Guide · Documents

The Immigration Document Checklist Guide

Missing or delayed documents are the single biggest cause of slow immigration applications. Here's how to get ahead of every one of them.

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The documents that take longest

DocumentTypical waitStart it...
Police clearance certificate2–12 weeksThe day you decide to apply
Educational Credential Assessment4–12 weeksBefore you even calculate your score
Language test resultsTest + 1–2 weeks for resultsAs soon as you're ready to book
Employer reference lettersDepends on employer responsivenessWhile still employed, if possible
Medical examUsually only after invitationOnly once instructed — results expire
Common Mistakes

What slows people down

⏳

Waiting for an invitation to start

Most documents can and should be gathered before you're invited, not after.

📝

Vague reference letters

Letters missing exact dates, hours per week, or duties get queried or rejected — be specific.

🌍

Forgetting past countries

Police clearances are usually needed for every country you lived in for 6+ months since age 18, not just your current one.

📅

Letting documents expire

Language test results and medical exams have validity windows — time them to your application stage.

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