Getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA) can only happen through the Express Entry system when the foreign national seeking to immigrate to Canada has been deemed eligible for one of the programs and has submitted a profile to the Express Entry pool.
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Those programs include the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST), and Canada Experience Class Program (CEC), all of which draw on candidates from the Express Entry pool.
ITA Is Sent When An Express Entry Profile Ranks High Enough With A Solid CRS Score
When a foreign national’s Express Entry profile is ranked highly enough by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to qualify for one of these programs in a draw, he or she is sent an ITA.
Those who receive an ITA are also sent a message from Canada’s immigration department indicating which skilled immigration program they should apply under and how to apply for permanent residence.
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The ITA, though, does not mean an applicant will automatically be accepted as a permanent resident.
After receiving an ITA, an applicant still has to submit a fully-completed application for permanent residence which can be accepted or rejected depending on whether or not the applicant meets the relevant criteria.
“A candidate cannot apply under a class other than the one specified in their ITA, even when the candidate appears to be eligible for multiple classes,” notes the IRCC.
60-Day Time Limit To Respond To An ITA Does Not Come With Any Extensions
Once a foreign national has received an ITA, he or she should act on it as soon as possible as a candidate has only 60 days to do any of the following:
- Submit a complete Application For Permanent Residence (APR) in their online account. This includes providing all supporting documentation up front;
- Decline the ITA in their online account, if he or she is not ready to apply within 60 calendar days of receiving the ITA or believes a change in their circumstances has made them ineligible to be invited.
Sixty days after an ITA has been issued, it expires and the foreign national’s profile is erased from the Express Entry pool unless they respond in either of those two ways. The IRCC does not grant extensions to this 60-day time frame.
In those cases when an applicant wants to change some information in their Express Entry profile after receiving an ITA, they must choose to decline the ITA through their online account. That automatically puts them back into the Express Entry pool and they can then update their profile information and wait for a new ITA.
Being Truthful Crucial When Completing Express Entry Profile
Things that could represent a change in circumstance that would impact a candidate’s CRS score include:
- graduation from a higher level of schooling;
- reaching an additional year of Canadian work experience;
- obtaining a certificate of qualification;
- improved language test scores;
- new language test score at a lower level, and;
- loss of a qualifying job offer.
It’s important to be truthful in completing the Express Entry profile.
“Applicants who receive an ITA may be asked to prove that the information they entered into their Express Entry profile is accurate,” notes the IRCC. “If it is found that the applicant gave false information in his or her profile, the application will be refused and the applicant may be subject to further punishment.”
That punishment can include being deemed inadmissible to Canada or being barred from even entering Canada in any way for up to five years.
