Express Entry After ITA: Your Complete 90-Day Action Plan

The 90-day countdown to submit your permanent residence application starts the moment you receive your ITA. This isn’t just another government deadline—it’s your window to prove everything you claimed in your Express Entry profile and secure your path to Canadian permanent residence.

Understanding Your ITA: What Just Happened

When you receive your ITA, you’re not just getting an invitation—you’re entering a completely different phase of the immigration process. Your Express Entry profile was your application to get invited. Now you need to submit your actual application for permanent residence, with documented proof of every claim you made.

What this means for you: The information in your Express Entry profile becomes legally binding. Any discrepancies between what you claimed and what you can prove will result in refusal—and potentially a misrepresentation finding that could ban you from Canada for five years.

Real mistake we’ve seen: Applicants assuming their ITA is approval for permanent residence. It’s not. It’s permission to apply, and the standards for approval are significantly higher than the Express Entry pool requirements.

The 90-day deadline cannot be extended except in extraordinary circumstances (serious illness, natural disasters). Missing this deadline means your ITA expires, and you’ll need to re-enter the Express Entry pool—assuming you still meet the minimum requirements.

Your Document Collection Strategy: Start Here

The moment you receive your ITA, begin collecting documents. Don’t wait to understand the full application—start gathering proof immediately.

Priority Document Categories

Immediate Action Required (Week 1):

• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) reports
• Language test results (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, TCF)
• Passport biographical pages
• Birth certificates for all family members

High Priority (Weeks 1-2):

• Reference letters from current and previous employers
• Police clearance certificates from all countries where you’ve lived 6+ months since age 18
• Medical examination appointments for approved panel physicians

Standard Priority (Weeks 2-4):

• Proof of funds documentation
• Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, or death certificates
• Adoption papers or custody documents (if applicable)
• Military service records (if applicable)

International Document Considerations

If you’re applying from a country with high processing delays: Start your police clearance and document authentication process immediately. Countries like India, China, and the Philippines often have extended processing times that can consume your entire 90-day window.

What this means for you: Don’t assume document collection will be quick. A reference letter that takes two days in Canada might take six weeks in your home country.

Certified Translation Requirements

All documents not in English or French must be accompanied by:

1. A certified translation by a certified translator
2. An affidavit from the translator
3. A certified copy of the original document

AVID expert tip: Use translators certified in Canada when possible. Some visa offices have specific requirements for translator qualifications that can cause delays if not met precisely.

Your Week-by-Week Action Plan

Weeks 1-2: Foundation Phase

Immediate Actions (Days 1-3):

• Log into your Express Entry account and review your ITA letter
• Download the document checklist specific to your stream
• Create a dedicated email folder for all immigration correspondence
• Photograph/scan your passport and keep multiple backup copies

Document Initiation (Days 4-14):

• Contact current and former employers for reference letters
• Request official transcripts from educational institutions
• Book medical examinations for all family members
• Apply for police clearance certificates from all required countries

Real mistake we’ve seen: Waiting to start police clearance applications. Some countries require 6-8 weeks processing time, which doesn’t leave room for delays or corrections.

Weeks 3-6: Intensive Collection Phase

Employment Documentation: Your reference letters are critical and often the most time-consuming to obtain correctly. Each letter must include:

• Official letterhead and contact information
• Your job title, employment dates, and salary
• Detailed description of duties and responsibilities
• Number of hours worked per week
• Supervisor’s name, title, and signature

If you’re applying from India: Government employees often need additional documentation. Ensure your reference letters are signed by someone with appropriate authority and include their employee ID numbers.

Banking and Financial Documentation: For proof of funds, you need six months of banking history showing the required settlement funds have been consistently available. The funds cannot be borrowed—you need gift deeds or letters of explanation for any unusual deposits.

What this means for you: Start organizing your banking documents now, even if you think you have enough time. Banks often require several business days to produce official statements with required signatures.

Weeks 7-10: Application Preparation Phase

Document Review and Organization:

• Create a checklist matching each required document to what you’ve collected
• Ensure all documents are properly certified and translated
• Organize documents in the exact order specified in your document checklist

Form Completion: The permanent residence application forms are more detailed than your Express Entry profile. Common sections that cause confusion:

• Travel history (every trip outside your country of residence)
• Address history (every address for the past 10 years)
• Family information (including relatives not accompanying you)

Optional—but strongly recommended by AVID experts: Complete a draft application early and review it multiple times. Most refusals come from incomplete or inaccurate form completion, not missing documents.

Weeks 11-12: Final Review and Submission

Pre-Submission Checklist:

• All forms completed and reviewed for accuracy
• All supporting documents uploaded in correct format (PDF under 4MB each)
• Payment method confirmed and tested
• Family members’ applications completed if applicable

Common last-minute issues we’ve seen:

• Payment processing failures on weekends
• Document file size exceeding limits
• Incomplete family member applications
• Missing signatures on statutory declarations

Submit your application at least 2-3 days before the deadline to account for technical issues or last-minute discoveries of missing information.

Medical Examinations: Timing and Strategy

You cannot complete your medical examination until after receiving your ITA. The medical results are only valid for 12 months, so timing is important for your future travel to Canada.

Panel Physician Requirements

Only physicians designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can conduct your immigration medical examination. Using any other doctor will result in rejection of your results.

If you’re in a remote location: Some countries have limited panel physicians. Book your appointment immediately, as wait times can extend beyond your 90-day deadline in certain regions.

What the Medical Examination Includes

• Physical examination
• Vision and hearing tests
• Blood tests and urinalysis
• Chest X-ray
• Additional tests based on age, health conditions, or country of residence

Family Member Considerations: All family members, including those not accompanying you to Canada, must complete medical examinations. This includes:

• Your spouse or common-law partner
• Dependent children (including adult children who don’t meet dependent criteria)

Real mistake we’ve seen: Assuming non-accompanying family members don’t need medical exams. They do, and this requirement often surprises applicants with adult children or estranged spouses.

Police Clearance Certificates: Country-Specific Strategies

You need police clearance certificates from every country where you’ve lived for six months or more since turning 18. This includes countries where you were studying, working, or residing for any reason.

Required Countries Determination

If you lived in multiple countries: You need certificates from each country, even if you moved frequently. Six months total in a country counts, even if spread across multiple visits.

Processing Time Considerations by Region

High-delay countries (6-12 weeks):

• India: Requires multiple documents and can involve significant delays
• China: Processing through Chinese consulates varies significantly by location
• Philippines: NBI clearances can be delayed during peak periods
• Pakistan: Processing times vary significantly by region

Medium-delay countries (3-6 weeks):

• United States: FBI clearances take 12-14 weeks but channelers can reduce this
• United Kingdom: ACRO processing is generally reliable but can have seasonal delays
• Australia: Processing times vary by state

If you’re currently living outside your home country: You may need police clearances from both your current country of residence and your home country.

Common Delays and Solutions

Document authentication issues: Some countries require additional authentication steps that aren’t immediately obvious. Research your specific country’s requirements thoroughly.

Name variations: If your name appears differently on various documents, you may need additional documentation explaining the variations.

Real mistake we’ve seen: Applicants from countries with high crime rates assuming they’ll automatically be refused. Police clearances show criminal history, not general country conditions. A clear certificate from any country demonstrates your personal criminal record status.

Application Submission: Final Steps

Final Document Review

Before submission, verify that every document meets IRCC requirements:

• Correct file format (PDF preferred)
• File size under 4MB per document
• Clear, legible scans with all text readable
• Proper naming conventions for easy identification

Payment Procedures

Current fees (as of 2025):

• Principal applicant: $1,325 CAD
• Spouse or common-law partner: $1,325 CAD
• Dependent child under 22: $225 CAD
• Right of Permanent Residence Fee: $515 CAD per adult

Payment method considerations: Credit card payments are processed immediately, but some international cards may be declined. Have a backup payment method ready.

Submission Confirmation

After submission, you’ll receive:

• Immediate confirmation of successful submission
• Application number for tracking
• Instructions for next steps, including biometrics if required

Post-Submission Expectations

Typical processing times: 6-8 months from submission, though this varies significantly based on your country of residence and application complexity.

What happens next:

• Biometrics instruction letter (if required)
• Additional document requests (if needed)
• Background check processing
• Final decision

If you’re from a country with high refusal rates: Processing may take longer as additional security and background checks are standard for certain countries.

Resources from AVID

📎 [Download: 90-Day ITA Action Plan Checklist]

Your week-by-week roadmap with specific deadlines and priority tasks.

📝 [Sample Reference Letter Templates]

Country-specific templates that meet IRCC requirements for employment documentation.

📄 [Document Organization Spreadsheet]

Track your document collection progress and ensure nothing is missed.

🧠 [Post-ITA FAQ Guide]

Answers to the 50 most common questions AVID experts receive from ITA holders.

Panel Physician Directory

Searchable database of approved medical practitioners by country and region