Federal Skilled Worker Program
Express Entry Immigration System
Federal Skilled Worker Program
The Federal Skilled Worker Program, an Express Entry stream in which applicants can submit their application for permanent residency through the Express Entry system. This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who wish to immigrate to Canada permanently.
The program has minimum requirements for skilled work experience, language ability and education. Applicants must first meet all the minimum requirements to be considered eligible.
Selection Factors
Applications under the Federal Skilled Worker Program are assessed based on:
- Age
- Education
- Work experience
- Whether you have a valid job offer
- English and/or French language skills
- Adaptability
These factors are part of a 100-point grid used to assess eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. You earn points for how well you do in each of the 6 factors. The current pass mark is 67 points to qualify for the Express Entry profile registration.
These selection factor points are used to assess your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Once you’re in the Express Entry pool, a different system to rank your profile is used. The highest-ranking candidates from the pool are selected and invited to apply for permanent residence.
Minimum Requirements:
Skilled work experience, which must be:
- in the same type of job (have the same NOC) as the job you want to use for your immigration application (called your primary occupation)
- within the last 10 years
- paid work (have been paid wages or earned commission—volunteer work or unpaid internships don’t count)
- at least 1 year of continuous work or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week)—you can meet this in a few different ways:
- full-time at 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full-time (1,560 hours)
- equal amount in part-time work: for example 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours). You can work as many part-time jobs as you need to meet this requirement
- full-time at more than 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months at more than 1 job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- This work experience must be gained by working in Canada while under temporary resident status with authorization to work.
- Also, this work experience can be in 1 or more NOC 0, A or B jobs. You must show that while working in your primary occupation, you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC. This includes all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.
In case of part-time work experience, it should be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. Volunteer work or unpaid internships don’t count. Also, for part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than 1 part-time job to get the hours you need to apply.
Any hours you work above 30 hours/week don’t count.
Work experience gained while you were studying may count towards your minimum requirements if the work was paid by wages or commissions, was continuous (no gaps in employment), and meets all the other requirements of the Program.
Language
- An approved language test results obtained within 2 years (it must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence)
- a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all 4 abilities
Education
- a completed credential, or/and
- an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report obtained for immigration purposes from a designated organization
Proof of Funds
- The applicants should prove that they meet the financial requirement for themselves and their family in order to successfully settle in Canada, unless you are currently able to legally work in Canada or have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada.
Other Express Entry Programs
Canadian Experience Class
For skilled workers who have Canadian work experience. Work experience must have been gained in the 3 years before you apply
Federal Skilled Trades Program
For skilled workers who are qualified in a skilled trade and must have a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification
