HomeFederal Skilled Worker Program

Federal Skilled Worker Program

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is a Canadian visa program that uses a points system to help determine eligibility. This program is exclusively for skilled foreign professionals in high-demand occupations that usually require a university education. To be qualified for the FSWP, you need to have one year of full-time paid work experience from the last ten years in a suitable position.

You can get points for your education, relevant work experience, age, French and English communication skills, a qualifying Canadian employment offer, and your adaptability for immigration to Canada. To qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, at least 67 out of one-hundred points is required.

A skilled immigrant and his or her family members who qualify for the FSWP can file an online application for Express Entry immigration to Canada. If approved for Express Entry to Canada, the skilled immigrant and his or her family will be permitted to live, study and work in Canada as permanent residents for as long as they want. They will also receive free or low-cost healthcare, be permitted to open a business, and can apply to become a Canadian citizen after living in Canada for only three years and completing other criteria.

Requirements

To qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry system, there are several requirements that you must comply with. The requirements include paid work experience of at least one year in the previous 10 years in an occupation that is categorized as TEER Level 0, 1, 2 or 3 in the 2021 National Occupation Classification (NOC). You have to receive a score of at least 67 points out of one-hundred points. These points are based on six different factors: age, educational attainment, knowledge of the French and/or English language, relevant employment experience, arranged Canadian employment, and adaptability for immigration to Canada.

Supporting documents must be provided to prove that the criteria are met for the FSWP. The documents must also show that the applicant has good health, decent character, and enough financial resources to support the applicant and any family members who will immigrate to Canada.

Government fees must also be paid at different stages of the Canadian immigration procedure, such as the Visa Application Fee, Right of Permanent Residence Fee, and the Permanent Resident Card Fee. Non-governmental fees must also be paid, such as the Education Credential Assessment Fee, Language Assessment Fee, Medical Examination Fee, etc.

To apply for immigration to Canada via the Federal Skilled Worker Program, applicants should begin by filing an online Express Entry profile with the Canadian immigration agency.

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Work Experience

The Federal Skilled Worker Program is a Canadian immigration program that uses a points-based system for foreign professionals with special skills who have, in the last 10 years, at least one year of relevant work experience in a qualifying occupation. There are many occupations that qualify for the FSWP, including TEER Level 0 management jobs, TEER Level 1 professional jobs, and TEER Levels 2 and 3 skilled trades and technical jobs.

Management Jobs

There are several management jobs in Canada that qualify for the FSWP including:

  • Computer and Information Systems Managers
  • Construction Managers
  • Engineering Managers
  • Human Resources Managers
  • Managers in Health Care
  • Purchasing Managers
  • Restaurant and Food Service Managers
  • Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers
  • Senior Managers – Construction, Transportation, Production and Utilities
  • Senior Managers – Financial, Communications and Other Business Services

Professional Jobs

These professional Canadian jobs are classified as TEER Level 1 in the 2021 National Occupation Classification. More often than not, these jobs require a degree from a university. Some examples of these jobs include:

  • Accountants
  • Aerospace Engineers
  • Architects
  • Audiologists
  • Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers
  • Dentists
  • Electrical Engineers
  • Financial Analysts
  • Geoscientists
  • Mathematicians
  • Mechanical Engineers
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Oceanographers
  • Optometrists
  • Petroleum Engineers
  • Pharmacists
  • Physicians
  • Registered Nurses
  • Psychologists
  • Secondary School Teachers
  • Software Engineers
  • Veterinarians
  • University Professors

Skilled Trades and Technical Jobs

These jobs in Canada are classified as TEER Levels 2 and 3 in the 2021 National Occupation Classification. Inclusive of these jobs are several skilled trades or other technical positions that commonly require post-secondary level education or training. The following are examples of jobs that fall under this category:

  • Aircraft Mechanics
  • Bakers
  • Butchers
  • Carpenters
  • Chefs
  • Crane Operators
  • Electricians
  • Gas and Oil Well Drillers
  • Glaziers
  • Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanics
  • Logging Machinery Operators
  • Machinists
  • Medical Lab Technicians
  • Plumbers
  • Power System Engineers
  • Welders

Minimum Required Points

A foreign skilled worker applying for the Federal Skilled Worker Program must receive at least 67 out of one-hundred points. There are six possible factors to acquire these points. They are as follows:

  • French and English language skills (maximum of 28 points)
  • Work experience in an eligible occupation (up to 15 possible points)
  • Education (25 points are available)
  • Your age (maximum of 12 points)
  • Adaptability (10 points are possible)
  • A qualifying Canadian job offer (10 points maximum)

It is also possible to earn points for the French or English language skills of the applicant’s spouse or partner, as well as for any previous Canadian work experience of the applicant or his/her spouse or partner. Alternatively, points can be obtained from having arranged employment in Canada or if the applicant’s spouse or partner has family members currently living in Canada.

Supporting Documents

Valid documents must be presented as evidence that the applicant is qualified and has met the Federal Skilled Worker Program criteria.

An example of required documents include an approved language assessment exam score which is not more than 2 years old. It should be from a recognized test like the TEF or IELTS which is required to show the applicant’s reading skills, writing skills, comprehension, and verbal communication skills in French or English.

The applicant will also need an Education Credential Assessment ECA) to demonstrate that the applicant’s education attained outside of Canada meets Canadian educational standards.

The applicant and every family member must submit documents confirming good health which can be accomplished by having a medical exam.

A police certificate is another possible requirement to prove that the applicant and the applicant’s family members are of good character.

Furthermore, the applicant must show proof of financial capability to support himself or herself and family members who will also immigrate to Canada.

Fees

The applicant has to pay various governmental fees at the different stages of the Canadian immigration procedure. For example, applicants should pay the Canadian Visa Application Fee after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and upon filing the Canadian Visa Application. In case the applicant gets approved for Express Entry to Canada via the Federal Skilled Worker Program, he or she will then be required to pay the Right of Permanent Residence Fee and the Permanent Resident Card Fee.

The Permanent Resident Card should be taken care of since it is also considered as the official and required form of identification showing that the person is a permanent resident of Canada.

Other than the government fees, an applicant must pay for the language evaluations (e.g., the IELTS for the English language or the TEF for the French language). The applicant must also pay other fees for the Education Credential Assessment (ECA), police certificate, medical exam, etc.

Application Process

The first thing to do in order to apply for Canadian immigration via the Federal Skilled Worker Program is for the applicant to file the online Express Entry profile with the national immigration agency in Canada.

Usually, it is a prerequisite that the applicant has already attained a satisfactory language evaluation exam score not over 2 years old. The applicant must also have a favorable Education Credential Assessment. These two documents are needed at the start of the process since information regarding those two items will be required when completing the Express Entry online profile.

The Canadian officials will then review the information the applicant has submitted in his/her online Express Entry profile. Those applicants who pass the initial screening are then shortlisted in the pool for Express Entry candidates.

In order to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residency:

  • The applicant must have one of the best scores on the Comprehensive Ranking System; or
  • The applicant needs to receive a qualifying job offer from an employer in Canada; or
  • The applicant must be nominated through a Provincial Nominees Program (PNP).

Upon the issuance of the ITA, the applicant is given sixty days to forward to the Canadian immigration agency his/her Permanent Resident Visa Application, the application fee, and all of the supporting documents previously discussed.

In about six months or maybe less, the applicant will usually be informed regarding the status of the application. To those who are approved for Express Entry immigration to Canada, a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) will be mailed. Furthermore, their passports will be stamped with a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada. These documents will be requested during entry to Canada.

There are a lot of benefits for permanent residents of Canada. Some of these benefits include free or low-cost healthcare, the legal right to work in Canada, being able to apply for a driver’s license, permission to leave and return to Canada, having the opportunity to start a business, access to educational programs in Canada, sponsoring family members for a Canadian visa, applying to become a citizen of Canada after 3 years, etc. So, what are you waiting for? Start the process today!

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

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