, renew it before submitting your application. An expired passport during processing causes delays and may require submitting a new copy to IRCC.

4. Civil Status Documents

IRCC requires civil documents to verify personal history and family composition:

• Birth certificate (for yourself and all family members included in the application)
• Marriage certificate (if married) — must be an official government-issued document
• Divorce certificate or death certificate (for any previous marriages)
• Adoption documents (if applicable)
• Common-law union statutory declaration (if not legally married)

Documents in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by certified English or French translations. The translator must provide a certification statement with their name and contact information. Family members who were separated should also provide documentation of the separation.

5. Language Test Results and Education Documents

Your language test results must still be valid on the date you submit your application (within 2 years of the test date). Expired test results cannot be used — if your results will expire before you submit, you must retake the test. Include the official score reports exactly as issued by the testing body.

Education documents include:

• Degree, diploma, or certificate for each post-secondary credential claimed
• Official transcripts
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for any foreign credential claimed in your CRS score — the ECA must be from an IRCC-designated organisation and must still be valid

6. Employment Reference Letters

Employment reference letters are required for each work experience period claimed in your Express Entry profile. IRCC has specific requirements for what these letters must contain — a generic reference letter is not sufficient:

• Company letterhead with the employer's contact information and address
• Your name, job title, and employment dates (start and end dates, or current if ongoing)
• Your hours of work per week
• Your annual salary and other compensation
• A detailed description of your duties that maps to the NOC code claimed in your profile
• Signature of a direct supervisor or HR representative, with their name, title, and contact details

For current employers, a pay stub or employment contract may supplement the reference letter but does not replace it. For overseas employers that may be dissolved, restructured, or difficult to contact, you should ideally have already prepared documentation before entering the pool — tracing a former employer from overseas within a 60-day window is one of the most common causes of rushed and deficient applications.

If an employer refuses to provide a compliant reference letter, alternative evidence such as T4 slips, contracts, ROEs (Records of Employment for Canadian roles), and statutory declarations can support the claim — but discuss with an RCIC before relying solely on alternative documentation.

7. Police Certificates

You must provide a police certificate from every country where you have lived for 6 months or more since turning 18. This applies to all countries — not just your most recent country of residence. Countries with significant processing backlogs include:

• United States: FBI Identity History Summary — typically 12–14 weeks via ink fingerprint card submission
• India: Up to 8–12 weeks depending on state police
• China: 4–8 weeks via notary process
• Philippines: 4–6 weeks via NBI clearance
• Canada (RCMP): Usually available online within days for applicants currently in Canada

Police certificates are only valid for a limited period — most Canadian applications accept certificates issued within the past 12–24 months, but check current IRCC requirements. A certificate that expires before your application is finalised may need to be renewed. Begin police certificate applications as soon as you enter the Express Entry pool.

8. Medical Examination

All applicants and accompanying family members must undergo a medical examination by a Designated Medical Practitioner (DMP) authorised by IRCC. You cannot use your own family doctor or any physician not on the DMP list. Use the IRCC DMP finder to locate an authorised physician in your country.

The medical exam results are submitted directly by the physician to IRCC — you do not need to physically deliver medical documents. Keep a copy of your medical certificate number for reference. Medical exam results are valid for 12 months from the date of the examination. If your application is not finalised before the 12-month expiry, you may be required to redo the medical.

Book your medical appointment as early as possible in the 60-day window. DMP appointments are sometimes scarce, particularly in countries with fewer authorised physicians. Do not wait until week 5 or 6 of your 60-day window to begin booking.

9. Biometrics

IRCC will send a biometrics instruction letter requiring you to provide fingerprints and a photo at a designated Application Support Centre (ASC) in Canada or a Visa Application Centre (VAC) overseas. You have 30 days from the date of the biometrics instruction letter to attend an appointment.

If you have provided biometrics to IRCC within the past 10 years for a previous Canadian immigration application (visa, work permit, PR), you do not need to resubmit — IRCC will use the existing record. If you are uncertain whether your biometrics are on file, check your previous application correspondence or contact IRCC via the Client Application Status online portal.

10. Proof of Settlement Funds

Unless you hold a valid Canadian job offer, you must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any accompanying family members after arriving in Canada. The 2026 settlement fund requirements (approximate — verify current amounts on IRCC's website):

Funds must be unencumbered (not pledged as collateral), transferable, and accessible to you in liquid form. Bank statements for the past 6 months are required. The funds do not need to be in a Canadian account — foreign bank accounts are acceptable with supporting documentation. Property and fixed-term investments generally do not count unless they can be converted to cash within the required timeframe.

11. After Submission: What Happens Next

Once you submit your application before the 60-day deadline, IRCC begins its review. The process typically follows this sequence:

1. Application receipt: IRCC confirms receipt and sends an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR). This starts the official processing clock.
2. Initial review: IRCC checks for completeness. Missing or deficient documents may result in an additional document request, which pauses the processing clock.
3. Background checks: Security screening, criminality checks, and health verification are conducted in parallel. Timelines depend on your country of origin and travel history.
4. Biometrics instruction: If not already provided, you receive a biometrics instruction letter. Respond within 30 days.
5. Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): IRCC may request payment of the RPRF ($515 CAD per adult, not per application) — this can be paid upfront with your application or when requested.
6. Decision: IRCC issues either an approval or a refusal. Approvals result in a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR).
7. Landing: You must land in Canada before the CoPR expiry date (typically 12 months from the medical exam date, not the CoPR issue date). Landing establishes your PR status.

If IRCC requests more information

During processing, IRCC may issue a procedural fairness letter (PFL) requesting your response to concerns about your application, or an additional document request. Respond promptly and completely — delays in responding to IRCC requests extend your processing time from the date of your response, not the date of the original request.

GCMS notes

If your application has been in processing significantly longer than IRCC's published timeframe, you can request a copy of your Global Case Management System (GCMS) notes via an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request. GCMS notes show the status of each component of your background check and whether any holds are present. The request takes 30 days by law. An RCIC can help you interpret what you receive.