HomeFederal Skilled Trades Program

Federal Skilled Trades Program

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (or FSTP) is a Canadian immigration program for skilled immigrants who have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in an eligible trade during the past 5 years.

Some of the additional requirements that aspiring foreign tradespeople need to meet are good character, English/French language proficiency, and good health, among other criteria.

If all of the requirements are met, a foreign tradesperson and his or her family can apply for Express Entry immigration to Canada.

High Demand for Tradespeople

Canada’s economy is constantly growing and the need for skilled tradespeople is increasing in different parts of the country.

This has resulted in many Canadian job vacancies in specific technical and trade occupations. The demand for skilled tradespeople is higher than the supply, however, and foreign workers are needed to help fill these jobs in Canada.

That is why the Federal Skilled Trades Program was created. Skilled foreign tradespeople are offered permanent residency in Canada if they have good English and/or French language skills, necessary work experience, relevant post-secondary education or training, and other qualifications that Canadian employers are looking for and which satisfy the requirements for the FSTP.

General Requirements

Foreign workers who want to apply for Express Entry immigration to Canada through the FSTP need to meet certain eligibility requirements.

First, they need to have at least 2 years of full-time paid work experience within the last 5 years in a qualifying skilled trade. Canada’s 2021 National Occupation Classification (NOC) groups the different types of qualifying skilled trades into 6 categories. All of these skilled trades are considered TEER Level 2 or 3 jobs in Canada.

In every group, there are listed specific skilled trades. The qualifications needed for TEER Level 2 or 3 jobs in Canada include completing the related apprenticeship or other relevant post-secondary training, such as holding a diploma or certificate from a vocational school, technological institute, or community college.

Here are the 6 categories of TEER Level 2 or 3 occupations that qualify for the FSTP:

  • Major Group 72 – construction, industrial, and electrical trades
  • Major Group 73 – maintenance and equipment control trades
  • Major Group 82 – natural resources and relevant production, technical positions, and supervisors in agriculture
  • Major Group 92 – manufacturing, processing, and utility supervisors and core control operators
  • Minor Group 632 – cooks and chefs
  • Minor Group 633 – butchers and bakers

Examples of the in-demand skilled trades that fall under these occupational categories for the FSTP include the following:

  • Aircraft Mechanics and Aircraft Inspectors
  • Appliance Servicers and Repairers
  • Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics and Mechanical Repairers
  • Bakers
  • Butchers
  • Carpenters
  • Chefs
  • Crane Operators
  • Electrical Power Line and Cable Workers
  • Electricians
  • Glaziers
  • Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
  • Ironworkers
  • Logging Machinery Operators
  • Oil and Gas Well Drillers, Servicers, Testers and Related Workers
  • Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Process Operators
  • Plumbers
  • Power Engineers and Power Systems Operators
  • Railway Locomotive Engineers
  • Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanics
  • Sheet Metal Workers
  • Steamfitters, Pipefitters and Sprinkler System Installers
  • Supervisors, Electrical Products Manufacturing
  • Supervisors, Food, Beverage and Associated Products Processing
  • Supervisors, Forest Products Processing
  • Supervisors, Furniture and Fixtures Manufacturing
  • Supervisors, Logging and Forestry
  • Supervisors, Mineral and Metal Processing
  • Telecommunications Installation and Repair Workers
  • Telecommunications Line and Cable Workers
  • Tool and Die Makers
  • Water and Waste Treatment Plant Operators
  • Welders

These are only some of the many skilled trades that qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Aside from having relevant professional experience for one of these skilled trades, applicants need to meet the requirements for English or French language proficiency. This will require achieving a passing score on an approved language evaluation exam taken within the past two years, such as the TEF for French or the IELTS for English.

Applicants must also pass the good character, financial sufficiency, good health, and other criteria. This would require getting a police certificate to show good character, banking documents for proof of funds, and medical exam results to confirm good health.

Moreover, applicants will normally need to be assessed for their skilled trade in the province or territory where they want to work in Canada. Getting an ECA or Education Credential Assessment (ECA) can also be advantageous for the applicants.

Governmental fees (such as the Canadian Visa Application Fee) and non-governmental fees (such as the fee for the TEF or IELTS exam, medical exam, etc.) will need to be paid by the applicant at various stages of the procedure.

Please keep in mind that this is just an overview. The eligible jobs in Canada and other requirements listed could be updated at any time by the Canadian immigration agency.

Application Process

Foreign skilled tradespeople who wish to submit their Canadian immigration application through the FSTP need to fill out their Express Entry online profile. If they meet the requirements for the FSTP, they will be registered as Express Entry candidates.

An Express Entry candidate can receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residency if he or she (1) obtains one of the highest points scores on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS); or (2) receives a nomination for a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP); or (3) gets a qualifying Canadian job offer; or (4) is in a priority category (such as French-speakers). After the ITA is given, the Express Entry candidate will have 60 days to file their application for a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada.

When the Canadian Visa Application is filed, the applicant will need to include the required supporting documents and pay the Canadian Visa Application Fee. The applicant will then need to wait for about 6 months or less after submitting their application to learn if they have been approved for Express Entry immigration to Canada.

The COPR or Confirmation of Permanent Residence will be provided after they have been approved for immigration to Canada. Their valid passport will also have a Canadian visa stamped inside as proof of permanent residence in the country. Once they arrive at the port of entry, these documents will need to be shown to the Canadian immigration authorities.

Benefits of Canadian Permanent Residency

Foreign skilled tradespeople and their families who are qualified for Express Entry immigration to Canada through the FSTP receive many benefits as permanent residents such as:

  • authorization to live, study and work in Canada for as long as they want
  • receiving free or low-cost public healthcare
  • being able to purchase a home and other property in Canada
  • sponsoring their qualified family members for a Canadian visa
  • obtaining a driver’s license in the province or territory where they live in Canada
  • opening a Canadian bank account
  • being able to start a business in Canada
  • freedom to travel throughout Canada and to leave and return to Canada
  • having the option to become a Canadian citizen after living in Canada 3 years

Furthermore, Canada is well-known for its peacefulness, natural beauty, and high quality of life. Canada is also a multicultural country that welcomes immigrants from all over the world. If you are a foreign tradesperson looking for better opportunities in life, you should consider immigration to Canada through the Federal Skilled Trades Program!

To learn if you qualify for the FSTP or another Canadian immigration program

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