The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is one of the major economic immigration streams under the Express Entry system. The FSWP Canada is an ideal gateway for foreign skilled workers, professionals, and trained youth to secure permanent residence status. The Federal Skilled Worker Program Canada manages online applications from aspirants in a pool and awards each application points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scale. Also called Skilled Worker Visa Canada, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) benefits applicants with no connections, family members, or blood relatives in Canada.
Canada is the most sought-after destination for immigrants. The country offers ample opportunities for immigrants to move in and work there. Canada federal skilled worker program is one of them. This program enables immigrants to apply for permanent residency. Applications under this program are processed through Canada express entry points calculator. The selection is based on a point system, in which, you need to score a minimum 67 points out of 100. Your occupation must fall under the “skilled occupation list” of Canada to become eligible to take up the test.
The skilled worker category is intended for people with a high level of skills and experience which can be economically recognized in Canada. Skilled workers can apply for permanent residency and should qualify based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, and other criteria.
Successful applicants are granted a permanent residence visa and are entitled to live and work in Canada without any restrictions.
Canada PR Federal Skilled Worker visa allows you to work in Canada without the need to be sponsored by an employer, a Canadian work permit or a job offer
Applicants with a minimum score of 67 on the point grid qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program Canada.
These points are allocated for the Canadian immigration federal skilled worker category according to certain factors of applications, which are mentioned below:
Overall, 67 points are the benchmark score in the FSW point grid to be able to submit online applications in the Express Entry pool.
It is important to note that the relevant work experience for applicants under the federal skilled worker category can be gained outside Canada. This factor makes FSWP Canada different from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) stream, which is also a part of the Express Entry system.
The Office of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts Express Entry system draws. It does not mention a specific Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) age limit. However, applicants do not get good points for the age factor after 35 years and above. Furthermore, candidates aged 29 and up receive fewer CRS points for their age category. If applicants over 35 are applying for FSWP Canada, they must enhance other categories like education, work experience, and language ability to score good CRS points. The IRCC invites eligible applicants through Skilled Worker Visa Canada to reduce the gap in efficient and talented workforces in industries, businesses, organizations, the economic sector, and labor markets.
Interested applicants must learn about the eligibility criteria and other aspects of FSWP Canada from a reliable immigration consultant. In the wake of incomplete or incorrect knowledge, applicants lose money, time, energy, resources, and motivation. Therefore, interested applicants should keep in mind the below-mentioned points before applying for Canada immigration as a Federal Skilled Worker:
With advanced preparation in these aspects, applicants will easily get the required 67 points out of 100 on the FSWP Canada eligibility points grid. This leads applicants to the next step of creating an online profile in the Express Entry pool and getting CRS points.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) point grid evaluates the minimum eligibility of applicants by awarding them points. Once eligible applicants submit their online profiles in the Express Entry pool, they will receive CRS points based on their personal and professional credentials. In short, online profiles in the Express Entry pool reward a CRS score for all applications, including CEC and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Still, the FSWP Canada point grid is specifically framed to verify the eligibility of applicants seeking Canada immigration through the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Interested applicants seeking immigration through the Federal Skilled Worker Program must create an online profile in the Express Entry system. They should also update their profiles if there is any change in personal or professional information. It is important to note that submitting an online profile is not an assurance of Canadian immigration. All applicants' details are scanned and verified before granting them permanent residence status. In short, all documents submitted by applicants are scrutinized by immigration authorities. Hence, it is suggested that applicants submit a relevant and complete set of supporting documents to avoid delay or rejection of their applications.
The FSWP Canada should prepare a list of documents in advance to facilitate the hassle-free processing of applications. In some cases, transcriptions of documents are required if the original copies are in regional languages. These documents can be:
To get points for the education factor, applicants must submit an ECA report that evaluates the level or standard of their education by Canadian standards. Five authorized organizations in Canada issue the ECA reports. Applicants who have studied in Canada can skip the step of submitting an ECA report.
Applicants must submit scores from accepted tests for English, such as IELTS and CELPIP (only for applicants in Canada), under the language proficiency category. Accepted tests for French include the Test d’Evaluation de Francais (TEF) and the Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada). A good score in an accepted language test helps Federal Skilled Worker Program applicants get good CRS points. It is important to note that the score of accepted language tests remains valid for a certain period of time. The language ability test score mentioned in the online profile in the Express Entry pool should be valid during processing.
Applicants must have a valid passport. The same applies to accompanying family members of the primary applicant under FSWP Canada.
All online profiles in the Express Entry pool receive CRS points. The highest scorers or applicants achieving benchmark CRS points get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from IRCC. Selected applicants must accept or decline the ITA within the next 60 days. To accept the invitation, applicants must submit an electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR) and upload all supporting documents along with this application. Immigration authorities will further verify these documents.
Generally, a valid job offer is not required for the Federal Skilled Worker Program in Canada. As a result, many applicants do not have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer. On the other hand, having a valid job offer letter has its advantages. It helps applicants gain an extra 50 to 200 CRS points in addition to their current CRS score in the Express Entry pool. It is important to note that a valid job offer letter from a Canadian employer should be supported by a copy of a positive Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). A copy of a positive LMIA and a valid job offer letter mentioning the name of the selected skilled foreign worker guarantees receipt of an ITA in the next Express Entry draw.
Showcasing enough funds is mandatory. The parents of the primary applicant cannot be included in an application for permanent residence through the Federal Skilled Worker Program. However, they can later accompany them after securing permanent residence status. The primary applicant can sponsor their parents during their stay in Canada.
The requirement of sufficient funds varies according to family size, as mentioned below:
Number of Family Members | Sufficient Funds (in CAD) |
1 | $13,310 |
2 | $16,570 |
3 | $20,371 |
4 | $24,733 |
5 | $28,052 |
6 | $31,638 |
7 | $35,224 |
For each additional family member, CAD 3,586 is required. Suppose applicants do not have sufficient funds and instead have a valid job offer as a Federal Skilled Worker from a Canadian organization or business. In that case, they are qualified for a skilled worker visa to Canada.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) Express Entry profiles remain valid in the Express Entry online pool of applications for a maximum duration of 12 months. Applicants who receive ITA during this period must submit applications and a set of supporting documents to secure PR status in the next 60 days.
In short, Canada's skilled worker visa processing time is six months from when the immigration authorities receive the visa applications.
Some factors that may affect Canada's skilled worker visa processing time are listed below:
The government processing fees must be deposited by applicants while submitting applications for permanent residence status under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. It is important to note that the processing fee is an additional fee and is separate from sufficient funds.
The processing fees for FSWP Canada are mentioned below:
Application | Processing Fee (in CAD) |
Principal applicant (processing fee and right of PR fee) | $1365 |
Spouse or common-law partner | $1365 |
Dependent child below 22 years | $230 per child |
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