Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence Canada (ITA)
If you are interested in becoming a Permanent Resident of Canada, you will need to be invited through an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This ITA is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). After receiving an ITA, applicants will have the chance to apply for Canadian permanent residence and bring their accompanying family members, such as their spouse or common-law partner and any dependent children, along with them.
Step-by-step process of getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to immigrate to Canada:
1. Create an Express Entry profile to enter the Express Entry pool.
The first step involves submitting information about your skills, language ability, education, and work experience. If you meet the criteria for immigration to Canada, you will be placed in the Express Entry pool.
2. Receive a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a nomination from a Canadian province or territory.
To be eligible for an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you must have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a nomination from a Canadian province or territory.
3. Receive a Comprehensive Ranking System score.
You will then be given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on the information in your Express Entry profile. The CRS score is used to rank candidates based on their skills and other factors.
4. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) if your score is above the cut-off threshold score.
If your CRS score is higher than the cut-off threshold score for that specific Express Entry draw, you will receive an ITA.
5. Submit a complete application for permanent residence (APR) in your online account.
Once you receive an ITA, you will have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence (APR) in your online account. This involves providing documents such as passport, language test scores, job offer letter, and more.
6. Receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and/or a Permanent Residence Visa.
After your application is approved, you will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and/or a Permanent Residence Visa.
7. Live and work in Canada as a Permanent Resident.
Finally, once you have your permanent residence visa, you can travel to Canada and live and work as a Permanent Resident.
What Should You Do After You Receive an ITA
If you have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you have only 60 days to put together and submit all of your required supporting documents. To ensure that you’re ready to apply and make the most of the two-month period, it is important to begin collecting and organizing the necessary documents ahead of time.
In case you are unable to submit your application within the 60-day period, you will have the option to re-enter the Express Entry pool and start the process over.
How to Get an Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence
To receive an ITA, you must first be eligible to immigrate by meeting the minimum requirements for the Express Entry pool. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is used to assess a candidate’s eligibility.
The CRS score ranks an individual based on:
Skills
Education
Language ability
Work experience,
and other factors.
Invitations to apply (ITA) will be given to those with a minimum CRS score or higher of that specific Express Entry draw.
Be sure to fill out your profile adequately if you want your profile to have the best chance of being selected. Most importantly, your profile should contain all relevant information since it is unclear what groupings will be used.
In four months, nearly half a million applications have been reduced from the pandemic backlog
December 19, 2022 — Today, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, highlighted the progress made this year, in reducing the backlog in applications in IRCC’s inventories beyond its service standards.
There is, however, a recent report suggesting that IRCC has assigned thousands of applications to inactive immigration officers. Therefore, it is believed that in an attempt to reduce this backlog, IRCC archives a record-breaking year for immigration processing.
Since August, IRCC reports that they have reduced its overall inventory by nearly half a million applications.
“The department remains on track to meet its goal to process 80% of new applications within service standards”. They added it applies “for most programs and continues to make strides in improving processing”. They are hoping this will result in shorter wait times.
As of November 30 this year, IRCC had processed over 670,000 study permits, compared to more than 500,000 during the same time period last year.
Citizenship
Canada is proud to have one of the highest naturalization rates in the world. IRCC encourages all newcomers to complete their journey by becoming Canadian citizens.
“IRCC expects a record number of new Canadian citizens in 2022–2023, with approximately 251,000 new citizens welcomed from April to November—surpassing the total number of new Canadian citizens for the last fiscal year. As a result, more than 70% of applications in the citizenship inventory are now within service standards.”
Using immigration to address labour shortages
Implementing measures to allow foreign nationals whose post-graduation work permits (expiring between September 20, 2021, and December 31, 2022) the opportunity to work in Canada for an additional 18 months, by extending their work permit or applying for a new one.
This change makes it easier for foreign-born physicians to remain in Canada allowing them to practice and bolster the healthcare system.
The Foreign Credential Recognition Program, invests approximately $27.1 million annually. The contribution to provinces and territories, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders aims to support the labour market integration of skilled newcomers.
Making changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by selecting immigrants based on key attributes that support identified economic priorities For example educational credentials, work experience, or official language knowledge.
The Government of Canada will continue to provide monthly updates on the progress in reducing backlogs. Additionally, the steps being taken to improve client experience, reunite families and address labour shortages in Canada.
In their press release, IRCC mentions: “We know there is still more work to do”, and that they will focus “on building an immigration system that works well for newcomers, visitors, our businesses, and all Canadians.”
Immigration is critical to our economy and our communities. It’s why we have taken action to strengthen Canada’s immigration system by reducing wait times and modernizing services so they work better for everyone: https://t.co/Bw5qfuKCo5
A GCKey is required for the online submission of Canadian immigration or visa applications and is a secure way to communicate with online Canadian government services by using special electronic credentials.
GCKey is a service offered by the Government of Canada that generates login information (username and password) for use with online federal government services. If you do not have, or prefer not to utilize, a credential with one of the Sign-In Partners you can use the GCKey service.
As a result, having it is convenient and practical because you do not need to keep track of multiple usernames and passwords.
If you’ve already created an account, you can log in here. If you’re a new user, you must select “Sign up” from the Simple Secure Access menu on the right side of the screen.
The Terms and Conditions will appear after you click on the sign-up button. To proceed, click ‘I accept’.
Finally, you need to create your User Name and Password. After deciding on your username, you must select a secure password.
Important:
There must be between eight and sixteen characters in your password. It must not contain three or more consecutive characters from your Username and must at least have one upper case letter, one lower case letter, and one digit. Lastly, remember not to share your password and keep it in a safe place. Now you are all done!
Can I use the same GCKey to access several services?
Yes. You can use the same GCKey credential to access all available online services, with the exception of the CRA services. Using the same credential to access many services is convenient, as you don’t have to remember several username and passwords.
To access the CRA’s login services, you must either use one of the Sign-In Partners or register for a CRA User ID and password.
What services do I need Sign-In Partner or GCKey for?
Employers and temporary workers to benefit from family work permits to address labour shortages
As the Canadian economy recovers, employers, including tourism industry employees, have had difficulty finding workers. However, an announcement stated that temporary workers would now be eligible to obtain work permits for their families
On Friday, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser announced that family members of temporary foreign workers will be eligible to apply for work permits.
Canada is expanding work permits for family members! Starting in 2023, spouses and children of a principal applicant will be eligible to work in Canada. https://t.co/einP1Op4RC
“Expanding the eligibility for work permits to family members accompanying the principal applicant to Canada will help address labour shortages by assisting employers in finding the workers they need,” he said in a press statement.
Before this announcement, spouses were only eligible for a work permit if the principal applicant worked in a high-skill occupation. However, temporary workers will benefit from family work permits starting in 2023.
Families will be kept together as part of this temporary measure. By that, workers’ emotional well-being, physical health, and financial security will improve. Ultimately, the goal is to provide the worker with a better integration into their work environment and community.
Phase 1 will enable family members of workers coming to Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program to apply for an open work permit.
Phase 2 aims to expand the measure to the family members of workers from the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, following consultations.
Phase 3 will include consultation with agricultural partners and stakeholders to assess operational feasibility for expanding the measure to family members of agricultural workers.
Canada has issued over 645,000 work permits between January and October 2022—nearly 4 times more than the 163,000 issued over the same period in 2021.
“Should I apply for a work permit or a student permit? Is there a better option for me? Which path should I follow?”. We receive this type of question all the time and, to be honest, there is not a straight answer as a number of factors go into this decision. However, you can use these three questions to help you decide.
By having realistic expectations, you can work efficiently towards your immigration goals. So let’s dive right into it!
Q1: What is my English proficiency? Is it important to work or study in Canada?
This is key to determining the program you can apply to. On one hand, if you have a beginning level of English, perhaps the best and only option is to start a study program before thinking about working. On the other hand, if your proficiency is higher (certified by a standardized test such as IELTS) you can consider other immigration options, like the Provincial Nominee Program.
The IELTS scale (1)
Q2: How much money can I invest? Studying and working are compatible?
Immigrating always involves a considerable cost. However, determining how much you’re willing to invest can make or break your immigration options.
For example, you must consider the annual cost of living in the city or province you wish to live in, the average salary for your desired job, and how long it will take for you to recoup your investment.
In addition, there are other factors to look at such as working while studying, the number of hours you are allowed to work, the industry you are planning to work in, etc.
Check out the cost of living of the most popular cities ranked from lower to higher cost of living.
Maybe you initially planned on working in Canada, but you do not qualify for any program. Don’t let that discourage you! After all, there are several pathways to immigrating to Canada; each step counts toward achieving your ultimate goal.
Useful Resources for Canada
Useful Resources for U.S.
Our Local Immigration Services
