The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is for individuals who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.

As of January 1st, 2015 all applications for the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) will be managed through the Express Entry (EE) system.

To apply, you must have work experience in a specific skilled trades and meet several other requirements.

Federal Skilled Trades Program Eligibility

Minimum Requirements

To be able to apply under the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) you must at least meet the following requirements:

• Plan to live outside the province of Quebec (Note: The province of Quebec chooses its own skilled workers,
• Meet the required levels of English or French for each language ability (speaking, reading, writing, and listening),
• Have at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience*) in a skilled trade within the five years before you apply. Full time employment is a minimum of 30 paid hours of work per week for twelve months or the equivalent 1560 hours per year,
• Meet all the job requirements for the skilled trade as set out in the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC), except for needing a certificate of qualification, and
• Have an offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one year** or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a provincial or territorial body.***

Skilled Work Experience

Skilled Trades currently eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these major and minor groups of the NOC:

• Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades,
• Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades,
• Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production,
• Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators,
• Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks, and
• Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers.

These major NOC groups are subdivided into different occupations. (All are NOC skill type B.)

You must show that you did the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC, including all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed. If you do not show that your experience meets the description in the NOC, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will not accept your application.

Federal Skilled Trades Program applications must be made based on the 2011 version of the NOC . However, if the application includes a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), previously a Labour Market Opinion (LMO), from Employment and Social Development Canada based on the 2006 version of the NOC, it will be accepted by CIC as long as the applicant’s occupation corresponds to a 2011 NOC code that is eligible for the program.

Education

There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), but if you want to earn points for your education under Express Entry (EE) system, you either need:

• A Canadian post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, OR
• An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report produced by an agency approved by CIC.

Language Ability

You must:

1. Meet the minimum language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, and Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 for reading and writing, and
2. Take a language test approved by CIC that shows you meet the level for speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Principal Applicant

If you are married or live with a common-law partner who also meets the above conditions, you can decide which one of you will apply under Express Entry as the principal (main) applicant.

Other Requirements

1. You must be admissible to Canada.
2. You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec.

Inadmissibility

Some people are inadmissible—they are not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible, including being involved in crime, or human rights violations.

You can also be inadmissible for:

• security,
• health,
• financial reasons, or
• other reasons.

*“Full-time work” means at least 30 hours of work over a period of one week, or an equal amount in part-time, paid work experience. For example:

• if you worked 15 hours per week in one job over four years, or
• if you worked a total of 30 combined hours per week in more than one job over two years.

**Up to two employers can commit to employing you for at least one year of continuous full-time work, meaning at least 30 hours of work over a period of one week.

*** In Canada, only the provinces and territories can issue certificates of qualification in the skilled trades. To get this certificate, the provincial or territorial trades authority must assess your training, trade experience and skills to decide if you are eligible to write an exam to be certified.

You will likely have to go to the province or territory to be assessed. You may also need an employer in Canada to give you experience and training.

You should go to the website of the body that governs trades for the province/territory where you would like to live and work. The process is different depending on where you want to go.

Please Contact Us for more information on this program.