Federal Skilled Worker Program

Federal Skilled Worker Program Overview

To immigrate to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, a foreign worker must have one year of eligible experience and meet language proficiency and education requirements.

Candidates are assessed under six selection factors: language skills, education, work experience, age, job offer (if applicable), and adaptability in Canada. Foreign skilled workers gain points under each category and need at least 67 points to meet the minimum eligibility criteria.

Selection Factors

To qualify as a Federal Skilled Worker, a candidate must score at least 67 points (out of 100) under the six selection factors. These criteria form a 100-point system “selection grid,” where each category awards a certain number of points. Candidates scoring 67 points or more meet the initial eligibility criteria. However, only those with the highest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores are invited to apply for permanent residence.

The maximum points in the selection grid under the six factors are distributed as follows:

1. English or French Language Skills: 28 points max.
2. Education: 25 points max.
3. Work Experience: 15 points max.
4. Age: 12 points max.
5. Arranged Employment in Canada/Valid Job Offer: 10 points max.
6. Adaptability (how well you’re likely to settle in Canada): 10 points max.

Minimum Requirement: Work Experience

A candidate must have one year of work experience that was:

• In the same type of job (NOC),
• Paid,
• Continuous, and
• Gained within the last 10 years.

Only specific occupations and jobs are eligible for immigration under the Federal Skilled Worker Stream. The National Occupational Classification System (NOC) is used to assess if a work experience, based on skill type and level, is in the list of eligible occupations. Thus, TEER categories: TEER 0, TEER 1, TEER 2, and TEER 3 are eligible. Candidates must demonstrate that they performed all the main duties specified in the occupational description in the NOC.

Some examples of eligible occupations include managers, dentists, doctors, architects, chefs, plumbers, and electricians. However, many of these professions are regulated in Canada, with provincial regulatory bodies governing professions like lawyers, doctors, and engineers. If a foreign worker immigrates in a regulated occupation, they can only practice if authorized by a regulatory body, typically a provincial regulatory body.

All requirements for work experience must be met. For instance, voluntary work or unpaid internships do not meet the Federal Skilled Worker Program requirements. If a candidate changed companies and has a time gap between old and new jobs, this experience does not count either.

Minimum Requirement: Language Ability

To qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, a candidate must achieve a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in all four language abilities: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Candidates can choose to take either the English or French language tests:

• CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General)
• IELTS: International English Language Testing System (General)
• PTE Core: Pearson Test of English
• TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français
• TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français
  

The language test result is valid if it is less than two years old on the day the candidate applies for permanent residence.

Minimum Requirement: Education

To meet the education requirement and obtain points, a foreign national must provide a certificate, diploma, or degree from a Canadian secondary or post-secondary school. Candidates with foreign education must demonstrate its equivalency to Canadian standards through one of the following services:

• Comparative Education Service (CES), University of Toronto;
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS);
• International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES), British Columbia Institute of Technology;
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS), Government of Alberta;
• World Education Services (WES);
• The Medical Council of Canada (MCC);
• The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC).

Minimum Requirement: Proof of Funds

Applicants must provide evidence that they have enough money to cover basic needs for themselves and their family. The required amount depends on the size of the family, including the applicant, their spouse or common-law partner, dependent children (under 22 years old), and the spouse’s dependent children. Funds required based on family size are as follows:

• 1 person: $13,757 (if only the applicant)
• 2 persons: $17,127
• 3 persons: $21,055
• 4 persons: $25,564
• 5 persons: $28,994
• 6 persons: $32,700
• 7 persons: $36,407

For more than 7 people, for each additional family member: $3,706

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Call us at +1-416-915-0808 or email us at info@leromlaw.com for additional information you need to begin the process.