Common mistakes applicants make after receiving an ITA under Express Entry

Receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) under Express Entry today is nothing short of winning the lottery. After a long wait in a highly competitive pool of candidates, getting selected feels like a major achievement.

However, winning the lottery does not make you a millionaire until the money is actually in your bank account.

Similarly, receiving an ITA does not make you a Canadian permanent resident.

This is where many applicants make costly mistakes. Some become overly excited, while others relax too much and assume the hardest part is over. In reality, the ITA is only the first step toward permanent residence. It does not confirm or guarantee PR approval.

About the Author

My name is Manjit Kaur, and I am a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC-IRB) based in Toronto, Ontario.

In my recent consultations, I regularly come across applicants who treated their ITA as a guaranteed PR approval and assumed the PR process was straightforward. Unfortunately, many of these applicants later had their applications returned, refused, or issued a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL).

In some cases, matters escalated further when applicants, often following advice from friends, family members, or online forums, submitted inconsistent or incorrect information. This has led not only to refusals, but in serious cases, to findings of misrepresentation and a five-year ban from Canada.

Increased IRCC scrutiny: Why accuracy matters more than ever

IRCC scrutiny has increased significantly in recent years. Regardless of the reasons, the legal onus always remains on the applicant to ensure that the application submitted is:

• Complete

• Accurate

• Truthful

• Properly supported with documentation

  
  

As a practitioner who regularly reviews returned and refused applications, I see the same post-ITA mistakes repeated again and again.

Below are the most common errors applicants make after receiving an ITA, and how they can negatively impact a PR application.

Common mistakes after receiving an ITA

1.     Missing the 60-day deadline or poor time management

From the day an ITA is issued, applicants have 60 days to submit a complete PR application.

A common mistake is not realizing that this deadline is calculated based on UTC time, not local time.

Other related issues include:

• Forgetting to track the deadline

• Setting only one reminder

• Rushing to submit without proper review

  
  

Missing the deadline, even by minutes, will not allow you to submit the application. Rushing the application often leads to irreversible errors.

Best practice: Plan backward from the deadline, set multiple reminders, and allow sufficient time for careful review and document collection.

2.     Rushing the application submission

One of the most common mistakes I see is applicants rushing to submit their application, believing that submitting early will lead to faster processing. This is incorrect.

Rushing often results in:

• Incomplete documentation

• Incorrect entries in personal history or work history

• Overlooked inconsistencies

  
  

Many of these errors are irreversible once the application is submitted.

Take your time. Allow yourself sufficient time to gather documents, review information carefully, and upload the correct evidence. When completing your application, give it your undivided attention.

3.     Submitting only the bare minimum documents

Express Entry is not just about ticking boxes on IRCC’s document checklist.

A very common mistake is uploading only the documents requested in the pre-populated tabs in the GCKey portal. However, you are required to submit all documents that support the information you claimed in your Express Entry profile, even if a specific upload field does not appear.

For example:

• If there is no language test upload slot, the document must be uploaded under Client Information (Optional Documents)

• Additional documents may need to be combined and uploaded under appropriate sections

  
  

IRCC assesses your application based on what you claimed to receive the ITA, not just what appears on the checklist.

4.     Assuming IRCC already has the information or will “figure it out”

Applicants often assume IRCC already has documents from previous applications or that officers will infer missing details.

A common example involves Education Credential Assessments (ECAs). Many applicants believe that because the ECA was sent directly to IRCC by the assessing agency, they do not need to upload it again. This assumption has resulted in loss of points and refusals.

This mistake also includes not submitting a Letter of Explanation (LOE) when information requires context. IRCC officers assess only what is submitted with the PR application. Do not assume, explain and document everything.

5.     Inconsistencies between Express Entry profile, PR application post-ITA, and supporting documents

This is one of the highest-risk areas and a major cause of Procedural Fairness Letters.

Common issues include:

• Employment dates not matching reference letters

• Job titles or duties inconsistent with the claimed NOC

• Differences between Express Entry profile and post-ITA application

• Weak or incomplete employment reference letters

  
  

IRCC does not rely on job titles alone. Officers assess whether your actual job duties align with the NOC claimed and whether the documentation supports that claim.

Even minor inconsistencies can raise credibility concerns if they are not properly explained.

6.     Not fully justifying the CRS points claimed

A particularly common issue arises from a long-standing limitation in the Express Entry system, where work experience is calculated by month and year, not exact dates.

As a result:

• Applicants may be awarded points prematurely

• In reality, they may not have completed the required 1,560 hours of skilled work experience but one year of work experience may be claimed without completing the required 1,560 hours over the 12 months period

  
  

After receiving an ITA, applicants must re-verify that every point claimed can be fully justified, including:

• Work experience

• Education

• Language test results

• Additional CRS factors

If points cannot be supported with documentation, refusal is likely.

7.     Failure to declare material facts and background information

One of the most serious mistakes applicants make is not declaring material information, including:

• Previous refusals for Canada, the USA, or other countries (regardless of how old)

• Immigration or criminal history

• Information about immediate family members such as spouse, children, parents, and siblings

  
  

IRCC shares biometric and biographic data with partner countries under the Five Country Conference (FCC) agreements.

Failure to disclose material facts may result in refusal and a finding of misrepresentation, which carries serious consequences, including a five-year ban from Canada.

8.     Gaps in history or submission of invalid or incorrect documents

This includes:

• Gaps in personal or address history

• Missing or expired police certificates

• Expired language test results

• Incomplete passport copies

• Documents not properly translated into English or French

  
  

Even short unexplained gaps or incorrect documents can lead to delays, returns, or refusals.

9.     Relying on friends, family, or online forums for legal advice, or assuming errors can be fixed later

Many applicants rely on advice from friends, relatives, or online forums. Others submit applications assuming mistakes can be corrected later.

Express Entry does not work this way. The PR application is assessed as submitted, and IRCC is not obligated to request clarifications or allow corrections.

By the time professional help is sought, the refusal is often difficult, or impossible, to reverse.

Final Thoughts

Receiving an ITA is a significant milestone, but it is not the finish line.

Most refusals are not due to ineligibility, but due to avoidable post-ITA mistakes. With proper planning, accurate documentation, and careful review, many refusals can be prevented.

If you have received an ITA and are unsure whether your application is complete, accurate, or properly supported, seeking professional guidance before submission can make the difference between approval and refusal.

Need Help After Receiving an ITA?

We are a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC-IRB). For professional assistance with any type of immigration application, whether straightforward or complex, you may reach out to our office directly.

If you have received an Invitation to Apply under Express Entry and:

• Are unsure whether you can properly justify the CRS points claimed

• Have concerns regarding work experience, NOC selection, or employment reference letters

• Have previous refusals or a complex personal or immigration history

• Would like a professional review of your application before submission

  
  

Consulting a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC-IRB) before submitting your PR application can help identify risks early and avoid costly refusals.

Contact Details:

Manjit Kaur (RCIC-IRB)

📧 Email: sarbatimmigration@gmail.com

📞 Phone: 613-879-4667

Book your consultation today!

Frequently Asked Questions (Post‑ITA Express Entry)

Does receiving an ITA guarantee permanent residence?

No. An ITA only allows you to apply for permanent residence. IRCC must still assess eligibility, admissibility, and whether all claimed points are properly supported.

Can I submit my application early to get faster processing?

Submitting early does not guarantee faster processing. Rushing often leads to mistakes that can result in refusal or return of the application.

What happens if I cannot justify the CRS points, I claimed?

If IRCC determines that points were incorrectly claimed or not supported by documents, the application may be refused and, in some cases, assessed for misrepresentation.

Do I need to declare old visa refusals?

Yes. All previous refusals for Canada and other countries must be declared, regardless of how long ago they occurred.

Can mistakes be fixed after submission?

In most cases, no. Express Entry applications are assessed as submitted, and IRCC is not obligated to allow corrections after submission.