A 3 July CIC News analysis highlights that missing police certificates continue to be the leading reason Express Entry applicants fail to submit a complete permanent-residence file within the mandatory 60-day post-invitation window. Although federal guidance urges candidates to request certificates as soon as they enter the pool, many wait until after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA)—a decision that can prove fatal when authorities in some jurisdictions take months to issue the documents. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada requires a police certificate for every country where an applicant has lived for six months or more since age 18, except Canada itself. Candidates unable to supply a certificate by day 60 must upload a detailed letter of explanation and proof of having attempted to obtain the document; otherwise, the application is deemed incomplete and refused outright.
![Police certificates remain top obstacle as Express Entry candidates rush to meet 60-day ITA deadline]()
For applicants who need help securing these often hard-to-obtain police certificates, VisaHQ provides streamlined, country-specific assistance. Through its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the service guides users on documentation requirements, liaises with foreign authorities where possible, and coordinates courier deliveries—helping Express Entry candidates and their employers avoid the risk of an incomplete file and a lost ITA.
The article advises applicants—and the consultants who shepherd them—to start collating police clearances long before an ITA arrives, particularly for countries such as China, Nigeria and Brazil, where processing can exceed 12 weeks. It also details IRCC’s policy allowing a “request letter” placeholder for nations that will issue a certificate only after formal demand from Canadian authorities. From a corporate-mobility standpoint, ITA expiries delay start dates, disrupt project staffing and can force employers to re-post Labour Market Impact Assessments or lose skilled candidates to jurisdictions with faster procedures. Companies should therefore educate sponsored workers on documentation timelines and, where feasible, cover the fees associated with obtaining multiple police clearances. Given current Express Entry processing times of six-to-eight weeks once a complete application is lodged, proactive document management is arguably the last major variable employers can control in accelerating a candidate’s path to permanent residence—and, by extension, long-term workforce stability.
For applicants who need help securing these often hard-to-obtain police certificates, VisaHQ provides streamlined, country-specific assistance. Through its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the service guides users on documentation requirements, liaises with foreign authorities where possible, and coordinates courier deliveries—helping Express Entry candidates and their employers avoid the risk of an incomplete file and a lost ITA.
The article advises applicants—and the consultants who shepherd them—to start collating police clearances long before an ITA arrives, particularly for countries such as China, Nigeria and Brazil, where processing can exceed 12 weeks. It also details IRCC’s policy allowing a “request letter” placeholder for nations that will issue a certificate only after formal demand from Canadian authorities. From a corporate-mobility standpoint, ITA expiries delay start dates, disrupt project staffing and can force employers to re-post Labour Market Impact Assessments or lose skilled candidates to jurisdictions with faster procedures. Companies should therefore educate sponsored workers on documentation timelines and, where feasible, cover the fees associated with obtaining multiple police clearances. Given current Express Entry processing times of six-to-eight weeks once a complete application is lodged, proactive document management is arguably the last major variable employers can control in accelerating a candidate’s path to permanent residence—and, by extension, long-term workforce stability.
