Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST)
- Permanent Residence
- Open
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SUMMARY
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.
You should first create an Express Entry profile (➨page). Under the Express Entry system, applicants will be invited to apply for permanent residence based on the information they enter in an online profile. You cannot apply directly to this program unless you are invited to apply.
Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.
ّFSA
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
1- Work Experience
You must have equivalent of two (2) years work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the five (5) years before you apply.
Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) (➨Appendix 1):
- Major Group 72, Technical Trades and Transportation Officers and Controllers (excluding Sub-Major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers)
- Major Group 73, General Trades
- Major Group 82, Supervisors in Natural Resources, Agriculture and Related Production
- Major Group 83, Occupations in Natural Resources and Related Production
- Major Group 92, Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities Supervisors, and Utilities Operators and Controllers
- Major Group 93, Central Control and Process Operators and Aircraft Assembly Assemblers and Inspectors (excluding Sub-Major Group 932, Aircraft Assemblers and Aircraft Assembly Inspectors)
- Minor Group 6320, Cooks, Butchers and Bakers
- Unit Group 62200, Chefs
2- Language Ability
You must have an approved test results taken within the past two (2) years and have obtained a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark CLB 4 in Reading and Writing and CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening in English or French (➨Appendix 5).
3- Job Offer OR Certificate of Qualification
A- Valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one (1) year
- made by one or maximum of two employers
- for continuous, paid, full-time work (at least 30 hours a week)
- for at least one year
- in a skilled trade occupation (jobs with Skilled Trades NOC codes listed above)
The LMIA verifies that Canadian labour market has a need for this type of worker, and that your employer(s) have tried to hire a Canadian or permanent resident first.
In some cases, your employer does not need an LMIA to support your job offer.
B- Certificate of qualification in the skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
This certificate is issued by the body that governs trades in a Canadian province or territory, or by a federal authority.
A certificate of qualification proves that a person is qualified to work in a certain skilled trade in Canada. This means that they have passed a certification exam and meet all the requirements to practice their trade in that province or territory.
Depending on which body or authority issues it, this certificate may be called a “certificate of qualification” or a “qualification certificate”.
The regulatory body that governs trades in a province or territory must assess your training, trade experience and skills and decides if you are eligible to write an exam to be certified.
4- Settlement Funds
You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada based on 50% of Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) (➨Appendix 2), unless you are currently able to legally work in Canada or you have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada.
5- Ineligibility
You are not eligible to apply under the Federal Skilled Trades program if you are a refugee claimant in Canada, a failed refugee claimant, had a removal order, are prohibited from entering or being in Canada, do not have status in Canada or are living illegally in your country of residence.
Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.
FMRA
WHAT STEPS SHOULD YOU TAKE?
Step 1: Get a Job Offer or Qualification Certificate
Before you can submit your application under the “Federal Skilled Trades Program”, you must have one of the following:
- Valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one(1) year; or
- Certificate of qualification in the skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
For the valid job offer, if you don’t already have one, with the criteria explained in “Minimum Requirements”, you need to find an employer and secure the job for yourself.
A certificate of qualification proves that you are qualified to work in a certain skilled trade in Canada. This means that you have passed a certification exam and meet all the requirements to practice their trade in that province or territory.
This certificate is issued by the body that governs trades in a Canadian province or territory, or by a federal authority.
Depending on which body or authority issues it, this certificate may be called a “certificate of qualification” or a “qualification certificate”.
To get a certificate of qualification, you
- will likely have to physically go to the specific province or territory to write the certification exam. Please make sure that your trade in the specific province or territory has qualification exam.
- may need an employer in Canada to give you training and work experience before you are allowed to write the exam.
To find provincial, territorial or federal regulatory body for your occupation:
- Go to this page (➨immilib.com/CICIC)
- Enter the title of your occupation or NOC Code (First make sure your trade is eligible under Skilled Trades Program) and search for your occupation.
- Click on your Occupation Name.
You will see the list of Federal and Provincial Regulatory Authorities and contact information including their websites. Use the information to contact the regulatory authority in the province or territory in which you wish settle. It can provide detailed information on the requirements to assess your qualification, to obtain a Certification of Qualification as well as a licence to practise.
Step 2: Create Express Entry Profile
If you meet the minimum requirements, you may create an Express Entry Profile for yourself (➨page).
Your Express Entry profile is an online system where you submit information about yourself to the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada.
Once accepted into the pool of candidates, you’ll be ranked in the Express Entry pool using a points-based system called Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) (➨page). Your score is based on the information in your profile. The highest-ranking candidates from the pool will be invited to apply for permanent residence. However there are occasional program-specific draws with a lower score. There have been 2 rounds of invitation per month in average.
Check your CRS score (➨page) and then compare with previous rounds of invitations to see how likely you are to get an invitation in the next round. You may calculate your score using the online CRS tool at (➨immilib.com/CRS-Tool).
If you’re not invited to apply within 12 months of submitting your Express Entry profile, it will automatically expire and removed from the system. You can still create a new profile. If your profile is about to expire, you can print out screen shots of your profile to make it easier to re-enter your data.
If you are invited to apply for permanent residence, you’ll get a message in your account telling you to apply. You will have sixty (60) days to submit a complete application, otherwise the invitation will expire and your profile will be removed from the pool.
| Recent Draws – Express Entry | |||
| Draw # | Date of Draw | No. of ITA | Min. Score |
| 295 | Apr 24, 2024 | 1400 | 410 |
| 294 | Apr 23, 2024 | 2095 | 529 |
| 293 | Apr 11, 2024 | 4500 | 491 |
| 292 | Apr 10, 2024 | 1280 | 549 |
| 291 | Mar 26, 2024 | 1500 | 388 |
| 290 | Mar 25, 2024 | 1980 | 524 |
| 289 | Mar 13, 2024 | 975 | 430 |
| 288 | Mar 12, 2024 | 2850 | 525 |
| 287 | Feb 29, 2024 | 2500 | 336 |
|
Updates and Complete list of previous Draws available at: immilib.com/EE-Draws | |||
Step 3: Submit your application online
You can only apply for permanent residence through Express Entry if you’ve received an invitation to apply.
Your Express Entry invitation to apply is valid for 60 days only. To apply, sign in to your account and click the link to apply for permanent residence under Express Entry.
Apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (if applicable)
For those of you who are currently in Canada on a valid work permit, once you submit your PR application, you may apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) (➨page). This will let you continue working on a valid work permit until your PR application is finalized.
| Permanent Residence Application | |
| Submit Online Application: | |
| IRCC Express Entry Profile | |
| Official Program Guide: | |
| immilib.com/FST-Guide | |
| IRCC Application Fees: | |
| Main applicant: | $950 |
| Spouse: | $950 |
| Each child: | $260 |
| RPRF main applicant: | $575 |
| RPRF spouse: | $575 |
| Biometrics: | $85 |
| (per person if applicable) | |
| Processing Time: | |
| Not Available | |
| Document Checklist: | |
| immilib.com/FST-Doc | |
| Contact: | |
|
1-888-242-2100 (in Canada) 1-613-944-4000 (outside Canada) Web Form: Visa Office: |
|
Step 4: Biometrics
During processing, you will be asked to submit your biometrics.
Step 5: Medical and Background Checks
Medical Check:
Instructions on how to get the medical exam done will be sent to you upon completion of selection based on the program’s eligibility criteria. You and your dependents must go for the medical exam within 30 days of receiving these instructions. Only an approved panel physician (➨immilib.com/PP) can do a complete medical exam for immigration reasons.
Once the exam is done, the physician will send the results to IRCC and will give you a document confirming that a medical exam is done.
Background Check:
Background check is a required procedure to verify your criminal and/or security background to ensure you are admissible to Canada. Criminality and Security together are background checks. Criminality check is performed by RCMP (Police Service of Canada), and Security by CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) and CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency).
Step 6: Landing in Canada
If your application is approved, you will be asked to pay your right of permanent residence fee if you haven’t already done so. You will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) and if you are from a country that requires a visa you will also be issued a permanent resident visa.
You will only become a Permanent Resident of Canada when you cross a Canadian port of entry. This is referred to as ‘landing in Canada’ (➨page).
You must land in Canada before the expiry date, which appears on your Canada Immigration Visa. Usually, the expiry date is one (1) year from the time medical examinations were completed. As this is not always the case, be sure to verify the expiry date as soon as the Canada Immigration Visa is received.
Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.
FWSYTA
WELCOME TO CANADA!
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