Federal Skilled Worker

Your pathway to Permanent Residence in Canada, and by far the most popular economic immigration program in Canada, processed through the Express Entry system.

About the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) was launched back in 1967 as a program allowing the Government of Canada to select skilled immigrants from all over the world. The FSW became the world’s first point-based program that allowed the Government of Canada to use objective criteria to rank and evaluate candidates aiming to immigrate to Canada.

In fact, the Federal Skilled Worker Program is by far the most popular Economic Immigration Program in Canada. The FSW program extends Permanent Resident status to qualifying people who have never been to Canada, don’t have Canadian Work experience, never studied in Canada, or even have a relative who can sponsor them. So, if you’re wondering how to immigrate to Canada from India, Qatar, Nigeria, Pakistan, or any other country, the answer is quite straightforward - the Federal Skilled Worker Program may be your best option for immigrating to Canada.

Under the Federal Skilled Worker program, all candidates are assigned a certain number of points for their age, level of education, English or French language abilities, foreign work experience, primary occupation, arranged employment in Canada, and adaptability factors. Since January 2015, all Federal Skilled Worker applications are now processed through the Express Entry system, an electronic application management system used by IRCC to process applications for Permanent Residence in Canada.

FSW may be your best pathway to PR if you are…

Skilled Foreign Worker

You must have at least 12 months of continuous work experience in a skilled occupation (TEER 0, 1, 2, 3) within the past 10 years, obtained in Canada or abroad.

Proficient in English or French

You must know at least one of Canada’s official languages with CLB/NCLC 5 in Speaking and Listening and CLB/NCLC 4 in Reading and Writing.

Well-Educated

You must have secondary or post-secondary education in Canada or abroad (and obtain an Educational Credential Assessment)

How to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry?

Express Entry is a system used by IRCC to manage, select, and process applications for foreign nationals who want to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada. Express Entry is used to manage the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades (FST), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program.

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program you must score at least 67 points under the Federal Skilled Worker Points Grid. Points are assigned for a number of selection factors. The full list of Federal Skilled Worker selection factors is provided below:

Language - up to 28 points

It is required that all Federal Skilled Worker program applicants know at least one of Canada’s official languages, either English or French. IRCC will assess your language abilities through one of the official language tests:

  • IELTS General Training

  • CELPIP General

  • PTE Core

  • TEF: Test d’évaluation de français

  • TCF: Test de connaissance du français.

You can get a maximum of 28 FSW points for your English or French language skills. The number of points depends on your language test scores. IRCC uses CLB (for English language) and NCLC (for French language) Benchmarks. You must achieve a minimum CLB 7 or NCLC 7 level for one of the official languages in each of the 4 abilities: writing, listening, reading, and speaking.

Age - up to 12 points

You can get a maximum of 12 FSW points for your age. If you’re under 18 years of age, or over 45 years old, you will not get any FSW points for the age factor.

Education - up to 25 points

You get 5 points if you completed high school, 21 points with a Bachelor’s degree, 23 points with a Master’s, and 25 points with a Doctoral Degree.

Job Offer - up to 10 points

If you obtained a qualified job offer from a Canadian employer, you may receive up to 10 points on the Federal Skilled Worker points grid. However, you must remember that:

  1. Your job offer must be for continuous, paid, full-time work (minimum of 30 hours/week) that is:

    • not seasonal; and

    • for at least 1 year.

  2. The Canadian job offer must be for an occupation listed as TEER 0,1,2 or 3, within the National Occupation Classification (NOC 2021).

  3. You must be able to prove that you’re able to do the job offered to you by the Canadian Employer and that you will be able to obtain any necessary licenses or certifications upon arriving in Canada (if the job is regulated in Canada)

Work Experience - up to 15 points

You can get up to 15 FSW points for your work experience in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 skill level. To determine if your work experience falls into TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3, you will need to match your actual main job duties with the duties associated with a corresponding position in the National Occupation Classification system. We also do a lot of consultations with people to confirm their proper NOC.

Adaptability - up to 10 points

You can get extra points for your spouse’s qualifications, previous work or study in Canada, and arranged employment.

Do not confuse the FSW points and the CRS points.

The FSW Points determine your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

The CRS Points are used to rank eligible candidates across FSW, FST, and CEC programs in the Express Entry Pool of Candidates.

If you meet the minimum FSW eligibility (score 67 out of 100 FSW points), you’ll be allowed to create a Profile in the Express Entry pool. Once you have your Profile, you will then compete with other eligible candidates for an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Only the highest-ranked candidates will receive an Invitation to submit their formal application for Permanent Residence.

You do not have to score the 67 FSW Points if you qualify for FST or CEC.

How does the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program work?

To apply for Canadian Permanent Residence under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you must go through a complex and lengthy process. In general, the process for immigrating to Canada through the Federal Skilled Worker Program consists of 5 steps:

Step 1 - Check your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker program.

You must meet the minimum requirements of the FSW program before you can proceed to the next steps in your immigration journey. IRCC uses FSW selection factor points to assess whether you are eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. You must have a minimum of one year of continuous, full-time, paid foreign work experience, meet minimum language thresholds and score at least 67 out of 100 total points under the FSW selection factor grid to be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Eligibility allows you to enter the Express Entry pool.

Step 2 - Create an Express Entry Profile.

Once you create the Express Entry Profile, you will be assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System score (also known as a CRS score). The CRS score is a different system used by IRCC to rank your profile against other eligible candidates. The CRS score is based on a number of factors including your age, post-secondary education, English or French language skills, foreign and Canadian work experience, marital status, adaptability factors, and provincial nomination. You can get a maximum of 1200 CRS points in the Express Entry System.

Step 3 - Wait for the Invitation to Apply (ITA).

All applicants with a valid Express Entry profile are automatically added to a pool of candidates and are ranked based on their CRS score. Approximately twice a month IRCC issues an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to the highest-ranked candidates in the Express Entry pool.

Step 4 - Prepare and submit an Electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).

Once you receive an Invitation to Apply you must prepare and submit an Electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR). You will have only 60 days to collect all supporting documents, complete the immigration application forms, and submit your eAPR.

Step 5 - Receive your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and complete your landing in Canada.

If and when your application for Permanent Residence in Canada is approved, you will need to complete your landing process in Canada. For Citizens of countries that require a visa to come to Canada, and are outside Canada, you must be issued a PR Visa in your passport before you can travel to Canada. Only after officially completing your landing procedure will you obtain Permanent Resident status in Canada.

The main benefits of the Express Entry system…

Point-based program: Know your chances upfront

With Express Entry you can estimate your chances for an ITA and getting PR in Canada even before you apply and pay application processing fees.

Completely online: No more mailing in your documents

Applying for FSW program through the Express Entry system, you complete the whole application online from start to finish.

Fast-tracked: Designed to be "Express”

The service standard for FSW and other economic immigration programs processed through the Express Entry system is just around 6 months.

One-Touch Policy

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada makes the FSW Express Entry process seem easy and straightforward. However, many challenges can arise in the course of preparing your application for Permanent Residence in Canada. With IRCC’s "One-touch Policy" even a single minor mistake can lead to a refusal and you may lose your chance of immigration to Canada forever.
We are here to help you avoid this risk!

Express Entry DIY Course & Masterclass

Approved for 5 CPD hours with CICC

Preparing your own Express Entry application may be quite challenging - you’ll need to collect numerous forms, supporting documents, and make sure there are no inconsistencies in your information. That is why, it might be a great idea to retain an immigration lawyer to go with you over your application and proofread it before you send it off to IRCC. However, not all applicants can afford the legal fees for retaining an immigration lawyer in Canada…

This is why we created a complete video Express Entry guide and instructions. This is a video course that will take you step by step through the process of preparing and submitting your application.

This Express Entry Course is a one of a kind online immigration lawyer guided course that is full of video tutorials, checklists, templates, and sample documents all designed to make your Express Entry process as effortless as possible while giving you the tools you need to ensure your application is prepared correctly the first time because there are rarely second chances.

Frequently Asked Questions

You probably still have many questions about Express Entry. We’ve got some answers for you here:

  • The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program is a Federal Economic Immigration Program processed through Canada's Express Entry immigration system, designed for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.

  • To qualify for the FSW Program, you must have at least one year of full-time skilled work experience, meet the minimum language ability in English or French, and obtain at least 67 FSW points under the program's eligibility criteria, which assess factors such as your age, education, work experience, and adaptability.

  • Federal Skilled Worker applicants must score at least CLB 7/NCLC 7 in listening, reading, writing, and speaking in English or French. To prove your language abilities you need to take IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, PTE Core, TEF, or TCF language test exams.

  • Express Entry is a system used to process the applications submitted through the Federal Skilled Workers program. It involves creating a profile and being entered into a pool of Express Entry candidates. Your Express Entry profile is ranked based on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. High-ranking candidates are then invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

  • The processing time for a Federal Skilled Worker application through Express Entry typically ranges from 6 months to one year, although times can vary based on individual circumstances. IRCC is working hard to ensure that most Expressp Entry applications are processed in 6 months.

  • The main difference is the requirement for Canadian work experience. The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is aimed at those with at least one year of work experience in Canada, whereas the Federal Skilled Worker program is open to those with at least one year of skilled work experience from anywhere in the world. You don’t need to have Canadian skilled work experience to qualify for FSW.

  • Yes, under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you can include your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children in your application for Canadian permanent residence.

  • Benefits include access to a stable and inclusive job market, a high quality of life in Canada, healthcare benefits, and the opportunity to apply for Canadian citizenship after meeting residency requirements. This is also by far the most popular immigration program in Canada

  • The processing fee for Express Entry application is $950, and right of permanent residence fee is $575 for one adult applicant. The processing fee for your dependent children will be $260 per child. You also need to factor in the $85 biometric fee.
    When applying for Permanent Residence in Canada through Federal Skilled Worker program you also must have enough money in your bank account to demonstrate your ability for financially establish yourself in Canada. This amount changes every year.

  • You can improve your CRS score by gaining additional work experience, improving your language scores, obtaining higher education, or receiving a provincial nomination which grants additional points. Speak to one of our lawyers to identify your best strategy to get PR in Canada.

  • Essential documents for the FSW application include passports, language test results (IELTS, CELPIP, PTE, TEF, or TCF), educational credential assessments (ECA), work experience letters, police certificates, proof of funds, and medical exams.

  • To get an ECA, you must have your foreign education assessed by an organization recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), such as WES, CES, or ICAS.

  • Jobs that qualify are categorized under Canada’s 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) as TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. These are managerial, professional, or technical jobs.

  • Yes, you can apply for FSW without a job offer in Canada. However, having a valid job offer can increase your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, enhancing your chances of receiving an invitation to apply (ITA).

  • While there are no official age limits, the CRS awards more points to applicants between the ages of 20 and 29. CRS points decrease gradually as applicants age beyond this range.

  • To prove work experience for Express Entry you must provide reference letters from your employers that outline your positions, duties, and duration of employment, ensuring that they match the NOC descriptions.

  • After receiving an ITA, you have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence, including all supporting documents.

  • No, you do not need a lawyer to apply for Express Entry. The process is designed to be straightforward enough for individuals to apply on their own. However, you should carefully consider reaching out to a lawyer to avoid making any mistakes in your Express Entry application. Our lawyers will help you navigate the process, ensure accuracy in your application, and advise you on the best strategy forward.