Documentation Guide

(Express Entry - Awaiting Invitation to Apply)

This Guide describes the documentation generally required in support of an electronic immigration
application should an Invitation to Apply (ITA) be issued.

You must provide clear, legible copies of the documents described in the present Guide if you receive an
ITA. No photocopies will be accepted. Any document that is not in English or French must be
accompanied by an ORIGINAL Certified Translation.

You must ensure that your information is up to date on the CanadaVisa Portal.

INTRODUCTION - INVITATION TO APPLY

Candidates with the highest ranking Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) will receive an ITA, within the
validity period of the Express Entry (EE) profile, regardless of when they were accepted into the
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) pool. According to CIC, draws for ITAs are expected to take
place at regular intervals over the course of the year. A candidate's rank is determined using the CRS. In
other words, EE will not select the first candidates to submit their application for permanent residence
but the candidates who obtain the highest CRS rank. In order to be able to apply for Canadian
permanent residency, a candidate must receive an ITA.

If an ITA for a Canadian permanent resident visa is received, the candidate will have only sixty (60) days
to submit a complete electronic application for permanent residency (E-APR) to Canada. Invited
candidates must demonstrate that they meet eligibility and admissibility requirements under the
immigration laws of Canada. Candidates should be truthful in their self-declared EE profile submitted to
the CIC pool and the E-APR. If false information is provided the candidate could be found inadmissible
for misrepresentation and could be barred for five years from applying for permanent residence and
from entering Canada.

1. EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTS

Document(s) required:
You (as the principal applicant) must provide a copy of your ECA report.
You (as the principal applicant) must provide a copy of either your Diploma and/or Transcript
for your secondary credential.
You (as the principal applicant) must provide a copy of your Diploma and Transcript for your
post-secondary credential(s).
Your spouse/common-law partner (if applicable) may provide a copy of his/her ECA report if
applicable.
Your spouse/common-law partner (if applicable) must provide a copy of either their Diploma
and/or Transcript for their secondary credential.

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Your spouse/common-law partner (if applicable) must provide a copy of their Diploma and
Transcript for their post-secondary credential(s).

IMPORTANT: In order to obtain extra CRS points, your spouse (if applicable) will also have to submit
his/her ECA report.

2. LANGUAGE TEST RESULTS

Please note that language results are only valid for two (2) years. Please make sure that
necessary arrangements are made, well in advance, before the expiry of the language test
results, in order to re-take the test and update the Express Entry profile with new test results. If
the language results expire, the CIC Profile will become ineligible and a new CIC Profile will have
to be created from start, once sufficient language results are obtained.

It is imperative that a candidate maintains valid language results throughout the entire
immigration process until the complete E-APR is submitted, should an ITA be issued.

3. ELECTRONIC SIGNED USE OF A REPRESENTATIVE

Document(s) required:
You must provide a signed version of the IMM 5476 Use of a Representative form

4. PASSPORTS/PERMITS

Document(s) required:
You must provide clear, legible electronic copies of passports, visas and travel documents.

PASSPORTS: Please provide electronic copies of the bio-data page(s) of valid passports for you, your
spouse/common law partner and all dependent children. Only regular passports are accepted (no
diplomatic, official, service or public affairs passports are accepted). You only need to provide the
page(s) that indicate:
• The passport number;
• Date and issue of expiry;
• Photo, name, date and place of birth;
• Pages showing any amendments in name, date of birth, expiration, etc;
• Pages showing stamps for travels.

VISAS/PERMITS: If you are living in a country other than the one in which you hold citizenship, you must
submit copies of:

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• Current or expired entry-exit stamps in your national passport;
• Current or expired status documents (visas, residence permits, etc.) indicating date of admission
and validity.

5. IDENTITY AND CIVIL STATUS DOCUMENTS

Document(s) required:
You must provide electronic copies of identity and civil status documents.

You will need to submit for you, your spouse/common law partner(if applicable), and all dependent
children (whether they are accompanying you or not) the following documents:

• Birth certificates (these must be “long form” listing the names of both parents)
• Adoption certificates (if applicable)
• Marriage certificates (for all marriages)
• Divorce/annulment certificates (for all former marriages)
• Death certificates of former spouses/common law partners (if applicable)
• Legal documents showing name changes (if applicable-i.e. name before and after marriage)
• National IDs/Family registry books (if applicable)

Document: Marriage License/Certificate

If you were married in Canada:
You must have a marriage certificate issued by the province or territory where the marriage took place.
If you were married outside Canada:
The marriage must be valid under the law of the country where it took place and under Canadian law.
A marriage performed in an embassy or consulate must comply with the law of the host country where
it took place, not the country of nationality of the embassy or consulate.

If you are unable to obtain any of the above documents, contact your Documentation Specialist
immediately. You may be asked to provide additional documents or a written explanation about why a
document is unavailable. Please note that it is your responsibility to provide sufficient evidence of your
identity and family relationships. Also, please note that acceptance of documents that are not in
compliance with CIC requirements is at the full discretion of immigration authorities.

If you are in a common-law relationship (this means you have cohabited with an opposite- or same-sex
partner in a conjugal relationship for a period of at least one year), you must:

• Complete the form IMM 5409 Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (to be provided by
your Documentation Specialist).

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• In order to prove cohabitation for a period of at least one year, you must provide the following
documents listing both your and your partner’s names:
o Joint bank account statements;
o Leases;
o Utility bills, etc.

6. WORK EXPERIENCE DOCUMENTS

Document(s) required:
You must provide electronic copies of your work experience documents.

Your and your spouse’s (if applicable) entire work history has to be supported by reference letters and
other relevant documentation confirming the employment history indicated in the application for
permanent residence to Canada.

IMPORTANT: In order to meet the minimum eligibility requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker Class
(FSWC), you must have accumulated at least one year of continuous, full-time, paid work experience, or
the equivalent part-time work experience, in the past 10 years preceding the date of your CIC profile
submission. Such work experience must be in the occupation that is listed in Skill type 0 (Managerial
Occupations), Skill Level A (Professional Occupations) or B (Technical Occupations and Skilled Trades) of
the National Occupation Classification (NOC) 2011. To find out more information about the Skill Level of
your occupation, please contact your Documentation Specialist or visit the Canadian National Occupation
Matrix at:
http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2011/html/Matrix.html

In order to get eligibility and CRS points for your work experience, you need to prove that you
performed the actions described in the lead statement and performed a substantial number of the main
duties, including all of the essential duties, as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National
Occupational Classification (NOC). Please consult the NOC website at
http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2011/Welcome.aspx to verify that your reference letter
corresponds with the NOC description. If you have any questions, please contact your Documentation
Specialist.

Your documents must demonstrate that you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the
occupational description of your NOC and performed a substantial number of, including all the essential
duties and most of the main duties listed. If you do not submit work documents in the format required
by CIC, the government of Canada may refuse your application.

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Required format of work reference letter: The reference letter is an official document printed on
company letterhead and must include your name, the company’s contact information (address,
telephone number and e-mail address), the signature of your immediate supervisor or personnel officer
at the company and a business card of the person signing the letter. The letters must contain ALL of the
following information for each position held in the company:
o Exact start date (and end date if applicable);
o Job title;
o Job status (if current job)
o Number of hours you work(ed) per week;
o A DETAILED list of your everyday duties or responsibilities;
o NOTE: Your duties should not be copied verbatim from the NOC website
o Your annual salary plus benefits.

You must scan all documents for this work experience and save them as one file. (Each work experience
requires a separate file).

If you or your spouse/common-law partner has worked in Canada for at least one (1) year in the last 10
years, you must provide the following documents for each position held:

o Reference letter(s) in the above format;

o T4 tax information slips;
o Notices of Assessment (NOA) and Option C printouts issued by Canada Revenue Agency;
o Copy of your work permit/employment authorization.

If you are self-employed, please note that self-declared main duties or affidavits are not acceptable
proof of work experience. You must provide the following documents:
o Articles of incorporation or other evidence of business ownership;
o Evidence of self-employment income;
o Documentation from third party individuals indicating the service provided along with
payment details.

The documents mentioned above are MANDATORY. Failure to provide these documents may result in
the rejection or refusal of your application. Also, kindly note that final assessment of your reference
letters is at the full discretion of the immigration authorities. As such, it is highly recommended that
you comply with the above instructions.

If you or your spouse cannot get a letter of reference for a position you held, or if your letter of
reference does not contain all of the above information, your application will be at high risk of refusal. In
lieu of a work reference letter, you will need to submit as many of the following additional documents as
possible. Every effort to submit a complete work reference letter should be made before submitting any
of the following:
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• Employment verification letter (a letter containing only minimum information confirming that
you work(ed) for the company and in what position, ideally with mention of the salary);
• Employment contract or appointment letter;
• Employment offer letter;
• Deputation letter (if your company transferred you from one country or subsidiary to the other);
• Performance reviews;
• Pay slips covering at least the first three and last three months of employment;
• Bank statements showing deposit of salary;
• Proof of income tax payment;
• Reference letters from (former) supervisors, managers, HR representatives, or co-workers;
• Reference letters from customers, clients or patients, as the case may be.

In addition to any of the above, please complete and sign a declaration explaining why you or your
spouse (if applicable) cannot obtain a work reference letter in the format required by CIC, and
detailing all required information listed above.

Please note that the entire work history of both you, as the principal applicant and your spouse or
common law partner (if applicable) has to be supported by reference letters and other relevant
documentation confirming the employment history indicated in the application for permanent residence
to Canada.

IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that in the absence of a reference letter, in the format requested by CIC, the
final decision as to whether or not your additional documents are adequate evidence of your work
experience will be at the full discretion of the immigration officer who assesses your application.

7. VALIDATED JOB OFFER FROM A CANADIAN EMPLOYER

If you have a validated job offer from a Canadian employer AND

A. IMPORTANT: You are issued an ITA under FSWC (Federal Skilled Worker Class) or CEC (Canadian
Experience Class), your Canadian validated job offer must indicate that:

• The position offered to you by the Canadian employer is for continuous, paid, full-time work (at
least 30 hours per week);
• The position is for work that is permanent in nature and not seasonal;
• The position offered falls under skill level 0; A or B according to 2011 version of the Canadian
National Occupation Classification (NOC).

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You must also provide a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to confirm the validation of
your job offer as well as a valid Work Permit (if applicable).

B. IMPORTANT: If you are issued an ITA under FSTC (Federal Skilled Trades Class), your Canadian
validated job offer must indicate that:

• The position offered to you by the Canadian employer is for continuous, paid, full-time work (at
least 30 hours per week);
• The position is offered for at least one year;
• The position offered is in a skilled trade occupation (skill level starting with 72; 73; 82; 92; as
well as 632 and 633 according to 2011 version of the Canadian National Occupation
Classification (NOC)).
• You job offer is made by up to two Canadian employers.

You must also provide a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to confirm the validation of
your job offer as well as a valid Work Permit (if applicable).

8. PROOF OF RELATIVE

Document(s) required:
You must provide electronic copies of your proof of relative documents listed below.

In order to obtain eligibility points, the relative must meet the following characteristics:

• Be your (or your spouse/partner’s) Mother, Father, Daughter, Son, Sister, Brother, Niece,
Nephew, Grandmother, Grandfather, Granddaughter, Grandson, Aunt or Uncle;

• Be over 18 years of age;

• Be currently residing in Canada;

• Be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident.

The following documents must be provided by your relative:

• Proof of Status: Record of Landing, Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR), Permanent

Residence card (both sides), Canadian passport, or citizenship card (both sides); AND

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• Proof of residency: Lease agreements, Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency,
an employer’s letter, credit card statements, utility bills, or bank statements. These documents
must have been issued within the six months prior to the submission of your immigration
application; AND

• Proof of familial relation: Birth certificate(s) and/or marriage certificate(s) establishing a family
relation.

o Example: if you are claiming points for your aunt on your mother’s side, you must
provide a copy of your mother’s birth certificate and your aunt’s birth certificate
showing a parent in common.

9. PROOF OF FUNDS

Document required:
You must provide electronic copies of all proof of funds documents listed below.

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family members after you
arrived in Canada. The amount of money you need to support your family is determined by the size of
your family:
Number of Funds Required
Family Members (in Canadian dollars)

1 $11,931

2 $14,853

3 $18,260

4 $22,170

5 $25,145

6 $28,359

7 or more $31,574

NOTE: These amounts are subject to change.

You must provide an official letter issued by your financial institution indicating your financial profile.

Your financial profile incudes a listing of all your bank (chequing and savings) and investment accounts.
The official letter must be printed on the letterhead of the financial institution and must include your
name, the contact information of the financial institution (address, telephone number and e-mail
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address), the account numbers, dates of when each account was opened and the balance of each
account over the previous 6 months.

You must scan all proof of funds documents and save them as one file.

The funds should be in your name or your spouse/common-law partner’s name(if applicable). You must
provide proof that your funds are liquid, transferable and unencumbered (i.e. free of debt). Please
obtain the following documents in order to comply with the Proof of Funds requirement:

• The principal applicant must provide official letter(s) from financial institutions listing all current
bank and investment accounts, as well as outstanding debts such as credit cards and loans.
These letters must be printed on the letterhead of the financial institution and must include the
following:

o your name (or your spouse/common-law partner’s name)

o the contact information of the financial institution (address, telephone number and
email address)
o the account numbers
o the dates when each account was opened
o the current balance of each account
o the average balance for the six months; AND

• Bank statements showing a savings balance; AND

• Evidence of fixed or time deposit statements.

IMPORTANT: The source of any large deposits must be clearly explained and documented to show that
the funds are yours. You cannot borrow money to fulfill the requirement for proof of funds.
Automobiles, land evaluations, jewelry and private stocks & bonds will not be accepted as proof of
funds.

If you have any difficulties in establishing your proof of funds, please contact your Documentation
Specialist immediately.

IMPORTANT: Unless you are currently authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer from an
employer in Canada, you MUST show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family
after you get to Canada. You cannot borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use
this money to pay the costs of living for your family (even if non-accompanying dependents). Please
note, that you may still be required to provide Proof of Means of Financial Support even if you have a
valid Job Offer.

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10. MEDICAL EXAMINATION CONFIRMATION

Document required:
Once an ITA is received from CIC, you must provide electronic copies the medical examination
confirmation.

****IMPORTANT: Medical exam results are only valid for a period of one (1) year. For this reason, we
encourage you to only undergo medical exams AFTER you have received an Invitation to Apply.****

You, your spouse/common-law partner, and your dependent children must each undergo an
immigration medical examination. The examination must be conducted by a doctor authorized by CIC to
conduct immigration medical examinations. This authorized doctor is called a “panel physician”. Please
use the following website to find a panel physician in your area: http://www.cic.gc.ca/pp-md/pp-
list.aspx.

After you receive an ITA, you must ask the panel physician to conduct an Upfront Medical and inform
him/her that you do not have an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) number yet. The panel
physician will do a complete medical exam, which may include a physical examination, a mental
examination, a review of your past medical history and records, a chest x-ray, as well as other laboratory
and diagnostic tests.

Once your exam is completed, the physician will send the results directly to CIC. The physician will give
you one of the following documents as written confirmation that your medical exam was completed
(your confirmation should include your Immigration Medical Examination (IME) number):

o an information printout sheet; OR

o a copy of the IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report form.

Note: It is important that you tell the panel physician about any previous or existing medical conditions.
Processing your medical exam could take longer if you do not inform the panel physician of prior
conditions.

11. POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATES

Document required:
Police clearance certificates must be provided.

Police clearances must be submitted to CIC for all family members over 18 years of age, including you,
your spouse/common-law partner (if applicable), and any children aged 18 or older.

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Police clearances must be obtained from every country region or territory, other than Canada, in which
you and/or any of your family members included in your immigration application resided for more than
six (6) months since the age of 18.

Police certificates are different in each country and territory and may be called police clearing
certificates, good conduct certificates, judicial record extracts, etc. They are issues by police authorities
or government departments and used by CIC to determine a person’s admissibility to enter Canada.

Police clearances may take several weeks to obtain. Please consult CIC’s website at
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/index.asp for specific information on
how to obtain police certificates from different countries. Police clearances from Canada are not
needed unless specifically requested by the Visa Office.

If you have any difficulties in obtaining information about police clearance certificates, contact your
Documentation Specialist immediately.

**IMPORTANT: For immigration purposes police clearances are only valid for a period of 6 months. **

***IMPORTANT AND MANDATORY: Additional requirements apply for those who lived in or currently
live in the States of Queensland and/or Victoria in Australia after their 18th birthday:

• Residents of Queensland must submit a Traffic History which goes back to their 18th birthday or
the day on which their first Australian driver’s licence was issued. Please apply through Qld
Transport.

• Residents of Victoria must submit a Full Licence History Search which goes back to their 18th
birthday or the day on which their first Australian driver’s licence was issued. Please apply
through VicRoads.

Driving history reports will be directly given/sent to you by the departments of transport of the state
where you live or previously lived. An immigration file number, if available, should be endorsed/written
on the certificate.

Applicants who are unable to provide a Traffic History or a Full Licence History Search must provide
evidence, issued by the Queensland and/or Victoria roads authority, stating that they have never held a
driver’s license in that state.

Traffic history reports from other Australian states and territories are not required

The Australian Federal Police will send your police certificate directly to the address you nominate in
section 6 of the Australian Federal Police National Police Check (NPC) Application Form.

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(http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/asia-pacific/australia.asp)

Please note, for the purposes of submitting an E-APR (electronic application for permanent
residence), this is a MANDATORY document to submit along with your Australian PCC. ***

***IMPORTANT AND MANDATORY: When obtaining the Police Clearance for Northern Ireland, you
must contact the ACRO Criminal Records Office
(http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/europe/united-kingdom.asp). ***

***IMPORTANT: PLEASE BE SURE TO CAREFULLY READ THE “SPECIAL NOTES AND CONSIDERATIONS”
BELOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CIC WEBSITE ON HOW TO OBTAIN A POLICE CLEARANCE -
HTTP://WWW.CIC.GC.CA/ENGLISH/INFORMATION/SECURITY/POLICE-CERT/INDEX.ASP ***

12. PHOTOS

Document required:
You must provide digital photos of each of you, your spouse/common law partner, and each
dependent child.

The digital photos must have been taken by a professional photographer within the six (6) months prior
to the date of submission of your application. Please upload your photos on the Canadavisa Client Portal
for review.

The photos must meet the following requirements:

• show a full front view of the person’s head and shoulders showing full face centered in the
middle of the photograph;
• have a plain white background;
• be taken with uniform lighting and should not show shadows or flash reflection on the face;
• eyes must be clearly visible through prescription glasses.

Dimensions:
• The final frame size must be at least 35 mm x 45 mm (1 3/8” x 1 3/4”);
• The size of the head, from chin to crown, must measure between 31 mm and 36 mm (1 1/4”and
1 7/16”);
• Digital dimensions are often expressed in pixels or DPI (dots per inch). Photos uploaded must be
600 DPI. The physical dimensions in pixels must be at least 420 x 540.
Quality/Resolution:
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• If an existing photo is being scanned, the minimum resolution must be 600 pixels per inch.
File Format:
• The file may be submitted in JPEG or JPEG2000 format.
File Size:
• The final size of the image should be ideally 240 KB (kilobytes), but not less than 60 kB.
Colour:
• The image must be in colour (24 bits per pixel) in sRGB colour space which is the common
output for most digital cameras.
Please provide the following diagram to the photographer:

13. GOVERNMENT PROCESSING FEES

There are two (2) types of fees, which must be submitted with your application: (1)Government
Processing Fees must be paid when your immigration application is submitted to CIC:

Family member Processing fee

Principal applicant 550 CAD

Spouse or common-law partner 550 CAD

Each dependent child under 19, unmarried and not in a 150 CAD
common-law relationship

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Family member Processing fee

Each dependent child who is 19 years of age or older and 150 CAD
who has a physical or mental condition causing the child
to be unable to financially self-support and to depend
substantially on the financial support of the parent since
before the age of 19.

(2) Right of Permanent Residence Fee may be paid when your immigration application is submitted to
CIC OR before your permanent residence visa is finalized:

Family member Processing fee

Principal applicant 490 CAD

Spouse or common-law partner 490 CAD

Dependent children No fee.

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