Express Entry is a famous and most prominent immigration pathway in Canada, enabling individuals to immigrate to the country. Individuals must meet all the Express Entry eligibility criteria to receive an ITA. One such key aspect is the Police Certificate Requirement for Express Entry.

Police certificates are an important aspect of ensuring that candidates are eligible to enter the country before they arrive through numerous Canadian immigration programs.

This guide will give you an overview of Canada’s Express Entry System and Category-based Selection Draws and explain the Police Certificate Requirement for Express Entry, along with the additional details concerning this police certificate for immigration.

Canada’s Express Entry System

Canada started the Express Entry System in 2015 to assist the immigration department in admitting more skilled workers to the country. 

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has worked hard to replenish Canada’s native workforce while also addressing the country’s labor market gaps by giving permanent residence (PR) in Canada to successful candidates.

The federal government of Canada manages applications under the Express Entry application management system from three different streams, i.e., the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Canada’s Category-Based Selections Draws Under Express Entry 

Canada launched the new category-based selection draws under Express Entry a few months back in order to address the country’s labor market challenges.

These draws were in addition to the “standard” Express Entry draws, in which IRCC issues ITAs for Canadian permanent residents depending on their score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Category-based draws, on the other hand, consider candidates’ proficiencies or recent work experience to admit skilled workers in in-demand sectors.

IRCC has selected six categories to hold category-based draws for immigration for this year. These include French-language proficiency and work experience in five in-demand sectors: Trades, Transport, Healthcare, Agriculture/Agri-food, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 

Police Certificate Requirement for Express Entry: What is It?

A police certificate is required to confirm whether a person who has applied for Canadian PR or citizenship is inadmissible to Canada for any reason.

To the appropriate officials, these documents can either offer a copy of the applicant’s criminal record if they have one or certify that they do not have one.

Police certificates are necessary because they demonstrate an applicant’s character. Candidates with a criminal record and who pose a threat to Canadian security may not be permitted to enter or live in Canada.

You must submit these documents along with all the Canadian PR and citizenship applications.

Besides these, IRCC may request a police certificate from the applicants for study permits, visitor visas, and work permits. However, they are not always necessary.

Police certificates may be referred to by different names based on the nation from which they are obtained. For instance, good conduct certificates, police clearance certificates, and judicial record extracts are some names for police certificates.

Typically, a main immigration applicant and any family member over 18 years of age are required to obtain a police certificate. Please note that it is ultimately determined by the program you are applying for.

Is a Police Certificate Required for an Express Entry Application?

Yes, all applicants for Express Entry have to get a police certificate. Notably, for any of the three EE programs, candidates have a period of 90 days to provide their police certificate.

The IRCC department recommends all Express Entry applicants obtain a police certificate immediately after they enter the application pool. This is due to the competitiveness in EE and the time it could take to acquire a police certificate.

What is the process of obtaining a police certificate?

Police Certificates are generally acquired from the government or police of your country of citizenship.

Applicants may need to provide certain documents or data to obtain these documents. These include addresses and dates of residence in a particular country, biometrics (fingerprints and a photograph), and any applicable fees.

Note that submitting biometrics for an immigration application is different from submitting it for the police certificate.

Alternatives When You are Unable to Obtain a Police Certificate for Express Entry On Time

Once an applicant obtains an ITA via Express Entry, they only have 60 days to apply for Canadian PR. Thus, there may be cases when applicants may be unable to request and acquire their police certificate timely to satisfy the deadline.

There are two options for applicants in this case. Either prove that they’ve applied for a police certificate or decline their ITA.

1. Demonstrate you applied for the police certificate

Depending on the conditions, the IRCC department may accept a letter of explanation along with the proof of a certificate request to demonstrate the efforts of applicants to get a police certificate on time.

For instance, any of the following proof is acceptable by IRCC:

  • A confirmation or payment receipt;
  • A tracking number or a delivery notice 

2. Declining your Invitation To Apply

In case of declining an ITA, the express entry profile of the applicant will be returned to the application pool. After this, they must wait to see if they are invited to apply for PR in Canada again.

Note that the final decision on this will be made at the sole discretion of an IRCC official. Also, there are chances that an Express Entry candidate’s application may get denied for incompleteness, depending on the officer’s assessment,

Additional details concerning the Police Certificate Requirement for Express Entry.

This section will provide you with additional details regarding the police certificate requirement for Express Entry. This will enable you to apply for and gain Canadian Permanent Residence.

  • They are not necessary for any time an applicant spends in Canada;
  • They are only required if the applicant reaches the age of 18; 
  • The validity duration of a police certificate is determined by the program for which the certificate is required. This information is included in the instruction guide for each program; and
  • Canadian immigration candidates must provide a police certificate from each nation where they lived for six or more continuous months in the ten years prior to applying for Canadian immigration.