The Federal Skilled Worker Program is the leading economic immigration pathway that gives skilled workers and their accompanying partners and dependents the opportunity to become permanent residents in Canada. You must be intending to live outside the province of Quebec as Quebec selects its own skilled workers.
The first step is making an expression of interest in wanting to immigrate to Canada, which is done by creating an Express Entry profile online. The foreign national inputs their information and based on their qualifications, they are given a score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This score determines their ranking in the pool of other eligible candidates. You can increase your score while in the pool by following these tips (link to Tips on Improving CRS score page). Those with the highest scores receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from the Government of Canada.
Minimum Eligibility Criteria
Before proceeding to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, foreign nationals can check whether they meet the minimum eligibility requirements, which are as follows:
- One year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience or 1,560 hours within the last 10 years in a skilled occupation as classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A or B
- Language proficiency that is equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 across all 4 abilities (reading, writing, listening, speaking) in either English or French, and
- Canadian educational credential (degree, diploma, and/or certificate) or a foreign credential, which must be accompanied with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report to validate it
Furthermore, in order to qualify under the FSWP, the foreign national must also meet the minimum requirements of the program and attain at least 67 points out of a total of 100. Take a look at the chart below of the selection factors that are assessed along with the points earned for each:
Factors | Points |
---|---|
Education | Up to 25 points |
Language Skills | Up to 28 points |
Work Experience | Up to 15 points |
Age | Up to 12 points |
Arranged Employment | Up to 10 points |
Adaptability | Up to 10 points |
Settlement Funds
Proof that you have funds to become economically established in Canada will be required if you are invited to apply. However, this requirement is waived for foreign nationals if they have a valid offer or arranged employment and/or are currently authorized to work in Canada.
See below the settlement funds chart that is required for each family size:
Number of Family Members | Funds Required (In Canadian dollars) |
---|---|
1 | $13,213 |
2 | $16,449 |
3 | $20,222 |
4 | $24,553 |
5 | $27,847 |
6 | $31,407 |
7 | $34,967 |
Each additional family member | $3,560 |
The figures above are up to update for 2021.
Medical Examination & Admissibility
All Federal Skilled Worker candidates are encouraged by the IRCC to have themselves and their dependents complete a medical examination upon receiving their ITA. These must be valid both at the time of applying for permanent residency and when arriving in Canada.
Furthermore, to prove they are admissible to enter Canada, a police clearance must also be obtained as part of the immigration application process.
Processing Time
The processing time for a Federal Skilled Worker application is six months or less. However, we recommend getting in touch with us to get the most up to date timeline.
Processing Fees
The chart below is a breakdown of the fees one can expect for applying under this program:
Application | Cost (CAD) |
---|---|
Principal applicant ($550 processing fee + $490 right of permanent residence fee) | $1,040 |
Spouse or common-law partner ($550 processing fee + $490 right of permanent residence fee) | $1,040 |
A dependent child of the principal applicant who is under 22 and is not a spouse or common-law partner, or is 22 or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition | $150 per child |