Skilled Immigration FAQ's

Here are the requirements:

• The candidate should have at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation which falls under National Occupational Classification skill type 0 or skill level A or B.
• The candidate must get validated language test results that are equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French. These must encompass the following abilities:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

• The candidate should have:

• a Canadian educational credential, such as certificate, diploma, or degree

OR

• a foreign credential supported by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report

• The candidate must have enough financial strength to settle in Canada.

There are six immigration selection factors set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). All FSWP applicants have to attain at least 67 points in these.

Also, candidates and their dependents (accompanying and non-accompanying), under all Canadian immigration categories, should meet the health and security or criminality requirements set by the Canadian government.

The Express Entry system manages the FSWP. This system has a pool of candidates and sends Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to them for permanent residency in Canada via regular draws. Only candidates who receive an ITA are eligible to submit the application for permanent residency in Canada.

Not at present. However, applicants must have at least one year’s work experience in the past 10 years in an occupation that is classified under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) as skill level A or B or skill type 0.

If you have received an ITA, here is the list of documents you shall have to submit for permanent residency:

• Completed and signed application forms
• Documents related to identity and civil status
• Passport/s and travel documents
• Documents related to education training and/or professional qualifications
• Work experience evidence
• Results of IELTS/CELPIP and/or TEF/TCF Canada
• Proof/s of Canadian educational credential assessment
• Arranged Employment proofs (if applicable)
• If you have claimed any points under the adaptability factor, you shall have to present the related evidence.
• Proofs of police certificates and clearances
• Evidence of settlement funds
• Proofs that you have paid the Canadian government processing fees

You will also have to submit the following supporting documents along with your e-application:

• A valid passport
• Results of language test/s
• Documents that attest to your work experience
• Certificate/s of police clearance
• An upfront medical information tracking sheet
• Photographs of the principal applicant and family members

Many Canadian Immigration Visa Offices have certain specific document requirements. Applicants must abide by those to avoid having their application returned, delayed, or refused.

Here’s the list of family members of the principal applicant that can be included in the application:

• Spouse/Common-law partner
• Own dependent children and dependent children of accompanying spouse/common-law partner (up to 22 years of age)
• Dependent children of own dependent children and dependent children of dependent children of accompanying spouse/common-law partner

No, it does not. The applicant, however, should be performing or have performed duties of the occupation they are claiming points for.

While this is not required, it does give the applicant up to 15 points which enhances their eligibility chances.

Also, note that, depending upon the job, the Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) gives points between 50 and 200 to applicants with a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.

To do that, you should:

• Get a valid job offer.
• Check which CRS points you can claim eligibility for and go for that. Let’s say you have foreign education that is eligible in Canada. You can claim Educational Credential Assessment for it.
• Get an eligible academic credential and/or work in Canada.
• As you can retake the language test as many times as you want, you should prepare well for it and keep taking it till your score is good enough.
• In case your spouse/partner has a higher CRS score, you should have them as the principal applicant.

Yes. An adaptability factor is in play here.

The candidate is given points if they or an accompanying spouse/partner either has a close relative who is a citizen or permanent resident (currently residing) of Canada.

This close relative must be a/an:

• Child
• Parent
• Sibling
• Aunt or uncle
• Niece or nephew
• Grandchild
• Grandparent

Each year, an estimated 110,000 new immigrants are aimed for by the IRCC through the Express Entry system, mostly under the FSWP and the Canadian Experience Class program.

The IRCC has designated certain third-party language testers and you can take either English or French language tests through any of these.

The minimum requirements on your test/s are:

• Speaking and listening – CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5  in French
• Reading and writing – CLB 4 in English or NCLC 4 in French

Note that in case you get an ITA, your test results should be within two years of the day of submission of your application for permanent residency.

The FSTP certificate of qualification shows that the certified person is qualified to perform a skilled trade in Canada. To achieve this, they have cleared the requisite exam and meet all the needs of practising the trade in a particular territory or province.

This certificate will be issued by:

• A body that governs trade in the particular territory or province

OR

A federal government authority

In Canada, provinces and territories are constitutionally responsible for providing education and training. They set the requirements for the practice of a skilled trade within their jurisdiction.

If you want to practice a skilled trade in a particular territory or province, its regulatory body will bear the responsibility of assessing your eligibility to write the certifying exam in terms of your skills, trade experience and training.

In all probability, you will have to visit your chosen territory or province to sit for the certifying exam. Prior to taking the exam, you will also require a Canadian employer to train you and give you the requisite work experience.

Some trades, like airplane mechanics, are not regulated by a province or territory. These usually fall under federal regulations.

No, it is not. It will be required if you do not have a certificate of qualification in your skilled trade from a Canadian province or territory.

• It should be full-time employment from up to two employers in Canada.
• It should be for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
• It must be for at least a one year time period.

While there are exceptions, most job offers need LMIA by the federal government. This helps them to verify that hiring foreign nationals will not impact the Canadian job market adversely.

Under this, you can only use the trade work experience if you were qualified to practice it in the region you got it from.

Note that via the Express Entry system, your chances of getting permanent residency in Canada are amplified. If you are in the Express Entry pool, you have the chance of getting a provincial nomination even with a low CRS score.

You get 600 extra points if you have a provincial nomination. This almost surely promises an ITA for permanent residency.

Creating an Express Entry profile is free. You can easily create a profile here while applying to other immigration programs too.

Yes, you do. In case your family is accompanying you, you have to show that you have adequate funds to support them too once you complete permanent residence landing in Canada. If you have an eligible job offer and can legally work in Canada, this requirement is waived off.

The Canadian Constitution holds the federal government and provinces and territories responsible with regard to the selection and settlement of new immigrants.

The federal immigration department, IRCC, administers and manages the overall immigration system, which includes the Express Entry system along with other programs, like the FSTP.

Most provinces and territories have their own selection programs for skilled workers.

For example, Quebec has its own system, while almost all other provinces and territories follow the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Under this program, each province/territory can ‘nominate’ candidates who meet their requirements. These nominated candidates’ permanent residence applications are processed by the IRCC.

A provincial nomination can be had in two ways:

1. Via direct application to a province or territory’s PNP.
2. Through the Express Entry pool – this is possible if you stand eligibility for the FSTP or any other program and are able to receive an invitation by a province or territory to apply to their PNP. If you get the invitation, you get an extra 600 CRS points. This will almost guarantee your chance of getting a permanent residency invitation by the IRCC.

Yes, but only if you intend to reside outside of Quebec.

No, just ensure you get work experience which falls under the eligibility criteria of the CEC.

Yes, albeit for that you have to meet its eligibility criteria.

No, so long as you successfully obtain an immigration invitation under the CEC.

These requirements are dependent on the job type.

There are four language abilities- reading, writing, listening, and speaking – that you need to meet the requirements of.

• If you are working in a NOC skill level job 0 or A – your Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) should be 7.
• If you are working in a NOC skill level job B, your CLB should be at least 5.

• Your work duration should be at least 12 months of full time/an equivalent amount of part time in a skilled job in Canada.
• Your work experience should be within the three years of your application.
• These 12 months of work experience are counted as at least 1,560 hours of skilled work.

Jobs are classified by the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) as follows:

• Skill Level 0 comprises managerial jobs.
• Skill Type A comprises professional jobs.
• Skill Type B comprises technical jobs and skilled trades.

No.

There are no education requirements under the CEC. You can get additional CRS points if you study in an eligible Canadian educational program or in an eligible overseas program supported by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

The PGWP is an ‘open’ work permit. This means you can work for any employer. If you are a former international student and hold a PGWP, you can switch jobs or employers and will still be considered eligible for the CEC if you have eligible work experience.

• One year of full time work is calculated as 30 hours of work per week X 12 months = 1,560 hours = 1 year of full-time employment

OR

• An equivalent amount of work (1,560 hours) in part-time work, like:

• 15 hours of work per week for 24 months(2 years) = 1,560 hours = 1 year of full-time employment
• 30 hours of work per week for 12 months (1 year) at more than 1 job = 1,560 hours = 1 year of full-time employment

If you work for more or less than 15 hours per week in part-time roles, if it adds up to 1,560 hours, that too is considered as work. However, if you work more than 30 hours per week, the IRCC does not count those hours.