A member's Express Entry application was rejected over a PCC issue, despite already being in Canada since December 2019, because their PCC was from India.
- The PCC's issue date must be after your last day physically present in that country. In this case, the PCC was issued on 12 December 2019, but the person didn't actually leave India until 17 December 2019 — leaving a 5-day gap the PCC didn't account for. That gap is what triggered the rejection.
- If reapplying, you generally need a PCC dated after your true departure date, not just any PCC from that country — the certificate needs to certify no criminal record up through your actual last day of residence there.
- Real-world timing can be tight but has worked before. Another member described getting an ITA under CEC while temporarily back in India, submitting a PCC dated shortly after their arrival, and managing the full round-trip (including quarantine time) within roughly 90 days — showing it's possible to get a compliant PCC turned around quickly if needed, though it takes careful planning around quarantine and processing time.
Takeaway: double-check that your PCC's issue date is after your literal last day of residence/presence in that country — even a few days' gap can cause a rejection, and if you must reapply, get a new PCC dated to close that gap.