APPLYING FOR THE FEDERAL SKILLED WORKER PROGRAM IN CANADA
You can travel to Canada via the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). The federal skilled worker program is one of the programs under Express Entry. Express Entry system gives ex-pats a variety of options to migrate to Canada. All you need to do is create an express entry profile, follow procedures and you are good to go.
Canada is a fast-growing country with an increasing number of foreigners applying to live. The major reason for this is Canada’s increased resources and growing economy. As such, Canada accommodates ex-pats and foreigners from all over the world to live amongst them and help grow and sustain their economy. This is the reason why there is an Express Entry window with many programs that differ based on applicants’ experiences.
What is Federal Skilled Worker Program?
The federal skilled worker program is one of 3 programs in the express entry system where individuals who are experienced skilled workers can apply for the Canadian permanent residence permit. Before the federal skilled worker program was launched in Canada in 1967, experienced skilled workers were accepted or rejected by the discretion of immigration officers. The officers could decide to call references of applicants to confirm their experiences or ask questions.
After the introduction of the FSWP, individuals now create an express entry profile applying for the program while Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assess their applications with the comprehensive ranking system and decide whether or not applicants qualify for a Canadian permanent residence permit. Qualifying for a permanent residence permit means that the applicant profile reveals them to be individuals who can integrate Canadian job market.
How Does the Federal Skilled Worker Program Work?
Also, each program has peculiarities that make it unique from the others. The federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) admits foreigners with skilled-work experience. In this program, your work experience is relevant to be issued a permanent residence permit. Also, the experience you have on your profile does not necessarily have to be experiences garnered in Canada.
Experiences that applicants have in skilled work are relevant and will help the applicants get an invitation to apply for a permanent residence permit in the Canadian Experience Class. This explains why candidates can create an express entry profile with a specific program or programs of interest and be given another program. The ultimate decision of what program a person does is not made by the applicants alone.
The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is saddled with the responsibility of dealing with concerns on migration. Express entry profiles are assessed and scored with the comprehensive ranking system. So, the choice of a program that candidates eventually get an invitation to apply for is made based on what details their profile gives. The comprehensive ranking system calculator will not only grade and allot points but can also assess and admit applicants into programs that they fit into.
Who is Eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program?
Yes, every program was incepted for the mutual benefits of both ex-pats and Canadian society. Expats need opportunities where their skills and resources are harnessed to grow while the Canadian government is steadily incorporating foreigners that can be useful to support the growth of Canada. However, there have to be eligibility requirements to help in admitting applicants. Not every interested person who applies has the workforce or spirit that is needed by the Canadian government.
Those eligible to apply for the Federal skilled worker program are people who have previous work experience, not necessarily gained in Canada.
The minimum requirements for this program are:
- Skilled work experience
- language ability, and
- quality education.
FSWP in itself is built for applicants with work experience. So, it is an important requirement. The experiences you have garnered over the years must be useful in the Canadian job market.
Language ability is a very important requirement in this program. Generally, while applying for a Canadian permanent residence permit, you must take a language test to prove your proficiency and ability to communicate fluently in any of the official or national languages. Also, taking the test is not a one-time thing as the test results expire over some time. You can only apply for your Canada PR permit within two years with a particular test result.
Canada is a bi-lingual nation. The country has two official languages; English and French. Language testing is relevant to check applicants’ ability to listen, speak, read and write in any of the languages. Taking the test does not completely qualify the applicants. You must also reach the cut-off mark required. If you have proficiency in both languages, you are at an advantage.
Likewise, for educational requirements, this program admits people who have schooled in Canada also. There must be a certificate, or degree from an accredited university of any sort to prove this. A diploma degree is valid.
Foreign applicants who did their schooling outside Canada will need to carry out an Educational Credential Assessment. This is important to prove that the educational qualifications you show in your profile are equal to what is obtainable in Canadian institutions as certificates, degrees, or diplomas. For both applicants with degrees from local institutions and foreign institutions, the minimum educational qualification requires certificates from secondary and tertiary institutions.
The Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is needed from applicants with degrees in foreign institutions. It also serves an important purpose during the immigration process. Hence, there are also specified organizations to assess in. These organizations are service providers recognized by the Canadian government and IRCC to carry out this responsibility. Do well to read up on them so you don’t fall victim to impersonators.
What are the other requirements to qualify for the federal skilled worker program?
Having the minimum requirements is certainly not the end of the journey. You will further be assessed on:
- Proof of funds
As the government body that manages and processes immigrants’ applications, IRCC is concerned about the kind of people they issue permanent residence permits to. Proof of fund is to evaluate the level of people’s finances. People who do not have a reasonable amount to sustain themselves for months before they get a job are likely to indulge in illegal activities for survival or become dependent on Canadians. These are some of the things that your proof of fund checks.
Also, this is an avenue for applicants who had processed job applications, perhaps before getting to Canada to present their job offer letters. It is a very high advantage that you get if you leverage on vacancies that you can fill in. Profiles that have a job offer letter stand out in the pool of profiles.
- Ability to adapt
This is a requirement for very obvious reasons of course. You might not always have proof of ability to adapt; however, it is an important self-check everyone who is a step to creating an express entry profile should consider carrying out.
The laws governing Canada are one thing you must check out for. There is every tendency that one or two will differ from what is obtainable in your country so by all means, cross-check to avoid committing offenses for things your country considers trivial. Also, be informed about the weather and atmosphere in Canada. in as much as these are requirements to qualify for the federal skilled worker program, they are helpful in your preparations and planning.
- Age
Age is also one of the selection factors needed for this program. The name already implies that it calls for people who have skilled work experience. This demands a level of maturity to attain. Admitting children or teenagers will not help improve the economic value of Canada. Of course, this is not to say that children cannot migrate to Canada. Canada has avenues where family and spousal visas can be processed. The age qualification is to check the people admitted through this avenue.
- Education
education is highly important for this program. For the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), you do not have to bother much if you do not have many educational certifications, enterprising and entrepreneurial applicants can qualify. Because in this program, the skilled work that is particularly needed is specifically for corporate roles.
Skilled work experiences are under the three categories
- Managerial jobs
- Professional jobs
- Technical jobs and skilled trades.
The National Occupation Classification (NOC) will help you see where the different roles fall and if your work experience is what is needed.
- Police certificates
Police certificates are important for all programs and all avenues to migrate to Canada. It is important to check for the criminal records of any applicant. Nobody wants to make criminals permanent residents in their country. This is a very vital clearance that is required to be eligible for the federal skilled worker program.
What is the Minimum Score for a Federal Skilled Worker?
For the federal skilled worker program, the minimum CRS score is 67 points out of 100.
What is the Difference Between Express Entry and Federal Skilled Workers?
Express entry is a system that works in Canada to aid in issuing permanent residence permits, rather than how PR was randomly given based on the immigration officer’s discretion and assessment and federal skilled workers are individuals who got their PR under the federal skilled worker program, one of the programs that operate in the express entry system.
The federal skilled worker program is a lot more flexible than the Canadian Experience Class although they are both interested in skilled work experiences. Have you heard of the Provincial Nominee Program? it is an added advantage to your profile in the pool of entries. Click here to read about it.
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