Federal Skilled Trade

The Canadian Federal Skilled Trades Class Program (FSTC) is a recently implemented Express entry immigration system that allows skilled workers across various specified trades to become permanent residents of Canada. This program was initiated in order to acknowledge and honor those engaged in diverse skilled trade occupation and who can benefit from an exclusive program.  The applications are assessed in order to determine the applicant’s training, skills and ability to remain financially independent in Canada.

The minimum requirements to qualify under this program is having minimum of two years of work experience in a recognized skilled trade, a suitable education, and language ability in reading, writing, speaking and listening in any of the recognized languages in Canada. The applicant has to qualify as per the procedure mentioned in the National occupation Classification System that classifies the applicant’s skills under a comprehensive ranking system. Additionally, the applicant will be required to show a valid proof of a full-time employment offer for at least one year at a stretch. A total of 30 hours work schedule per week is generally admitted as full-time employment. The same also applies on applicants with a part time job or two part-time jobs.

Please note that certificate of qualification is issued by provinces each of which might have their own set of procedures and governing bodies to determine the applicant’s training and skill. The application requirements might differ in such cases.

Applications being processed under the Federal Skilled Trade Program – For various skills specified under Group A which depend on labor-market demand, only a total number of 100 applications will be accepted for undergoing further proceedings though no such bar applies on skills that fall under Group B as these are primarily in-demand jobs.

Adaptability

Anybody seeking entry into Canada for permanent residency has to undertake an elaborate process where he/she is ranked on a system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) which assesses who qualifies for the provision of express entry. It is always advisable to score high on CRS so as to have a better chance of becoming a permanent resident of Canada. The system assesses the applicant on the basis of multiple factors, one of them being the applicant’s level of adaptability in Canada. The applicant or his/her spouse (married, same-sex or conjugal) can score a maximum of 10 points in this category by combining any of the adaptability factors as listed below.

1. You should be able to show a minimum of 1 year of full time employment in Canada in a job listed in Skill type 0, A, B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). This can get you a score of maximum 10 points.
2. You should be able to show a valid job offer in Canada for a minimum of one year, what is also called arranged employment. This will get you a maximum score of 5 points.
3. Your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner shows proof of having worked in Canada for at least one year of full time work on a valid work permit.
4. You should have a relative in Canada who is a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen and is at least years old or above.
5. You should have completed at least 2 years of study from a recognized Canadian institute with acceptable academic record. This will give you maximum 5 points.
6. In cases where the non-Canadian spouse (including conjugal, common-law partners and same-sex partners) is also accompanying the applicant, they should have completed at least 2 years of study from a recognized Canadian institute with an acceptable academic record. This will get you maximum 5 points.
7. The applicant and the spouse should demonstrate high language proficiency with CLB 4 or above in all language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking). This can get you a maximum of 5 points.

Age

To take the benefit of the Federal Skilled Worker Program, an applicant needs to fulfill certain criteria which will enable him to get qualified for a quick express way entry into Canada. The higher the score in this assessment system, the better are the chances of eligibility. The minimum qualifying score is 67 and as an applicant you need to work on certain requirements that would help you in benefiting from this provision. Since diversity of skill-set, level of adaptability and flexibility depends on a person’s age, it becomes a classifying criterion under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. In this, you are scored on the basis of your age on the day of the submission of your application to the immigration office. The maximum you can score in this category is 12 points.

Education

An applicant needs to fulfill some educational requirements in order to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program Visa. For a non-Canadian or a foreign national, it is required to get their educational qualification approved by some designated Canadian organization that will determine if the academic qualification of the applicant is equivalent to a Canadian qualification (including degrees, diplomas etc.). Canadian Immigration law recognizes education as an extremely significant credential to evaluate the competency levels of the applicants, therefore, the applicants are advised to include their educational record with proper documentary proof of their complete academic record along with the application form.

Please read what points you may score on the basis of your educational qualification-

1. An applicant with a Doctoral Degree may score up to 25 points.
2. An applicant with a Master’s level degree or an equivalent may score up to 23 points.
3. An applicant with at least two post-secondary certifications may score up to 22 points.
4. An applicant with at least three year long post-secondary certification may score up to 21 points.
5. An applicant with a one year post secondary credentials may score to 15 points.
6. An applicant with a certificate from a secondary school may score up to 5 points.

How does the Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) Work?

If an applicant has a foreign educational qualification, he/she must first get his/her academic record assessed through the Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) system conducted by an approved and stream-specific organization. The approved organization will evaluate if the applicant’s educational qualification stands equivalent to a degree, diploma or certificate course in Canada. This will prove the validity of the applicant’s academic record and make him/her eligible for the immigration process.

Arranged Employment

The Federal Skilled Workers Program provides an express entry pathway to skilled applicants keen on applying for permanent residence in Canada. There are certain set conditions needed to be fulfilled in order to make the best of this provision.

To qualify for the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the foreign/non-Canadian applicant needs to prove that he/she already has a full-time job offer from an agency in Canada that will employ the person for at least one full year in continuous service. This establishes a vital prerequisite about the applicant at the very start that the applicant will enter the country as a skilled resource and not a liability. This will help in expediting the immigration process.

An applicant with a arranged employment showing his/her full time engagement with the employing agency for at least one year at a stretch  gets qualified for a 10 point score on the CRS standards, thus contributing significantly to the required score of 67 points.

Language Skills

Federal Skilled Worker applicants are required by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to prove their proficiency in either English or French. This doesn’t mean that English or French is their mother tongue, but applicant should have necessary skills in one of the official languages of Canada, as mentioned either  English or French.

Language skills are key factor when applying for jobs in Canada. An applicant can score up to 28 points in Language Skills based on his ability in writing, reading, listening and speaking  in either English or French. However, you cannot score full 28 marks in either English or French, as you can score maximum 24 points in first language and rest 4 points in second language. As an applicant you can choose one of the languages as primary and other as secondary.

Federal Skilled Worker must submit the exam results from either of the below two tests:

1. Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF) – for French
2. International English Language Testing System (IELTS)– for English

These are the only two approved and acceptable accreditation to showcase your language skills currently. Without attaching the evaluation results from either of the above you will be get the points from the Language Skills category.

We are ready to answer your questions related to language skills and how to maximize your points.

To get the points in Language Skills Federal Skilled Worker applicant must score equal or above the threshold in listening, writing, reading, speaking. The points calculation are decided by a bench marking scale called Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) and is regarded a threshold to qualify for any points for reach of the 4 sub skills is CLB level 7,also described as “adequate intermediate proficiency”.

First official language (maximum 24 points)

	Reading	Writing	Speaking	Listening
CLB level 9 or higher	6	6	6	6
CLB level 8	5	5	5	5
CLB level 7	4	4	4	4
Below CLB level 7	Not Eligible	Not Eligible	Not Eligible	Not Eligible

Second official language(maximum 4 points)

To be able to score 4 points from second language you must pass the threshold of CLB 5 in each of the 4 language abilities.

Health Examination

Any non-Canadian or a foreign national intending to immigrate to Canada under any of the visa provisions must undergo a thorough medical examination before they immigrate to Canada. Any family members accompanying the person migrating to Canada must also undergo a medical test. The medical examination has to be conducted by a panel physician in the applicant’s home country who is a duly approved and authorized by the Canadian government as a medical practitioner. The medical examination includes a regular medical exam including blood tests, x-rays, urine tests, heart and lung tests, skin/hearing/sight/weight/pulse check, and a complete analysis of the applicant’s medical history.

The applicant is expected to be honest to his/her physician regarding their medical history.

On what grounds can you be announced as medically unfit for Immigration to Canada?

A number of factors determine if a person should be allowed to immigrate to Canada despite a health condition. The duration of the ailment, its nature, treatment and its affect on health services and the health of other nationals is a parameter to decide if the person can be permitted a permanent residency in the country. You can be declared as medically unfit for immigration to Canada if (i) you suffer from any chronic disease that might affect the health of other Canadian nationals and threaten them in some way, or (ii) if you suffer from an ailment, disease or health problem that might make Canadian health services unnecessarily burdened due to your health condition. However, if you have a sponsor who is ready to take your financial responsibility, any such situation can be overlooked.

Medical Examination for Temporary Residents (Visitors, Students and Temporary Workers)

All those entering Canada as temporary residents including visitors, students and temporary workers must undergo a thorough medical examination by a duly approved medical practitioner as sanctioned by the Canadian government. The exam is done in the applicant’s home country and conducted before the submission of the application. Results of the medical exam remain valid only up to a period of 12 months after which the exam needs to be taken again in case the applicant does not apply during that time. The medical report has to attached along with the application.

Permanent Job Offer

In cases where an applicant receives a full-time permanent job offer, the decision for the approval falls under the purview of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Human Resources and Social development Canada (HRSDC). They will assess the applicant’s claim of the job and review if it is authentic and acceptable. For this, the job offer must fulfill the following criteria –

• The job offer has to be by an employer and should be authentic.
• The job letter should mention your name and designation at which you have been recruited. It should also mention your duties, obligations and roles that fall within your profile.
• The conditions of the job should specify that the employee (the applicant) will be engaged in a full time job for a minimum time of one year. An applicant with a seasonal job offer will not be approved under this program.
• The HRSDC will also determine if the job will sufficiently provide for economic independence of the applicant to make him self-reliable in terms of finances. The applicant has to ensure that job suffices the financial needs of the applicant.

To Ensure the Validity of the Job Offer

There are certain formalities that need to be taken care of while applying for immigration to Canada with a job offer. The authorized bodies of CIC and HRSDC have formalized the appropriate manner in which a job offer letter shall be drafted so that it includes a few exigent requirements. A job letter or the employment contract drafted by the employer must outline necessary details concerning the nature of the applicant’s job, his/her fundamental job responsibilities, and duties to be performed by the applicant. According to the specified norms, a job letter should mention the designation or the position of the employee at the workplace. A job letter must also state the date of joining of the employee and the date of relieving (if applicable). The duration and terms and conditions of the job need to be detailed in the job letter. A job letter must mention the salary promised to the employee including any deductions or perks. It should also mention the full name and address of the employer, the details of the organization and the future workplace of the employee to make it acceptable.

Security Clearance

The Canadian government is highly committed to the welfare and safety of all Canadian nationals and cannot risk their security at any cost. To maintain public safety and security, the applicants of Canadian Resident Visa who are 18 years old or above must prove that they are legally innocent, and do not hold any criminal record against them. For establishing this, they will have to undergo a Security Clearance to validate that can be permitted entry into the country.

In order to establish that you are innocent, you need to submit a police Clearance Certificate obtained from place of current residence that declares that you have no criminal record against you. If the applicant has ever lived anywhere abroad since turning 18 years old for more than six months at a stretch, he/she will have to obtain a certificate of non-criminal activity from the country/countries.

These clearance certificates can be procured from law enforcement bodies including government agencies and other third party companies accredited by the government. The applicants need to ensure that the police verification certificates should not be more than 3 months old, and can be upheld as authentic and truthful.

In certain cases where an applicant has a criminal record against him, he/she can still be permitted to enter the country on permanent or temporary basis upon certain terms and conditions. Such cases are decided on the basis of an intense scrutiny of the nature of the offense, the time period elapsed since the crime was committed and if the offender has been pardoned or rehabilitated. However, under all circumstances the reviewing board is going to ensure that the police verification is done thoroughly along with a complete background assessment of the applicant so as to safeguard the interests of its Canadian nationals. If the applicant seems to be a threat to the security of the country, he/she will be denied entry into the country.

Sufficient Settlement Funds

Canada heartily welcomes and honors workers of various skills-sets and trades who can become an asset to the country. Canada has always valued skilled workers with high competency and technical brilliance. There are unprecedented amount of job and career opportunities for those who wish to settle in Canada as permanent residents or as Canadian citizens. However, the immigration policy seeks to inquire if an applicant is in a position to contribute to the welfare of the nation and community.

For this purpose, applicants intending for immigration to Canada will be required to prove their financial standing in order to qualify for the visa process. In this case, the applicant’s financial status is closely examined by the immigration officials to assess if the applicant would be able to support himself/herself and their families in Canada. The applicant should not have an outstanding loan, debt or any other kind of financial liability to another person, agency or government in any manner.

It is worthy to note that Federal Skilled Workers who have a valid job offer or an arranged employment in Canada under the specified terms and conditions will not have to furnish any proof of settlement funds in Canada.

The Process

Steps for Applying for Federal Skilled Workers Program

• You Apply – Applicants applying for the federal Skilled Workers Program must establish that they meet the minimum requirements to qualify for this visa forgetting permanent residency in Canada. They must do so by submitting proper proofs along with various required documents to validate their claims. Minimum requirements for this visa include proper work experience, age, education, language ability and adaptability. If you as an applicant have an arranged employment, it should be approved under the National Occupation Classification (NOC). Read carefully below the procedure to be followed to apply for Federal Skilled Workers program. The first step is to fill up your application form with utmost attention and focus so that you do not miss out on important information required. If your application looks incomplete at any level, it can be instantly rejected. Therefore, you have to ensure that your application is carefully filled, duly signed and complete. You should always be honest in your application filling, and not withhold any valid information about yourself. You need to submit all necessary documents along with the application form including documents that validate your total work experience, educational credentials, age, language test results (e.g., IELTS) and other significant documents. The application represents your case in front of the immigration officials, therefore, it has to establish you as a responsible, organized and committed individual. For those Federal Skilled Workers who are applying for immigration to Canada with an arranged employment benefit should necessarily include a copy of their work permit as sanctioned by the Canadian government along with the job offer letter by the employer. The job letter should include the date of joining, the employee’s designation and salary. Once these requirements are fulfilled, the application can be sent for further processing and evaluation.
• Your Application is assessed by a Canadian Immigration Visa Officer – Once you have filled in the application form for immigration, you will submit it to the Canadian Immigration office for further reviewing and processing. Your application will be closely examined to establish that you are eligible as per the Federal Skilled Workers Program. The fundamental factors on the basis of which the immigration office will review your application is to determine that your skill/trade is defined in the program and that you have the required work experience. It will also review your funds to ensure that you can financially support yourself and your family members after immigration to Canada, along with police verification certificate. Only after a satisfactory evaluation will the application move for further processing. The Canadian Immigration office might also call for an interview where they feel it necessary to confirm the truthfulness of the claims made in the application, or ask you for a clarification regarding some incongruities found in the application. Such interviews can also be required to review a person’s credentials wherever there might be a potential threat to security of the nation. You have to undergo a thorough medical examination by an approved doctor (a panel physician) once this step culminates in order to establish that you are medically fit to immigrate to the country as a healthy and independent individual.
• You pay the Right of Permanent Resident Fee – Once the processing of the file has been approved after the medical exam result, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will require you to pay the Right of Permanent Resident Fee (RPRF) as well as submit your passport. Only in case where you belong to a country which has been exempted from Visitor Visa requirement, you need not submit the passport to the Visa office. Usually applications under Federal Skilled Workers Program are reviewed within 6 months from the date of submission.
• You get your Permanent Resident (PR) Card – Once the above steps are duly completed, you will receive your PR card which specifies a time limit within which it is compulsory for you to visit the country. Once the PR card expires, you will have to undergo the entire process again.

Work Experience

The Federal Skilled Work Program is especially formalized in a way so that it may give fair opportunity and representation to people with exemplary skill-set to settle in Canada and start anew. The program is designed in a manner that a number of trades and skills are covered and people from across diverse trades may find inclusion under this provision. However, applicants have to demonstrate their eligibility and credibility for qualifying for this type of visa.

When you apply for Federal Skilled Worker Program, it is imperative to show your work experience in the specified trade or skill to make your application noteworthy. The appropriate, relevant and right amount of work experience will get you a better score on the point-based assessment and quicken the process too. The minimum required score is 67 points. Each point in this comprehensive scaling system matters in expediting the application process.

You cannot be considered eligible for this type of visa if you do not have the required amount of work experience in the specified trade. The minimum requirements to qualify include is to have at least one year of continuous paid employment or its equivalent if the job is part-time. This experience should be within the last 10 years and not older to that. Your experience should also be duly recognized by National Occupation Classification (NOC) so it should be either of the following-

• Skill Type O (for managerial occupations)
• Skill Level A (professional occupation)
• Skill Level B (technical or skilled trade)

Score for Valid Work Experience

You can earn a maximum of 15 points for showing valid proof of full time work experience gained within the last 10 years. Full-time work means at least 30 hours of engagement per week. Please find the details below-

Duration of Work Experience	Maximum Points
Minimum 1 year	9
2-3 years	11
4-5	13
Above 6 years	15