Receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through Canada's Express Entry system is a major step toward permanent residence. However, in certain circumstances, declining the invitation may be the wiser choice to avoid serious issues like application refusal or misrepresentation findings.
Candidates have exactly 60 days from receiving an ITA to submit a complete permanent residence application. If circumstances arise that prevent meeting this deadline with all required evidence, or if eligibility no longer holds, declining is often recommended. Importantly, declining carries no penalties—your profile simply returns to the Express Entry pool for consideration in future invitation rounds, provided you remain eligible.
Here are key situations where declining an ITA is typically the best decision:
First, if your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was inflated due to errors in your profile. Common mistakes include overstating work hours (e.g., counting part-time as full-time), misclassifying foreign experience as Canadian (or vice versa), entering incorrect language test scores, or claiming a higher education credential than earned, such as listing a bachelor's as a master's. These errors can boost your score enough to secure an invitation, but upon review, if the corrected score falls below the draw's cut-off, you risk misrepresentation—a finding that can lead to refusal and a five-year ban from Canadian immigration. Recalculate your score accurately; if it no longer qualifies, decline to protect your record.
Second, when you receive an ITA before fully meeting a program requirement, such as the one-year work experience threshold under the Canadian Experience Class. The IRCC system may count months loosely, but actual eligibility requires precise fulfillment. For instance, if someone begins a qualifying job in late January and receives an ITA in early December (appearing as 12 months in the portal but actually 10 months plus days), they might not hit the full year by the 60-day deadline. In such cases, declining allows you to wait for the next draw after meeting the requirement, rather than risking refusal.
Third, if your language test results are nearing expiration. Results must remain valid (less than two years old) both at profile creation and application submission. If expiry looms during the 60-day window, options include submitting quickly, retaking the test (ensuring new results meet draw requirements), or declining to stay in the pool until resolved.
Fourth, significant changes in family composition that alter your CRS score. This could involve a spouse or partner no longer accompanying you, affecting points for their factors. Or, if you claimed 15 points for a sibling in Canada, but they relocate abroad or you cannot obtain proper proof, those points vanish. Recalculate—if your score drops below the cut-off, declining prevents issues.
Fifth, withdrawal of a provincial nomination. A nomination through an Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program adds 600 CRS points, dramatically increasing chances. Provinces can withdraw nominations for reasons like failure to prove intent to reside there, job loss, misrepresentation, or undisclosed changes (e.g., new child or marital status in some provinces). If withdrawn after an ITA in a general draw, your score plummets without the 600 points, requiring a decline. For PNP-specific draws, a valid nomination is mandatory for eligibility, so decline if it's lost.
One exception: aging out (turning 30 or older) after the ITA but before submission. IRCC's public policy exempts applicants from losing points solely due to a birthday in this window, so no decline is needed for age alone.
After declining, your profile re-enters the pool without negative impact, allowing future consideration. If you proceed despite changes, disclose everything accurately with a Letter of Explanation and supporting documents. Omitting details—even unintentionally—can trigger misrepresentation consequences.
Declining strategically safeguards your immigration path. Always verify eligibility thoroughly before accepting an ITA to ensure a smooth process toward Canadian permanent residence.
