What Is an ITA?

What Is an ITA in Canada's Express Entry System?

An Invitation to Apply (ITA) is an official invitation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) asking you to submit a complete application for Canadian permanent residence through the Express Entry system. Receiving an ITA is one of the most significant milestones in your immigration journey — it means the Canadian government has identified your profile as competitive enough to move forward in the permanent residence process.

To be eligible for an ITA, you must first have an active Express Entry profile in the federal immigration pool. This profile scores you under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assigns points based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, Canadian work experience, and adaptability. Candidates in the pool are ranked against one another, and periodically IRCC holds rounds of invitations to select the highest-scoring profiles and issue ITAs.

What Triggers an ITA: How Express Entry Draws Work

ITAs are issued through Express Entry draws, which IRCC holds on a regular basis — typically every two weeks, though the frequency and structure can vary. There are three main types of draws:

• General draws: Open to all eligible candidates across the three main Express Entry programs — the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). General draws tend to have higher CRS cut-off scores because they draw from the broadest pool of candidates.
• Program-specific draws: Restricted to candidates eligible under a particular Express Entry program. These draws often have lower cut-off scores because competition is narrower.
• Category-based draws: Introduced by IRCC in 2023, these draws target candidates with specific attributes aligned with Canada's economic priorities. Current categories include healthcare occupations, STEM professions, trade occupations, transport occupations, agriculture and agri-food occupations, and French-language proficiency.

In every draw, IRCC sets a CRS cut-off score. Only candidates whose CRS score meets or exceeds that threshold are eligible to receive an ITA. If there are candidates tied at the cut-off score, a tie-breaking rule applies: the candidate who submitted their Express Entry profile earlier — based on the exact date and time of profile submission — receives the invitation first.

How to Find Your ITA

When IRCC selects your profile in a draw, you will be notified in two ways. First, a notification will appear in your IRCC secure online account, specifically under your Express Entry profile section. Second, you will receive an email notification from IRCC alerting you that there is a message waiting in your account.

It is critically important that you log in to your IRCC account promptly after receiving the email alert. Do not rely solely on email — the official invitation exists within your secure IRCC portal, and that is the document you will act on.

The 60-Day Clock: Your Most Important Deadline

From the moment your ITA is issued, you have exactly 60 calendar days to submit a complete permanent residence application through your IRCC online account. This is not 60 business days — it is 60 consecutive calendar days, including weekends and holidays.

This deadline is absolute. IRCC does not grant extensions under any circumstances. If you fail to submit your complete application before the deadline expires, your ITA is forfeited. You will be returned to the Express Entry pool and must wait for another draw. This makes the 60-day window one of the most high-stakes timelines in the entire immigration process.

What to Do Before the ITA Arrives

The best way to survive the 60-day clock is to be fully prepared before you ever receive an ITA. Experienced immigration consultants strongly advise applicants to have their documents organized and ready while they are still waiting in the Express Entry pool. Several documents take a significant amount of time to obtain:

• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): Must be completed by a designated organization such as WES, ICAS, or IQAS. Processing can take several weeks to months.
• Language test results: IELTS General Training or CELPIP General for English; TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. Results must be valid and not expired at the time of application.
• Police certificates: Required from every country where you have lived for six months or more since the age of 18. Obtaining these from foreign governments can take weeks or even months — start this process early.
• Immigration Medical Examination (IME): Must be completed by a designated panel physician authorized by IRCC. Results are valid for 12 months.
• Proof of settlement funds: Bank statements showing sufficient funds to settle in Canada, unless you have a valid qualifying job offer.

Full Document Checklist for Your PR Application

When you receive your ITA and begin assembling your application, you will need to gather the following for yourself and accompanying family members:

• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organization
• Language test results (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada) that are current and valid
• Police certificates from each country where you lived six months or more since the age of 18
• Immigration Medical Examination (IME) completed by a designated panel physician, valid for 12 months from the date of the exam
• Proof of settlement funds — recent bank statements meeting IRCC's minimum threshold for your family size
• Civil status documents — birth certificates, marriage certificate or proof of common-law relationship, and divorce or death certificates if applicable
• Passports and travel documents for you and all family members included in the application
• Reference letters from past employers confirming your job title, duties, hours worked per week, and annual salary — aligned with the work experience declared in your Express Entry profile
• Provincial Nomination Certificate if nominated under a Provincial Nominee Program

Document Translation Requirements

All documents that are not in English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation. IRCC requires translations be prepared by a professional translator who is a member of a provincial or territorial translator association in Canada or is certified by a recognized professional body. Each translation must include a signed translator's declaration confirming accuracy and completeness. Translations done by the applicant, family members, or friends are not accepted.

The Biometrics Requirement

Most applicants for Canadian permanent residence are required to provide biometrics — fingerprints and a photograph. Once you submit your application and pay the biometrics fee, IRCC will send you a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL) directing you to a designated Service Canada location or Visa Application Centre (VAC) to have your biometrics collected.

Biometrics are valid for 10 years. If you have previously provided biometrics to IRCC within the past 10 years, you may not need to provide them again. IRCC will confirm this in your instruction letter. Allow sufficient time to book an appointment, as wait times at collection points can vary.

Medical Exam Timing

Your Immigration Medical Examination (IME) must be completed by a designated panel physician — a doctor specifically authorized by IRCC; you cannot use your own family doctor. The results are valid for exactly 12 months from the date of the exam.

If you complete the exam too early, the 12-month validity may expire before IRCC finishes processing your application. The general recommendation is to complete your medical exam within the first two weeks of receiving your ITA, having already located a nearby designated panel physician, so that the results remain valid throughout the typical processing period.

After Submission: The Road to Permanent Residence

Once you submit your complete application within the 60-day window, the following steps typically occur:

• Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR): IRCC confirms receipt of your application and assigns you a file number to check your status online.
• Background and security checks: IRCC conducts criminal background checks and security screenings for you and any accompanying family members.
• Request for additional documents: If IRCC needs more information, they may issue a procedural fairness letter or a request for additional documentation. Respond promptly and completely.
• Medical results review: IRCC reviews the results of your panel physician's medical exam.
• Final decision: If approved, IRCC issues a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) — the official document confirming your approved status.
• Landing: You use your COPR to enter Canada and formally become a permanent resident. If outside Canada, you will also receive a permanent resident visa to travel for the first time as a PR.

IRCC targets a processing standard of six months for most complete Express Entry applications.

What an ITA Is Not

An ITA is not a visa, it is not a work permit, and it is not a guarantee of permanent residence. It is simply an invitation to apply — the full application review process still lies ahead. IRCC retains the right to refuse a permanent residence application even after an ITA has been issued, if the applicant is found to be inadmissible on health or criminal grounds, or if there is evidence of misrepresentation. Providing false or misleading information is a serious offence under Canadian immigration law and can result in a multi-year ban from applying to Canada.

Book a Free Consultation with KGraph

Navigating the Express Entry system — from building a competitive profile to meeting the 60-day deadline after your ITA — can be complex and high-stakes, but you do not have to do it alone. The Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants at KGraph Immigration Consultants are here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring your application is complete, accurate, and submitted on time.

Visit kgraph.ca today to book your free consultation and take the first confident step toward your Canadian permanent residence.