Federal Skilled Worker

Federal Skilled Worker Program

Canada is one of the most prominent immigration destinations in the world. Like any other developed country, it offers its citizens superb working opportunities along with extremely high living standards. That is why it is highly regarded in the international immigrant community. The recently established Express Entry program has made immigration to Canada easier than ever before, particularly for skilled professionals with sufficient qualifications and working experience.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is easily the most popular immigration stream in the entire Express Entry program. It is exclusively meant for working professionals whose occupation is in-demand in any or all of Canada’s many provinces. Skill and professional expertise as well as experience are the primary concerns of the FSWP. Applicants are assessed across a range of criteria for their abilities and potential to directly contribute in terms of workforce power to the regional and national economy and the best are chosen for entry into Canada as permanent residents.

Currently Canada has 347 high demand occupations, most of which are processed through the Express Entry stream. FSW offers a swift method of obtaining a Permanent Resident (PR) Visa for Canada. Though the eligibility criteria for FSW is rather relaxed, when compared to the immigration requirements of developed countries across the world, the sheer bulk of applications received each year make successful selection a challenge in itself. You would have to score highly and distinguish your application in order to get selected via the FSWP stream of the Express Entry program.

Eligibility/Requirements for Federal Skilled Worker Program

The following is a list of requirements necessary to be able to apply for immigration to Canada through the Express Entry program. Please note that these criteria are subject to change without prior notification so it is advised to stay abreast with the latest developments in this industry:

• Candidates applying through the Express Entry program are required to have a minimum of 1 year of experience in a full-time capacity in their relevant job field.
• Candidates need to identify their occupation in one of three National Occupation Classification categories – Skill Type 0 (Managerial Occupations), Skill Level 1 (Professional Occupations) or Skill Level B (Technical Occupations and Skilled Trades).
• All candidates must score a least 67 points under skill assessment grid comprising all factors.
• Applicants should ideally have a full time job offer letter from a Canadian employer and must also qualify the Labour Market Impact Assessment
• As Canada has two official languages, a candidate is required to have proficiency in at least one and showcase the same by obtaining a language proficiency of 7 as per the Canadian Language Benchmark.
• In addition, applicants must also show that they have enough funds to support themselves and their dependants for at least 3 months after moving to Canada.

It is possible to move to Canada without a job offer as well. But for that there must be a high demand for your skill set and you must show you have enough funds to support yourself and your dependants during the job search process.

Basic Steps to apply for Federal Skilled Worker Program

The following list is a step-by step guide to Canada immigration through the FSW stream:

• Create an Express Entry profile, Apply as a skilled worker make an Expression of Interest (EOI) and submit it to CIC.
• The Express Entry profile you created will be ranked in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
• If you are able to pass the minimum clearance score, then the Canada immigration authorities will send you an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for PR in Canada.
• Once selected, you will need to submit health and police clearance certificates as well as other security checks. Thereafter, you will need to submit an application for approval to Canada immigration.
• Your application will be reviewed by a visa officer.
• If approved, you will be required to pay the permanent residency fee and request your passport.
• Finally, you would be able to move to Canada with your family and begin a new life.

Selection factors of Federal Skilled Worker Program

The first and foremost of the selection criteria is that applicants must clear the minimum pass mark of 67. The following lists will give you an idea of how much you can score in this assessment according to your profile particulars.

Factor 1: Age (Maximum Points 12)