What happens if your Express Entry application is rejected?

First, which situation are you in?

You have not received an ITA. This is not a rejection. Your Express Entry profile stays valid for 12 months. You can improve your score, check for category draws you qualify for, or explore a provincial nomination.

Your ITA expired. After an invitation you have 60 days to submit a complete application. If you missed it, you may be able to stay in the pool if your profile is still valid, or you may need to create a new one.

IRCC refused your application. You will get a refusal letter with reasons. This is the case the rest of this guide covers.

If your application was refused

Read the reasons carefully. Common ones include missing or inconsistent documents, work experience that does not match the claimed job category, language test issues and inadmissibility.

Get the officer's notes. You can request them through an access to information request. They often show exactly what concerned the officer.

Weigh your options. You can fix the problem and apply again, ask IRCC to reconsider if there was a clear error, or in some cases apply for judicial review at the Federal Court. Court deadlines are strict and can be as short as 15 days, so speak to a lawyer quickly.

Be careful with misrepresentation. False or misleading information can result in a five-year ban. Accuracy matters more than speed.

What about the fees?

IRCC government fees are generally not refunded when an application is refused. Professional fees depend on your agreement with your representative. Under Grestok's fee protection, eligible applicants can be covered for professional fees paid to Grestok, under the program terms.