Express Entry

Federal Skilled Worker (Professional) Immigration

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) applications are assessed based on an applicant’s ability to become economically established upon immigrating to Canada. Skilled workers usually apply through a point-based system. From January 1, 2015, Federal Skilled Worker applications are being processed through the Express Entry selection system. Candidates eligible under the Federal Skilled Worker Program must first make an expression of interest for immigrating to Canada by creating an online Express Entry profile.

To qualify, you must meet the minimum requirements for:

• Skilled work experience
• Language proficiency
• Education

Skilled Work Experience

To qualify as skilled work experience, you should have worked in one of the following National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER categories:

• TEER 0
• TEER 1
• TEER 2
• TEER 3

Key Points About Skilled Work Experience:

• Your primary occupation’s duties should match the lead statement in the NOC occupational description, covering essential and most main duties.
• Skilled work experience must be in the same NOC as your intended job for immigration.
• Experience should be within the last ten years, in Canada or abroad, and paid.
• It should amount to at least one year of continuous work or 1,560 total hours (equivalent to 30 hours per week).

Ways to Meet the Work Experience Requirement:

• Full-time at one job: 30 hours/week for 12 months equals 1 year full-time (1,560 hours).
• Equivalent part-time work: for example, 15 hours/week for 24 months equals 1 year full-time (1,560 hours). You can combine multiple part-time jobs to fulfill this.
• Full-time at multiple jobs: 30 hours/week for 12 months across multiple jobs equals 1 year full-time (1,560 hours).

Part-time Work Experience:

• Part-time work must be paid, excluding volunteer work or unpaid internships.
• Hours worked can vary, as long as they add up to 1,560 hours. You can have more than one part-time job.
• Hours exceeding 30/week are not considered.

Student Work Experience:

• Work done during studies can count if it was paid, continuous, and meets all other program requirements.

Language Proficiency

You are required to:

• Take approved language tests in English or French for:
  • Writing
  • Reading
  • Listening
  • Speaking
• Achieve the minimum score required in all four abilities
• Add the test results to your Express Entry profile

Your language tests remain valid for two years from the test date and must be valid when you apply for permanent residence.

Education

If you attended school in Canada, you should possess a certificate, diploma, or degree from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or post-secondary institution.

For foreign education, you need to have a completed educational credential and an Educational Credential Assessment for immigration purposes. This assessment must be from a designated organization and demonstrate that your education is equivalent to a completed certificate, diploma, or degree from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or post-secondary institution.

Federal Skilled Trades Program

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for people who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.

To be eligible, all minimum requirements must be met for:

• Skilled trades work experience
• Job offer or certificate of qualification
• Language ability

Skilled Trades Work Experience:

• Have at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the five years before you apply.

Your work experience should fall within one of the following NOC groups:

• 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, as well as utilities operators and controllers
• Major Group 93: Central control and process operators, 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

Job offer or certificate of qualification

• Meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC), except for needing a certificate of qualification.
• Have an offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial or territorial authority. The provincial, territorial, or federal authority needs to evaluate your training, trade experience, and skills to determine your eligibility to take a certification exam in order to obtain a certificate.

CEC

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is an immigration category for Canada’s temporary foreign workers who wish to become permanent residents. Temporary foreign workers are ideal candidates for Canadian immigration (permanent residency). Having obtained Canadian work experience, these individuals have already adapted to the Canadian way of life and have established important networks in their communities and careers.

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is an immigration category for Canada’s temporary foreign workers who wish to become permanent residents.

Canadian Experience Class applications are processed through the express entry selection system for immigration to Canada. Eligible candidates must make an expression of interest in immigrating to Canada, create an online Express Entry profile, and receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence before they may make an application.

To qualify, you need to meet the following minimum requirements for:

• Canadian skilled work experience
• Language proficiency

Canadian Skilled Work Experience:

You Should:

• Have at least 1 year of work experience in Canada (or an equivalent amount of part-time experience) in the 3 years prior to your application.
• Have acquired your work experience while authorized to work in Canada under temporary resident status.
• Demonstrate that you performed the duties outlined in the lead statement of the occupational description in the National Occupational Classification (NOC), including:

1. All essential duties
2. Most of the main duties

Skilled work experience entails paid work in one or more of the following NOC Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) categories:

• TEER 0
• TEER 1
• TEER 2
• TEER 3

You are not eligible for the Canadian Experience Class if:

• You claimed refugee in Canada
• You are working without authorization
• Your work experience was gained illegally or without valid status
• Applicants can remain in Canada throughout the application process. However, the Canadian Experience Class is also open to individuals who are no longer in Canada, provided that they submit their application within two years of leaving their job in Canada.