New rule

Employer-specific work permit? Since 17 September 2026 IRCC applies four genuineness tests to every job offer, LMIA or not.

Check your offer

Document checklists · 2026

Every document your application needs, in the order an officer reads them.

Most checklists give you a list. They rarely tell you what the officer is actually testing with each document, which form number applies, where to get it, or which handful of items is where these applications really fail. Pick yours below.

28 applications mapped

238 documents, with forms and sources

9 free tools alongside

Free no sign-up, no form

Every claim checked against canada.ca in September 2026

Start with your application.

Pick the one you are filing. Each card says what the application is, how many documents it needs, and the government fee.

Not in the list above, because they are not accepting applications right now: Caregiver — home care worker pilots (closed), Parent and grandparent sponsorship (paused). Their pages are still here, with what changed and what is live instead.

PDF

CHK Immigration Services Inc. Suite 203, 6475 Mayfield Rd, Brampton, ON L6P 4N2 Suite 203, 555 Southdale Rd E, London, ON N6E 1A2 647-948-7200 · hello@chkimmigration.ca chkimmigration.ca

Document checklist

Prepared by CHK Immigration Services Inc.

Printed 30 September 2026 Checked against canada.ca in September 2026

General information, not legal advice. This checklist is prepared by CHK Immigration Services Inc. and was checked against the Government of Canada’s published requirements on the date shown. Requirements change and vary by case, and IRCC generates a personalised document list for many applications — where that list or canada.ca differs from this document, they govern.

Lead times are planning estimates, not guarantees. Police certificates and credential assessments in particular vary widely by country and provider. IRCC makes all final decisions.

CHK Immigration Services Inc. is an immigration consultancy with offices in Brampton and London, Ontario. Our consultants are regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Nothing in this document creates a client–consultant relationship.

Current version: https://chkimmigration.ca/resources.php

General information, not legal advice. Lead times are planning estimates, not guarantees — police certificates and credential assessments in particular vary widely by country and provider. Requirements change and vary by case; IRCC also generates a personalised checklist for many applications, and that list governs. Confirm on canada.ca before filing. IRCC makes all final decisions.

All 27 printable checklists.

The same content as a one-page PDF, including applications the builder above does not cover yet. Free, no form, no sign-up.

Permanent residence

Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program (PNP / OINP) Caregiver — home care worker pilots Humanitarian and compassionate (H&C)

Sponsorship

Spousal and partner sponsorship Parent and grandparent (PGP) sponsorship Dependent child sponsorship

Study and work

Study permit Study permit extension Work permit and LMIA Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) Spousal open work permit (SOWP) Bridging open work permit (BOWP) LMIA — employer checklist

Visit and status

Visitor visa (TRV) and super visa Visitor record / extension of stay Restoration of status Electronic travel authorization (eTA)

Citizenship and travel documents

Canadian citizenship (grant) PR card renewal PR travel document Refugee travel document

Refusal reviews

Visitor visa refusal review Study permit refusal review Work permit refusal review Procedural fairness letter response Reconsideration request documents

Tools that do the arithmetic for you.

A checklist tells you what to bring. These work out the numbers underneath it — days, points, language levels, deadlines and funds. Free, no sign-up.

CRS score estimator Your Express Entry points, and where the cut-offs have been landing. CLB calculator IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF or TCF converted to Canadian Language Benchmarks. Citizenship presence The 1,095 days, counted the way IRCC counts them — including pre-PR half days. PR card 730-day residency Your residency obligation, with every trip subtracted. PGWP 180-day deadline When your window closes, counted from the completion letter rather than convocation. Study permit proof of funds The living-cost figure for your family size, on top of tuition and travel. Work permit route finder LMIA, exempt, or open — which one your situation actually fits. Status and restoration Whether you are inside the 90-day restoration window, and what it costs. Refusal deadline navigator Which forum hears your case, and how many days are left to file.

Good to know

Questions, answered.

The questions we hear most on this topic, answered by our consultants. The full list is in the Help Centre.

I lost my PR card, passport or landing paperwork. How do I replace it?

Start the replacement immediately rather than waiting until you need to travel. A permanent resident card is replaced through IRCC, a lost confirmation of permanent residence needs a verification of status request, and travel documents follow their own route. Replacing any of these takes far longer than most people expect.

When do I give biometrics?

After you apply and pay the fee, IRCC sends a biometric instruction letter with a deadline and collection locations. Give them promptly — the file usually does not advance until you do.

How long are biometrics valid?

For temporary residence applications they are generally valid for a set number of years, so you may not need to repeat them for a new application within that period.

When is a medical exam required?

Commonly for permanent residence, for longer temporary stays, for certain occupations such as healthcare and childcare, and for refugee claimants. It must be done by an IRCC-designated panel physician who sends results directly.

Do I need a police certificate?

Usually for permanent residence, and sometimes for temporary applications, covering countries where you have lived for a defined period. They take time to obtain, so start early.

More questions on this topic are answered in the Help Centre.

A complete file and a persuasive one are not the same thing.

Every document above can be present and correct and the application can still be refused on intent, on a date that does not reconcile, or on a lead time that ran out. That is the part a checklist cannot do for you.

Book a file review Not sure where you fit?

Eligibility review

Reading is good. A licensed opinion is better.

Send a few details. A licensed RCIC reads your profile personally, then replies with the routes that genuinely fit, the ones that do not, and the consultation fee and next available times.

Read personally by a CICC-licensed consultant — never a bot, never a salesperson
A written shortlist of the programs you realistically qualify for
Consultations are fee-based; you get the fee and available times by reply

CHK Immigration Services — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (CICC). Offices in Brampton and London, Ontario. Submitting this form does not create a client–consultant relationship; IRCC makes all final decisions.