If an applicant’s Express Entry profile and CRS score change, they must ensure they are still eligible to obtain PR until their eAPR, i.e., electronic Application Permanent Residence, is submitted. 

Canada’s federal government uses Express Entry to handle immigrant applications from the three respective programs:

  • CEC, i.e., Canadian Experience Class
  • FSWP, i.e., Federal Skilled Workers Program 
  • FSTP, i.e., Federal Skilled Trade Program

 

If we look closely at Canada’s Immigration Level Plan for 2023-25, we would see that Canada is planning to welcome almost 82,000 international applicants via the Express Entry system within a span of three years. 

For successful Canada Immigration, applicants must enter the pool and upload their profile on the IRCC website. In addition, they must wait until they obtain an ITA. After all, it is not possible for an applicant to apply if they do not have an ITA. All ITA recipients have no more than 60 days to submit their eAPR. 

Still, applicants have a dilemma, i.e., ‘What will I do if my Express Entry profile is changed after receiving ITA?’ 

Well, the following is the answer for a smooth immigration application process via Express Entry.

 

Types Of Changes In Express Entry Profile & Consequences 

An applicant’s Express Entry profile can change even after ITAs are issued for Canadian PR. 

However, such changes can have notable impacts on one’s CRS scores. 

For instance, an applicant may receive an ITA and then go through a career transition, have their birthday, get married, or have their language ability tests expire before they submit their eAPR. 

If your Express Entry profile changes due to any of these reasons, it is vital to maintain an updated profile with up-to-date information. This is because, on the grounds of false information, IRCC might refuse immigration applications or completely bar applicants from coming to Canada for five years. 

 

Updating The Profile After Receiving An ITA 

Before receiving the ITA receipt, applicants can change their Express Entry Profile. However, this is no longer possible once the ITA is issued. This is when the applicant’s profile is recorded in GCMS, i.e., Global Case Management System. 

 

Thus, applicants must either:

  • Upload additional documents to verify the change and maintain an accurate profile 

Or

  • Send an LOE, i.e., a Letter of Explanation to the government when it’s not possible to gather the additional documents. 

An LOE enables the candidates to explain that although they tried to gather the documents within 60 days, they weren’t able to do so.  

 

Impact Of Profile Changes On CRS Score 

Another impact of ITA on the Express Entry profile is that they alter the candidate’s CRS score. As a result, this can highly affect the chances of an applicant receiving an ITA in the forthcoming Express Entry Draw. 

An applicant’s CRS score can either increase or decrease depending on the elements of their profile. For instance, applicants who get a valid job offer/ opportunity or increase their language test scores/ work experience on their profile are bound to get more scores. This will improve their chances of getting an ITA for Canadian PR. 

 

Profile Changes & Eligibility For Canadian PR

Numerous profile changes take place, and those that occur after obtaining an ITA can make formerly eligible applicants ineligible for PR. Well, this is because IRCC does not lock an applicant’s Express Entry profile until they submit an eAPR. 

For instance, language test results are valid for a span of two years. Once this period ends, an applicant becomes ineligible for Canadian PR. 

The same is accurate if an applicant no longer meets the income requirements, as stated by IRCC. Interestingly, these requirements are tailored yearly based on the low-income cut-off totals (50%).

 

Managing Profile Changes & Processing Time Delays 

The Express Entry profile changes at any stage will result in IRCC taking time to reassess an applicant’s eligibility for permanent accommodation in the country. Thus, it is possible that changing the profile after receiving an ITA can add to the processing time of an applicant’s Canadian PR application. 

Moreover, the Express Entry candidates must make every possible effort to submit their documents and update their profiles timely to minimize the delay. 

 

Mitigating The Negative Impact Of Changing Express Entry Profile

The best way to manage profile changes after obtaining an ITA is to ensure that the information offered is accurate and any interaction done with the immigration authorities is proactive. In simpler terms, if there’s a scenario wherein an applicant has to change their profile by communicating to the authorities, they must make every possible effort to inform them regarding the impending changes. 

The steps that an Express Entry applicant must take after receiving an ITA are already mentioned above. 

Beyond this, it might be worthwhile to seek professional advice or assistance from an immigration lawyer. 

 

An immigration lawyer can:

  • Help you in completing the forms and applications accurately.
  • Use their knowledge, skills, and expertise to ensure that mistakes are avoided during the immigration process. 
  • Communicate with the government authorities on your behalf.