Canada immigration document checklist – what you need to immigrate to Canada

The success of your application to immigrate to Canada depends on your compliance with Canada immigration document checklist. You need to have several documents to support your application to immigrate to Canada.

There are also various documents depending on which immigration program you apply under.

Providing proper documents is very important to ensure no delays in your application processing. Proper and accurate documents are also crucial to the success of your application. IRCC will delay or reject your application if you fail to provide the documents.

Providing inaccurate or false documents may also put in your trouble with the law. This is also why compliance with Canada immigration document checklist is very important.

Canada immigration document checklist

Below is a list and explanations of documents you need to include in your Express Entry profile.

Express Entry is the application system that Canada uses to manage skilled worker applications. It also is the most popular way to immigrate to Canada. Typically, Express Entry draws for Canada permanent residence occur approximately every two weeks. In each draw, Canada issues candidates from the Express Entry pool an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

After IRCC approves your application and you complete the landing process, you will officially become a Canadian permanent resident.

In order to enter the federal Express Entry pool, candidates must first create an Express Entry profile on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

And also, you must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the three Express Entry programs. These are: the Federal Skilled Worker Class; the Federal Skilled Trades Class; and the Canadian Experience Class.

Canada immigration document checklist for your Express Entry Profile

You don’t need to upload documents to submit a profile, but you may need information from some or all of these documents:

• a passport or travel document
  • Venezuelan passport holders: You may need to complete extra steps when you create a profile or fill out your application.
• language test results
• proof of Canadian education or an educational credential assessment report for immigration purposes if
  • you’re applying through the Federal Skilled Workers Program, or
  • you want to get points for the education you got outside Canada
• provincial nomination (if you have one)
• written job offer from an employer in Canada (if you have one), proof of work experience, certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a Canadian province or territory (if you have one); and importantly also
• proof of funds

Documents for your application for permanent residence

If IRCC invites you to apply for PR, you’ll need to also upload copies of the documents you used for your profile (see list above). Most applicants will also need to upload the following:

• police certificates
• medical exams
• proof of funds
• birth certificate
  • required if you’re declaring dependent children
• use of a representative form (PDF, 137 KB)
  • required if you’ve hired a representative
• common-law union form (PDF, 2.22 MB)
  • required if you’ve declared your marital status as “common-law”
• marriage certificate
  • required if you’ve declared your marital status as “married”
• divorce certificate and legal separation agreement
  • required if you’ve declared your marital status as “divorced”
• death certificate
  • required if you’ve declared your marital status as “widowed”; and also
• adoption certificate
  • required when a dependent child is listed as “adopted”

Other documents

You only need to submit the following documents if IRCC asks for them in your personalized document checklist. Your application may not be refused or rejected if you don’t submit these documents. IRCC uses them only used to check if you meet the requirements of the program you’re applying for.

• proof of relationship to a relative in Canada
• digital photos to confirm your identity
• other name to confirm aliases
• authority to release personal information to a designated individual form (PDF, 1.74 MB); and also
• any other documents that you feel are relevant to your application

See also:

• How do I upload documents to my IRCC Portal account after I’ve submitted my application?
• How do I find my National Occupation Classification (NOC) code?