All about Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker Program

Posted on August 4, 2021

An aspiring individual with relevant skilled work experience in their resume may qualify for immigrating to Canada via Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). It is one of the most popular Canadian permanent residence visa programs among foreign nationals. People can apply for a PR visa in Canada via FSWP and move with their dependent children and spouse/common-law partner within 8-12 months.

As mentioned, it’s a part of the Express Entry System, designed by the Immigration, Refugee, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for managing PR applications from skilled applicants. Under this program, the IRCC follows a point-based selection system,and the candidates who apply for a Canada PR visa must meet specific eligibility requirements.

Let’s talk about the key criteria to qualify for Federal Skilled Worker Program

Minimum Eligibility Criteria

As an interested applicant, you must prove your eligibility by meeting the minimum requirement for:

Skilled Work experience– At least one year of experience gained in past ten years in an occupation listed under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level A, B or O. It has to be a steady, paid job either full-time or equal amount of part-time.
English or French language proficiency- You must take an approved language test and obtain at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four language abilities (reading, writing, listening and speaking).
Education-You must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a secondary or post-secondary education institution and submit an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for education completed outside of Canada.

FSW Points-Grid

The FSWP has a different points grid that helps assess the eligibility of all the applicants for the Federal Skilled Worker Program based on six selection factors. The IRCC evaluate applicants and award them with a score out of 100.

To qualify under FSWP, you must score a minimum of 67 points on the following factors:

Language skills points- Maximum 28 Points
Education points- Maximum 25 Points
Work experience points- Maximum 15 Points
Age points- Maximum 12 Points
Arranged employment in Canada points- Maximum 10 Points
Adaptability points- Maximum 10 Points

Supporting Documents

You must have all the required documents to provide evidence for the information mentioned in your Express Entry profile. The IRCC asks you to submit documents at different stages.

Here’s a list of supporting documents you need while applying under FSWP:

A passport or any other travel document
Valid language test report
Education certificates with ECA report for education obtained outside of Canada
Employment Certificates (Previous and Current Employer)
Date of birth proof and recent photographs

Once you get an ITA, you must submit the following documents:

Police Clearance Certificate
Medical Examination Report
Proof of Funds as proof that you can financially support yourself and your family members in Canada
Other documents, as asked by the IRCC

Boost CRS scores

To get an ITA (Invitation to Apply), you must be among the highest-ranking candidates and score the minimum required CRS points per the individual Express Entry round.

For estimating yourCRS score, you may use our online Canada CRS Points Calculator. If your scores are not up to the mark as per the latest trend, you may improve your CRS scores.

To boost your CRS score, you may:

Retake language test and aim to score CLB 9 or above
Gain more relevant work experience, i.e., 8 years or more
Apply for Provincial Nomination and get 600 additional points
Complete higher education
Make your skilled spouse or partner a primary applicant

Now that you have understood the key criteria to work upon, you may start your Canadian immigration process with an expert by your side. For more information, you may reach us on a Toll-Free No. 78-18-000-777 or may take our free profile assessment to discover your eligibility for Canada PR.