The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.
Eligibility Criteria for the Federal Skilled Trades Class:
To be eligible, you must:
Language ability
• meet the required language levels for each language ability (Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, CLB 4 for reading and writing)
Education
There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. But, if you want to improve your rank in the Express Entry pool, there are 2 ways you can do this.
• if you went to school in Canada, you can get points for a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian
o secondary (high school) or
o post-secondary school
or
• If you have foreign education, you can get points for
o a completed foreign credential and
o an Educational Credential Assessment report from an approved agency showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
secondary (high school) or
post-secondary school
Skilled work experience
• have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply
• meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification, except for needing a certificate of qualification
• have a
o valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or
o certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
• be able to demonstrate the skills and experience and that they have performed the essential duties of the occupation.
*A certificate of qualification proves that a foreign national is qualified to work in a skilled trade occupation in Canada. With a certificate of qualification, applicants prove they have passed a certification exam or met all the requirements to practice their trade in a specific province or territory.
Skilled work experience
Skilled work experience eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Class falls under the following categories of the National Occupational Classification (NOC):
• Major Group 72: industrial, electrical and construction trades,
• Major Group 73: maintenance and equipment operation trades,
• Major Group 82: supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production,
• Major Group 92: processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators,
• Minor Group 632: chefs and cooks, and
• Minor Group 633: butchers and bakers.
Proof of funds
You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada.
Note: You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers.
