What Happens After Your ITA: A Complete Checklist for PR Applicants

Immigration insight · getnorthpath.com · Updated 2026

An Express Entry Invitation to Apply (ITA) means IRCC has provisionally selected you for Canadian Permanent Residency. Now you have 60 days to convert that invitation into a complete electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR). The work after an ITA is largely document collection, evidence curation, and form precision. This guide walks the entire post-ITA process - what to do in the first 24 hours, the document slots IRCC will check, the form numbers you need to know, the four pitfalls that cause most rejections, and exactly when to push the submit button.

The first 24 hours after the ITA

• Log into your IRCC account, open the ITA letter, and confirm the program (FSW, CEC, FST, or PNP).
• Click "Continue to my application" - this generates the document checklist tailored to your profile.
• Note the deadline (60 calendar days). Add a calendar reminder for day 50 and day 58.
• Order police certificates for every country you have lived in for 6 months or more since age 18.
• Book the upfront medical exam appointment with an IRCC-approved Panel Physician.
• Email past employers (current first) requesting reference letters - share the NOC duties they need to confirm.

The forms IRCC will generate

Most forms are auto-generated from your Express Entry profile, but many still require download, signing, and re-upload. The core list:

Sign every page where indicated; an unsigned IMM 5669 is a fast way to be returned for completeness.

Required documents (full list)

• Passport biographical pages for every family member
• Digital photos meeting IRCC photo specs
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) reports - for PA, plus spouse if you claimed spouse education
• Language test results (IELTS GT, CELPIP-General, TEF Canada, TCF Canada) ≤ 24 months old
• Marriage certificate / divorce decree / death certificate, as applicable
• Birth certificates for dependent children (accompanying and non-accompanying)
• Custody documents for children of separated/divorced parents
• Employment reference letters covering all declared work in the last 10 years
• Backup work proof: pay stubs, T4/W2/equivalent, employment contracts, business registrations
• Police certificates for every country lived in 6+ months since age 18
• Proof of funds (FSW & FST only - 6 months of statements)
• Provincial nomination letter (if you used a PNP)
• Medical exam confirmation (eMedical receipt)
• Translations of any non-English/French documents, by a certified translator

Proof of funds - what counts and how to prove it

FSW and FST candidates must show settlement funds; CEC candidates working legally in Canada are exempt. Funds must be unencumbered, legally available to you, and shown over a 6-month history.

What counts: chequing & savings accounts, money-market and mutual funds, T-bills, RRSPs (if you can withdraw), guaranteed investment certificates. What does not count: equity in property, vehicles, cryptocurrency, lines of credit, bonds you cannot redeem, parents' bank accounts, money in someone else's name. The bank letter must be on official letterhead, dated within the last 30 days, and list account numbers, current balance, and a 6-month average balance.

Employment reference letters that pass officer review

Reference letters are the single most-scrutinised document in the eAPR. A weak letter triggers procedural fairness letters (PFLs) and refusals. A strong letter contains all of:

• Company letterhead with full address, phone, and supervisor's email
• Your full name as on passport
• Job title(s) and start/end dates
• Number of hours per week (full-time = 30+ hrs / week for IRCC)
• Annual salary or hourly wage
• A bullet list of duties that mirrors the NOC's lead statement and at least 60-70 % of its main duties (do not copy verbatim, paraphrase carefully)
• Supervisor name, title, and signature
• Letter date

If a former employer cannot or will not write the letter, IRCC accepts an affidavit from a colleague plus backup proof (contract, pay stubs, T4) - but this should be your fallback, not the plan.

Medicals and police certificates

The upfront medical exam stays valid for 12 months from the date of the exam. Do it in week 1-2 of the ITA window so the receipt is in your file before submission. Use only IRCC's designated panel physician list; clinics not on the list are not accepted.

Police certificates: order all in the first 72 hours. The slowest authorities (Nigeria, China, parts of Pakistan) take 8-12 weeks. If a country cannot issue within 60 days, upload proof of application and IRCC will request the certificate later.

Fees and how to pay them

Pay all in one transaction inside your IRCC account by Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. RPRF can be paid later but doing it upfront prevents IRCC follow-ups.

Examples: 3 family compositions

Single CEC applicant

One year of Canadian work experience, no spouse, no dependants. Total IRCC fees: $1,610. PoF not required. Typical eAPR ready in 25-30 days.

Married FSW applicant + 1 child

Spouse not working, child age 6. Total IRCC fees: $3,395 + biometrics. PoF required (~$22,500). Typical eAPR ready in 45-55 days due to spouse documentation, child birth certificate, and possibly translations.

Provincial nominee (BC PNP) + spouse + 2 children

BC nomination adds 600 CRS. Total IRCC fees: $3,655 + biometrics. PoF not required (PNP exempt). Typical eAPR ready in 35-45 days; the BC PNP support letter must be uploaded.

When to hit submit

Submit on day 56-58, not day 60. Build a 2-3 day buffer for: payment failures (banks block large unusual transactions), portal outages (rare but happen), last-minute scan rejects (file-size or readability), and missing-document warnings the validator throws only at the final step.

What happens after submission

1. Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) within 1-7 days. Save the AOR letter PDF.
2. Biometrics instruction letter (BIL) within hours of payment. Book and complete biometrics within 30 days at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).
3. Medical passed marker appears in your account when IRCC syncs the eMedical receipt.
4. Background and security checks - no visibility for the applicant; takes weeks to months depending on country and complexity.
5. Final decision: COPR + Passport request (PPR) for outside-Canada applicants, or COPR via portal for inside-Canada applicants.

Five mistakes that cost applicants the eAPR

1. Submitting an incomplete eAPR to "buy time". Refused outright; $950 lost. Always decline the ITA instead.
2. Reference letters that copy NOC duties verbatim. Officers detect identical wording and treat it as fabrication. Paraphrase carefully and ensure factual accuracy.
3. Bank balance dropping below the proof-of-funds threshold in the 6-month history - even by one day. Maintain consistent balances throughout.
4. Failing to declare a non-accompanying spouse or dependent child. Permanently bars future sponsorship of that person and is grounds for rescinding PR.
5. Using a paid representative who is not a licensed RCIC, lawyer, or Quebec notary. Application can be returned and the applicant flagged for misrepresentation.

FAQ

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