Crucial clock ticking for ITA recipients

he coveted Invitation to Apply, or ITA, is a sought-after opportunity to come to Canada. All applicants want one. Fewer than one in four of all profiles in the Express Entry pool receive an ITA. Once you have an ITA, you have a use-it-or-lose-it  opportunity.

Immigration consultants have two big advantages over the do-it-yourself approach: A good consultant does this work frequently, and is fast and accurate, with a system for tracking what you need to make good your ITA on time and with precision. Not being you, the consultant isn’t as emotional or under the stress about the ITA as you are. That makes things go more quickly. You should also read our web site about mistakes to avoid, so that the pitfalls that cost so many people their savings don’t happen to you.

If you have received an ITA ?:

• You need to take the next two months of your life very seriously;
• From the date that you receive the ITA, you have 60 days to accept the invitation by completing the application for permanent residency for you and your family, and submitting all the required documents to substantiate your application;
• Any material changes to your situation that initially provided you points must be reviewed before you accept the invitation. For example if you no longer have a valid job offer, but will receive one from another employer before the deadline, you may consider moving forward.

What to watch out for:

• For Canadian Experience Class, you must prove that you have the minimum qualification: 52 weeks of full-time work at a minimum of 30 hours per week or equivalent in 24 months;
• For Skilled Worker and Skilled Trade streams, if your Language Test has expired, you must re-take the test, and score the same or better than before;
• Have you or a member of your family been charged with a criminal offence since your profile was submitted?
• You will have to obtain security certificates from every country in which you have lived for more than six months;
• You and your family must undergo up front medical examinations;
• Your travel logs must account for every place to which you and your family have travelled outside of your birth country;
• Your education and work experience must match whatever NOC code you entered into your Express Entry profile – more importantly you must provide evidence for everything that you claimed in your profile;
• Job verification letters must be provided with all required details relating to your position title, length of employment, wages, job duties, background of the employer and contact person to reach.

Between 25 and 30 percent of all ITAs issued either expire, or are declined by the applicants. Canada is still looking to improve this system by addressing different factor changes, and more relevant thresholds. The draw of 27,332 applicants under Canadian Experience Class on February 13, 2021 is an example of how Canada is responding to varying labour market needs and immigration circumstances as the global pandemic continues. No doubt in this draw there are individuals from all three streams of Express Entry. For the Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades, in particular, the common factor was that individuals, whether inside or outside Canada, all claimed to have a minimum of 1 full year Canadian work experience. Thus, it is imperative to provide evidence to that effect.

Is Your Permanent Residence Application Complete and Accurate?

Permanent resident applications submitted within the 90-day deadline go through an initial screening period where the applications are reviewed for “completeness”. This includes whether or not you complied with the specifications on each document or evidence submitted.

If an application is missing a document, or contains a document in a format other than what was stipulated, that application is “rejected’ and the applicant is immediately notified. There is no appeal. This mistake means that the applicant will have to start all over again by submitting a new profile in the Express Entry system.

Don’t take a chance on losing the opportunity to become a permanent resident. Call or e-mail us at Upper Canada Immigration Consultants, and let us take care of your ITA submission.