Federal skilled worker
In order to be eligible to submit an application in the Federal Skilled Worker Class, you have to meet the criteria in one of the two categories described below:
1. you have at least one year of continuous full time or equivalent paid work experience in the last ten years in at least one of the occupational categories identified in the Ministerial Instructions.
- 0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
- 0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
- 1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
- 1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
- 2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
- 2151 Architects
- 3111 Specialist Physicians
- 3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
- 3113 Dentists
- 3131 Pharmacists
- 3142 Physiotherapists
- 3152 Registered Nurses
- 3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
- 3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
- 3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
- 4151 Psychologists
- 4152 Social Workers
- 6241 Chefs
- 6242 Cooks
- 7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
- 7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
- 7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
- 7242 Industrial Electricians
- 7251 Plumbers
- 7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
- 7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
- 7371 Crane Operators
- 7372 Drillers & Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
- 8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
Please note that a maximum of 10,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications, without an offer of arranged employment, will be considered for processing each year. Within this limit, a maximum of 500 Federal Skilled Worker applications per National Occupation Classification (NOC) will be accepted for processing.
2. you have an offer of arranged employment in Canada (see Factor 5 below).
Your application will be assessed against a point system consisting of the six selection factors:
| Factor 1 | Education | Maximum 25 points |
| Factor 2 | Ability in English and or French | Maximum 24 points |
| Factor 3 | Experience | Maximum 21 points |
| Factor 4 | Age | Maximum 10 points |
| Factor 5 | Arranged employment in Canada | Maximum 10 points |
| Factor 6 | Adaptability | Maximum 10 points |
| Total | Maximum 100 points | |
| Pass Mark | 67 points |
The current pass mark is 67. Below is a detailed description of all factors that are to be assessed.
1. Education
Points are awarded for earned educational credentials as well as the number of years of full-time studies or full-time equivalent studies. To be awarded points, you must meet both stated criteria.
| Master’s or PhD AND at least 17 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 25 |
| Two or more university degrees at the Bachelor’s level AND at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 22 |
| A three-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 22 |
| A university degree of two years or more at the Bachelor’s level, AND at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 20 |
| A two-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 20 |
| A one-year university degree at the Bachelor’s level AND at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 15 |
| A one-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 15 |
| A one year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 12 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study | 12 |
| Secondary school (also called high school) | 5 |
2. Ability in English and or French
You must take a language proficiency test from a designated testing agency: English
- IELTS: International English Language Testing System (General Training test only)
- CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General test only)
French
- TEF: Test d’évaluation de français
Your test results must not be more than two years old at the time that you submit your application. Use the following table to determine how many points you will be awarded for your test scores with the International English Language Testing System (IELTS):
| Level |
Points (per ability) |
Test results for each ability | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Listening | Reading (General Training) |
Writing (General Training) |
||
| High | First official language: 4 | 6.5 – 9.0 | 7.5 – 9.0 | 6.5 – 9.0 | 6.5 – 9.0 |
| Second official language: 2 | |||||
| Moderate | Either official language: 2 | 5.5 – 6.0 | 5.5 – 7.0 | 5.0 – 6.0 | 5.5 – 6.0 |
| Basic | Either official language: 1 (maximum of 2) |
4.0 – 5.0 | 4.5 – 5.0 | 3.5 – 5.0 | 4.0 – 5.0 |
| No | 0 | Less than 4.0 | Less than 4.5 | Less than 3.5 | Less than 4.0 |
Use the following table to determine how many points you will be awarded for your test scores with the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP):
| Level |
Points (per ability) |
Test results for each ability | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Listening | Reading (General Training) |
Writing (General Training) |
||
| High | First official language: 4 | 4H 5 6 |
4H 5 6 |
4H 5 6 |
4H 5 6 |
| Second official language: 2 | |||||
| Moderate | Either official language: 2 | 3H 4L |
3H 4L |
3H 4L |
3H 4L |
| Basic | Either official language: 1 (maximum of 2) |
2H 3L |
2H 3L |
2H 3L |
2H 3L |
| No | 0 | 0 1 2L |
0 1 2L |
0 1 2L |
0 1 2L |
Use the following table to determine how many points you will be awarded for your test scores with the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF):
| Level |
Points (per ability) |
Test results for each ability | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking (expression orale) |
Listening (compré-hension orale) |
Reading (compré-hension écrite) |
Writing (Expression écrite) |
||
| High | First official language: 4 | Level 5 Level 6 (349 – 450 pts) |
Level 5 Level 6 (280 – 360 pts) |
Level 5 Level 6 (233 – 300 pts) |
Level 5 Level 6 (349 – 450 pts) |
| Second official language: 2 | |||||
| Moderate | Either official language: 2 | Level 4 (271 – 348 pts) |
Level 4 (217 – 279 pts) |
Level 4 (181 – 232 pts) |
Level 4 (271 – 348 pts) |
| Basic | Either official language: 1 (maximum of 2) |
Level 3 (181 – 270 pts) |
Level 3 (121 – 180 pts) |
Level 3 (121 – 180 pts) |
Level 3 (181 – 270 pts) |
| No | 0 | Level 0 Level1 Level2 (0-180 pts) |
Level 0 Level1 Level2 (0-144 pts) |
Level 0 Level1 Level2 (0-120 pts) |
Level 0 Level1 Level2 (0-180 pts) |
3. Work experience
You will earn points for the number of years you have spent in full-time (37.5 hours per week), paid work: 1 year – 15 points, 2 years – 17 points, 3 years – 19 points, 4 years – 21 points. You must also meet the following minimum work experience requirements to be eligible to apply as a skilled worker:
- You must have at least one year of full-time, paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time employment.
- Your work experience must be in an occupation of Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B of the Canadian National Occupation Classification (NOC). See below for instructions on determining the NOC category for your work experience.
- You must have had this experience within the last 10 years.
4. Age
Points are given for your age on the date that your complete application is received.
| Age | Points |
|---|---|
| 16 or under | 0 |
| 17 | 2 |
| 18 | 4 |
| 19 | 6 |
| 20 | 8 |
| 21-49 | 10 |
| 50 | 8 |
| 51 | 6 |
| 52 | 4 |
| 53 | 2 |
| 54 and over | 0 |
5. Arranged Employment
| If: | And: | Points |
|---|---|---|
| You are currently working in Canada on a work permit. | Your work permit is valid when you apply for a permanent resident visa and; Your employer has made an offer to give you a permanent job if your application is successful. Note: Your work permit must be valid at the time your permanent resident visa is issued. |
10 |
| You are currently working in Canada in a job that is LMO exempt under an international agreement or a significant benefit category (e.g. intra-company transferee). | Your work permit is valid when you apply for a permanent resident visa and; Your employer has made an offer to give you a permanent job if your application is successful. Note: Your work permit must be valid at the time your permanent resident visa is issued. |
10 |
| You do not currently have a work permit and you do not intend to work in Canada before you have been issued a permanent resident visa. | You have a full-time job offer that has been confirmed by HRSDC; Your employer has made an offer to give you a permanent job if your application is successful; and You meet all required Canadian licensing or regulatory standards associated with the job. |
10 |
6. Adaptability
| Adaptability criteria | Points |
|---|---|
A. Spouse or common-law partner’s level of education
|
3 – 5 |
B. Previous study in Canada:
|
5 |
C. Previous work in Canada:
|
5 |
D. Arranged employment:
|
5 |
E. Relatives in Canada:
|
5 |
In addition to the selection factors mentioned above, the applicant must also have sufficient funds available for settlement in Canada pursuant to R76(1)(b)(i). If your point total is less than 67, Immigration Regulations make possible substituted evaluation by an officer. This authority may be used if the point total is not a sufficient indicator of whether or not you may become economically established in Canada. The scope of what an officer might consider as relevant cannot be limited by a prescribed list of factors. The fact that you almost attained 67 points is not, in itself, grounds for substituted evaluation. Substituted evaluation must not to be confused with humanitarian and compassionate authority, which enables the Minister to grant permanent residence or an exemption from any applicable criteria or obligation of the Act in a range of situations involving sufficiently compelling circumstances. Substituted evaluation cannot be used to override:
- a refusal due to insufficient funds [R76(3)]
- a failure to meet the definition of a skilled worker as outlined in R75.
- a failure to meet the Ministerial Instructions
Federal Court case law indicates that if an applicant or their representative requests orally or in writing that the officer consider exercising these powers in the applicant‘s favour, officers must examine the circumstances.
If you would like to know whether you could be eligible to immigrate to Canada in the Federal Skilled Worker Class or under other programs, we invite you to complete our online assessment questionnaire: On-line Assessment Questionnaire
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