Federal Skilled Worker Program
This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.
About CEC Programm
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is a prominent Canadian immigration pathway designed to attract skilled foreign workers from around the world. As a key component of Canada’s Express Entry system, the FSWP aims to address the country’s labor market needs by selecting highly qualified individuals who possess valuable skills and work experience in various professional fields.
Through a points-based assessment, the FSWP evaluates factors like age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and adaptability to determine eligibility for permanent residency. This program fosters diversity, welcoming applicants from diverse backgrounds, and offers successful candidates access to Canada’s renowned healthcare, education, and social systems. As a sought-after immigration destination, the FSWP continues to enrich Canada’s workforce, contributing to the nation’s economic growth and vibrant multicultural society.
To be eligible you must
What are the benefits of this (FSWP) visa?
- Successful applicants are free to work without any constraints/restrictions, unlike in a work permit
- After three years of stay in the country, the applicant can apply for Canadian citizenship
- Once you get your Canadian Passport & Citizenship, you can travel to many countries in the world without a visa
- You can sponsor your immediate family & relatives to join you in Canada
- Permanent residency include access to government subsidized education and healthcare (Medicare)
- Unrestricted access to Canada’s labor market and associated insurance and pension benefits
- The PR visa is now granted in 6-12 months instead of the previous 3+years
- If the application is returned, the fee is refunded by the High Commission
Eligibility to apply as a Federal Skilled Worker (Express Entry)
Minimum requirements
This program has minimum requirements for:
- skilled work experience
- language ability
- education
You must meet all the minimum requirements to be eligible.
If you meet all the minimum requirements, we’ll assess your application based on additional selection factors.
Skilled work experience
Skilled work experience means that you’ve worked in 1 of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER categories:
- TEER 0
- TEER 1
- TEER 2
- TEER 3
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.
Your skilled work experience 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)
Part-time work experience
Your skilled work experience must be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. We don’t count volunteer work or unpaid internships.
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.
We don’t count any hours you work above 30 hours/week.
Student work experience
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 ability
You must:
- take approved language tests in English or French for:
- writing
- reading
- listening
- speaking
- get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all 4 abilities
- enter the test results in your Express Entry profile
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
Education
If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
- secondary institution (high school) or
- post-secondary institution
If you have foreign education, you must have:
- a completed credential, and
- an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)for immigration purposes from a designated organization showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
- secondary institution (high school) or
- post-secondary institution
Selection factors
If you meet all the minimum requirements, we’ll assess your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program based on:
- age
- education
- work experience
- whether you have a valid job offer
- English or French language skills
- adaptability (how well you’re likely to settle here)
Based on how well you do in each of the 6 factors, we’ll assign you an overall score out of 100.
The current pass mark is 67 points.
Proof of funds
You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada, unless you
- are currently able to legally work in Canada
- have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada
Admissibility
You must be admissible to Canada.
Where you can live in Canada
You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, see Quebec-selected skilled workers for more information.
When you fill out your profile, we’ll ask you where you plan to live in Canada. You don’t have to settle in that province or territory.
