Applicants in Philippines often lose time on the same documents: police certificates, education assessments, and scans that are too large to upload. Use the notes below as a preparation list, then match each item to the list inside your IRCC account. This page is not official IRCC guidance for one country, and it does not add a document your program does not ask for. Keep each file under 4 MB and as a single file per slot. If a scan is too large or split across photos, compress or merge it before you upload. Confirm the current list on canada.ca, because requirements change by program and by the date you apply.
Highest-value programs
Caregiver programs, Express Entry, study permits, work permits.
Documents worth extra attention
- PSA-issued certificates (birth, marriage, CENOMAR) are common supporting documents across several programs.
- NBI clearance serves a similar role to a police certificate in other countries.
- Caregiver, Express Entry, and study-permit streams are all common pathways for Philippine applicants.
- PSA documents are often scanned at high resolution by issuing offices, compress before uploading.
This guide is in English. Applicants from Philippines often search in English, Tagalog, full-language versions are planned for a later phase.
Check your documents before you submit
Run every file through the IRCC File Checker first.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CENOMAR and when does IRCC ask for it?
A PSA-issued Certificate of No Marriage Record, commonly requested in spousal and some PR streams as civil-status evidence.
Is NBI clearance the same as a police certificate?
For Canadian immigration purposes it fills that role for the Philippines, request the multi-purpose clearance and scan it to PDF under 4 MB.
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