A candidate who received an ITA back in 2017, didn't accept it, later withdrew their Express Entry profile, and was now applying for a study permit asked whether this creates a problem for 'dual intent.'
- A study permit application is evaluated separately from immigration intent. Members noted that the study visa process is a distinct assessment from Express Entry — it isn't automatically penalized by a past ITA history.
- Disclose the history in your Statement of Purpose rather than omit it. It's better to mention the prior Express Entry profile and ITA in your SOP than leave it out. Dual intent (wanting to study now with an eventual intention to immigrate) is acceptable to Canadian immigration and, per the group's experience, does not create a negative effect on the application when it's disclosed transparently.
Takeaway: don't hide a past ITA/Express Entry history when applying for a study permit — disclosing it in your SOP is the recommended approach, since dual intent itself isn't a disqualifying factor.