/ Published in Express Entry

Requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker Program


Last Updated on February 11, 2019

In order to apply for skilled immigration under the Federal Skilled Worker program, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

Work Experience

An applicant’s work experience must:

  • Consist of at least one year of continuous, full time or part time work
  • Be paid work
  • Have been obtained within the last ten years
  • Consist of work that falls under skill type 0, skill level A or skill level B of the National Occupation Classification

An applicant’s full time work experience will be eligible for this program if the applicant worked for 30 hours a week over the course of 12 months.

An applicant’s part time work experience will be eligible for this program if:

  • The applicant worked 15 hours a week over the course of 24 months, OR
  • The applicant worked 30 hours a week over 12 months at more than one job.

Note: All applicants must be able to show that the duties performed over the course of their job match the duties as listed under their chosen National Occupation Classification listing.

Language Ability Requirements

All applicants under this program must take a language test to prove that they possess sufficient language skills to successfully establish themselves in Canada. Language tests evaluate an applicant’s abilities with regards to:

  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading
  • Writing

In order to be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, an applicant must possess language skills that are equivalent to at least Canadian Language Benchmark level 7 in all categories. All applicants must include their language test results in their Express Entry profile. Further, language test results can only be used in a permanent residence application if they are less than two years old. For more information on official language tests and the Canadian Language Benchmark system, click here.

Education Requirements

All applicants under this program must have:

  • A Canadian high school or post-secondary diploma, OR
  • A foreign high school or post-secondary diploma AND a report approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada proving that the foreign diploma is equivalent to a Canadian high school or post-secondary diploma.

Proof of Funds

Generally, applicants under this program must be able to show that they have enough money to support themselves and their family once they arrive in Canada. An applicant will NOT have to prove that they have sufficient funds if:

  • They are currently able to legally work in Canada, AND
  • They have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada.

Other Requirements

Applicants under this program must:

  • Not be inadmissible to Canada
  • Plan to live outside the province of Quebec.

If applicants meet all of the minimum requirements mentioned above, they will be assessed under a points grid in order to determine whether they are eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.  In order to pass this assessment, an applicant must obtain at least 67 out of 100 points. Factors assessed under the point’s grid include:

  • Language skills
  • Education
  • Work experience
  • Age
  • Whether the applicant has a valid job offer
  • Whether the applicant is likely to successfully settle in Canada

If an applicant obtains at least 67 out of 100 points, he or she will be able to access the Express Entry system.

For a detailed description of the points system mentioned above, click here.

Note: Applicants may include their spouse or common-law partner in their applications. It is highly recommended that the member of the relationship who is most likely to meet the eligibility requirements mentioned above apply as the principal applicant. A common-law partner is any person who has lived with the applicant in a conjugal relationship for more than one year. Common-law relationships may consist of same-sex or opposite-sex partners.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.