Canada has a shortage of the skilled labor in their market that can help in the development of the nation. Canadian government has one of their main goals to increase their admission rate higher for the skilled immigrants that can help in economical development of the country. According to government’s three year immigration plan, they are planning to increase the intake of skilled immigrants for the next three years – 2019, 2020 & 2021. 2018 was a record breaking year for Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) with most number of invitations issued in a single year for permanent residency to skilled immigrants under express entry program possible for any skilled immigrant who is looking for a change in their life and move to Canada.
Federal skilled worker program is Canada’s prime immigration program, which allows the foreign skilled workers to settle in Canada with a permanent residency to fulfil the national workforce & economic needs.
Federal Skilled Worker Program Requirements
For the Federal Skilled Worker eligibility, you must meet the below minimum requirements.
- Skilled Work Experience
- Language Ability
- Education
If you meet these requirements, there are six selection factors to assess your eligibility.
Six Selection Factors of FSW Program
There are some points are allocated for each factor and together it is a 100-point grid. You will be qualified to apply if you score 67 points or higher out of 100.
1. Language Skills
To apply for a study visa, PR or work permit it is very important to be able to communicate in English or at least one of the official languages of the country. In the same way, to apply for Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker visa you should know English, French or both.
You can get a maximum of 28 points with your language skills in English and French-based on your ability to Write, Read, Listen & Speak. And you must take an approved language test to prove your language proficiency.
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) – General Test score equivalency chart
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – General Training – Test score equivalency chart
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| 8 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 6 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 4 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada (TEF Canada)
Test score equivalency chart
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 263-300 | 393-450 | 316-360 | 393-450 |
| 9 | 248-262 | 371-392 | 298-315 | 371-392 |
| 8 | 233-247 | 349-370 | 280-297 | 349-370 |
| 7 | 207-232 | 310-348 | 249-279 | 310-348 |
| 6 | 181-206 | 271-309 | 217-248 | 271-309 |
| 5 | 151-180 | 226-270 | 181-216 | 226-270 |
| 4 | 121-150 | 181-225 | 145-180 | 181-225 |
Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada)
Test score equivalency chart
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 and above | 549-699 | 16-20 | 549-699 | 16-20 |
| 9 | 524-548 | 14-15 | 523-548 | 14-15 |
| 8 | 499-523 | 12-13 | 503-522 | 12-13 |
| 7 | 453-498 | 10-11 | 458-502 | 10-11 |
| 6 | 406-452 | 7-9 | 398-457 | 7-9 |
| 5 | 375-405 | 6 | 369-397 | 6 |
| 4 | 342-374 | 4-5 | 331-368 | 4-5 |
2. Education
If you have studied in Canada, you must have a certificate of diploma or degree from a high school or post-secondary institution.
If you have completed your education outside Canada, you must provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
| Education Qualification | Maximum Points |
| University degree or equivalent to PhD | 25 Points |
| Holding a Masters Degree | 23 Points |
| Holding a Double-Bachelor Degree | 22 Points |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 21 Points |
| 3 Years Diploma Course after Higher Secondary | 19 Points |
| 3 Years Diploma Course after High School | 15 Points |
| High School | 5 Points |
Maximum 25 points will be awarded for the education.
3. Work Experience
You can get a maximum of 15 points with your work experience. For this, you must have 1 year of full-time skilled work experience or equivalent part-time work experience.
And you must have been working in an occupation in Skill level 0, A or B of the National Occupation Classification . National Occupation Classification
| Work experience | Points |
| 1 year (minimum required under the program) | 9 |
| 2-3 years | 11 |
| 4-5 years | 13 |
| 6 years or more | 15 |
4. Age
A maximum of 12 points are allocated based on your age. Below is the point grid for the age factor.
| Age | Points |
| Under 18 | 0 |
| 18-35 | 12 |
| 36 | 11 |
| 37 | 10 |
| 38 | 9 |
| 39 | 8 |
| 40 | 7 |
| 41 | 6 |
| 42 | 5 |
| 43 | 4 |
| 44 | 3 |
| 45 | 2 |
| 46 | 1 |
| 47 and older | 0 |
5. Arranged Employment in Canada
If you have a job offer from a Canadian organization, you will be awarded a maximum of 10 points. And a valid job offer has to be for at least 1 year, full-time in an occupation listed as Skilled Type 0, A or B of the NOC.
And to get 10 points one of the below situations must also apply.
Step 1:
- Currently working in Canada on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-based work permit in a skilled occupation.
- The work permit must be valid when the application is made.
- The employer has made a full-time job offer in a skilled occupation to the candidate.
Step 2:
- The candidate is currently working in Canada on an LMIA-exempt work permit or a work permit issued under a provincial/territorial agreement.
- The work permit must be valid when the application is made and the employer has made a full-time job offer in a skilled occupation to the candidate.
Step 3:
- The candidate holds a valid Canadian work permit or is otherwise authorized to work in Canada, but does not fall into either of the above scenarios.
- The work permit authorization is valid when the application is made.
- A prospective employer has offered a permanent, full-time job to the candidate and this job offer is supported by a positive LMIA.
Step 4:
- The candidate does not hold a valid Canadian work permit.
- A prospective employer has offered a permanent, full-time job to the candidate and this job offer is supported by a positive LMIA.
6. Adaptability
Is your spouse coming along with you? Then, you can increase the score by providing your spouse‘s factors like education, work experience, and language proficiency.
| Adaptability Factors | Maximum points |
| Your spouse or partner’s skills | 5 Points |
| If pursued your education in Canada | 5 Points |
| If your spouse or partner has pursued an education in Canada | 5 Points |
| If having your previous work experience in Canada | 10 Points |
| If your spouse is having past work experience in Canada | 5 Points |
| If you have an arranged employment | 5 Points |
| If you have any relatives living in Canada | 5 Points |
Proof of Funds
The candidates who are unable to get a job offer from a Canadian company must show that they have enough money to settle in Canada. Also, the proof of funds depends on the size of the applicant’s family.
Proof of Funds Required for:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
Proof of Funds Not Required for:
- Canadian Experience Class, or
- if applying under FSWP or FSTP with (1) a valid job offer and (2) authorization to work in Canada
Amount needed is as per the size of your family – yourself, your spouse/partner, your dependent children, as well as the dependent children of your spouse/partner. Spouse and dependent children have to be included for Express Entry proof of funds calculation even if they will not be coming to Canada with you.
The funds are to be readily available to you.
IRCC Express Entry Proof of Funds Requirement in 2022
| Number of family members | Funds required in Canadian dollars (CAD) |
| 1 | CAD 13,310 |
| 2 | CAD 16,570 |
| 3 | CAD 20,371 |
| 4 | CAD 24,733 |
| 5 | CAD 28,052 |
| 6 | CAD 31,638 |
| 7 | CAD 35,224 |
| For each additional family member | CAD 3,586 |
How to calculate FSW points?
A minimum of 67 out of 100 points is required to apply under federal skilled worker (FSW)program. It is very easy to calculate CRS score for FSW using Canada official calculator. CRS Calculator
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
If you meet the minimum requirements then check if you’re able to get a minimum of 67 points with the above Federal Skilled Worker points calculator or from the point grid.
Step 2: Create Express Entry Profile
To create your Express Entry profile, you will need to provide the below 3 documents to IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).
- Identification – A Valid Passport
- Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA)
- Language Proficiency Test Results
In Every FSW Canada draw applicant is screened for medical and criminal inadmissibility. So, apart from these 3 documents, you have to provide a few more documents like:
- Medical examination report from an IRCC recognized panel physician
- Police clearance certificate from a local police station
- Work experience letters from previous employers
Before proceeding to the next step you must check you’re CRS Score and if your score is below the average cut-off score, our immigration expert can guide you on how to increase your CRS Score.
Step 3: Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
If an applicant is successful in receiving an ITA for Canadian PR, the candidate will have 60 days to submit an electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).
Step 4: Review of your e-application& Getting Canadian PR
A Canadian Immigration officer will review your application and let you know if any other information is required. If everything is fine, your application will be approved & a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) document will be sent.
Step 5: Apply for a PR card
Once you have your confirmation of status, you may then apply for your PR card. If you travel outside Canada, you may use this card as proof of your status in Canada.
Federal Skilled Worker Program Eligible Occupations
To apply for the FSW program, your work experience must be listed in the below skill types.
Skill Type 0 (zero): Management jobs, such as restaurant managers, retail and wholesale trade managers, managers in foodservice and accommodation, and more.
Skill Level A: Professional jobs that usually call for a degree from a university, including a range of Information Technology (IT) occupations, engineering and construction occupations, legal occupations, and more.
Skill Level B: Technical jobs and skilled trades that usually call for a college diploma or training as an apprentice, such as chefs, plumbers, general office workers, retail salespersons, and more.
Canada Federal Skilled Trades Program(FSTP)
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for the applicants who are qualified trade workers and want to migrate to Canada permanently after receiving an offer of employment. The government approves only 3000 applications each year under this visa category. The IRCC considers no more than 100 applications for a particular occupation for processing each year for Category A while there is no Category B cap. There are 43 subdivided occupations in this group into two categories, i.e. category A and Category B.
Category A
Category A has a cap of 100 applications, as these are occupations of moderate labour market need.
- 7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
- 7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
- 7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
- 7271 Carpenters
- 7301 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
- 7302 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
- 8211 Supervisors, logging and forestry
- 8221 Supervisors, mining and quarrying
- 8222 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling services
- 8241 Logging machinery operators
- 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
- 9211 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing
- 9212 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities
- 9214 Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing
- 9231 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing
- 9241 Power engineers and power systems operators
- 9243 Water and waste treatment plant operators
Disclaimer – Visas Avenue does not provide any guidance or assistance on Canada FST Program. This page is only for information purpose. Visas Avenue Provide advice and assistance for Canadian PR process.
Category B
It consists of occupations, which are in demand.
- 7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- 7233 Sheet metal workers
- 7235 Structural metal and plate work fabricators and fitters
- 7236 Ironworkers
- 7237 Welders and related machine operators
- 7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- 7242 Industrial electricians
- 7243 Power system electricians
- 7244 Electrical power line and cable workers
- 7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers
- 7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
- 7251 Plumbers
- 7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
- 7253 Gasfitters
- 7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- 7312 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- 7313 Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
- 7314 Railway carmen/women
- 7315 Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
- 7318 Elevator constructors and mechanics
- 7371 Crane operators
- 7372 Drillers and blasters – surface, mining, quarrying and construction
- 7373 Water well drillers
- 8231 Underground production and development miners
- 8232 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
- 9232 Petroleum, gas and chemical process operator
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply as a skilled worker the aspirant should-
- Plan to live in any state except Quebec.
- Meets minimum language requirement of (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, and CLB 4 for reading and writing.
- Have at least two years of full time working experience in the nominated occupation in the past five years before applying.
- Should perform all the duties mentioned for the nominated occupation in National Occupational Classification (NOC)
- Have an offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a provincial or territorial body.