FEDERAL SKILLED WORKER

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program is designed to bring skilled workers to Canada (except Quebec) permanently. People working in managerial, technical, professional jobs and skilled trades usually qualify to be skilled workers and fall under this program. Managed via Express Entry, an online application system, FSW is one of the most popular programs that lead to permanent residence in Canada.

CONTACT US

About the Federal Skilled Worker Category

Minimum Requirements

To be eligible for this program, you must meet the minimum requirements for skilled work experience, language ability and education. In a nutshell, you must;

  • have worked for at least one (1) full year (1,560 hours) in a Skilled Level 0, A or B job within the last ten (10) years
  • have scored at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four language abilities (writing, reading, listening, speaking)
  • have a high school diploma

Selection Criteria Factors

Once you meet the minimum requirements, you must score at least 67 out of 100 points, based on what is called a selection criteria. The selection criteria basically gives you points for how well you rank in six factors. These six factors are:

  1. Age
  2. Education
  3. Work Experience
  4. Valid Job Offer
  5. Language Skills
  6. Adaptability

If you score 67 or more points, you are eligible to be called a Federal Skilled Worker class person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations of Canada.

Your application will have to prove that you have enough financial means to support yourself and your family, if any. Also, you must not be inadmissible to Canada. Inadmissibility may be based on security, financial, criminal, misrepresentation and medical grounds. If you were found inadmissible to Canada, your application will be rejected. If that is your case, professional help from a regulated Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer is strongly advised for a re-application.

Please note that meeting the minimum requirements and scoring 67 and above only allows you to create an Express Entry profile. It does not guarantee permanent residence. You will be subject to another scoring system in Express Entry, which is called Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Based on your CRS score, you may or may not be invited to apply to become a permanent resident of Canada.

Language for FSw:

  • Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in Englishor
  • Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French
  • for your first (or main) official language in all four language abilities:
  • listening,
  • reading,
  • writing and
  • For the CELPIP language test that translates to a minimum score of 7 in all 4 categories (listening, reading, writing, and speaking).
  • For the IELTS language test that means a minimum score of 6.0 in reading, writing, and speaking, and a minimum score of 6.0 – 7.0 in listening.
  • For the TEF French language test that means the following minimum scores:
  • Speaking: 310 – 348
  • Listening: 249 – 279
  • Reading: 207 – 232
  • Writing: 310 – 348

To get points for your second official language, you must meet the minimum level of CLB 5 in all four language abilities.

  • For the CELPIP language test that means a minimum score of 5 in all 4 categories.
  • For the IELTS language test that means a minimum score of 5 in speaking, listening, and writing, and minimum score of 4 in reading.

Your language test results must be less than 2 years old on the date your application is submitted to immigration. You should upload your language test results to your Express Entry profile.

Federal Skilled Worker Settlement Funds

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates without a valid offer of arranged employment must declare sufficient settlement funds upon entering the Express Entry pool. This declaration must then be proven when an application for permanent residence is made.

The requirement increases depending on family size.

These funds must be available and transferable, and unencumbered by debts or other obligations. The settlement funds requirement must be met at the time the application is made, as well as when the permanent resident visa is issued.

Work Experience for FSW

You are awarded points based on your work experience. You must first find your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, or the one that best fits your job description including the list of duties you performed at work. Remember, your job must be a Skill type 0 or Skill level A or B in order for you to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker stream. The points awarded are:

Education for Federal Skilled WORKER

You must either have:

  • a Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, or
  • an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)report from an agency approved by CIC to show your foreign education is equal to Canadian education standards.

There are currently 5 approved ECA agencies in Canada, and they are:

  • Comparative Education Service
  • University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
  • International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
  • World Education Services
  • Medical Council of Canada (professional body for Doctors)
  • Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (professional body for Pharmacists)

Age Federal Skilled WORKER

You will be awarded points based on your age on the date the Canadian immigration authorities receive your application:

VALID JOB OFFER IN CANADA

Awarded 10 points for a valid, full-time job offer that fulfills the following conditions:

  • Continuous, paid, full-time work for at least 1 year in a job that is either NOC skill type 0 or skill level A or B, AND
  • You are working in Canada on Temporary Work Permit based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and your employer has offered to make your job permanent, conditional on your acceptance as a Federal Skilled Worker through Express Entry. OR
  • You are working in Canada in a job exempt from an LMIA due to an international or federal-provincial agreement and your employer has offered you a permanent job, conditional on your acceptance as a Federal Skilled Worker. OR
  • You don’t currently have a work permit and do NOT plan to work in Canada UNTIL you get a permanent resident visa. OR
  • You work in Canada, and a different employer has offered you a permanent full-time job.
  • You work in Canada at an LMIA-exempt job but not one that falls under a federal-provincial or international agreement and your employer has offered you permanent work and has obtained a positive LMIA for your job.