Great points
@picklee. I am in Saudi Arabia, which has
these requirements for police clearance certificate. Precisely, CIC website says that:
A police certificate request letter will be sent to you by mail after your application for Permanent Residence has been received. You must present this letter, along with valid identification and proof of legal residency in Saudi Arabia to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If they approve you, the letter will give you the address to the police headquarters where you must go and apply in person.
From the above statement, is it correct to assume that a candidate from Saudi Arabia should only apply for police clearance after he/she has received the ITA?