Are you planning to immigrate to Canada? Do you dream of living in Canada? Are you an immigrant who wishes to be a permanent resident in Canada? Are you planning for citizenship in Canada? Your language proficiency, occupation, IELTS score, qualifications, international work experience, work permit in Canada, sponsorship, etc. would be helpful to fulfill your dreams of immigration to Canada using FSWP.
Read on to know more.
What is Federal Skilled Worker Program?
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is one out of the three Canadian Government’s programs under Express Entry to be the permanent resident of Canada. Express Entry has 3 programs, and by using any of which immigrants can apply for permanent residency in Canada. For Canadian Immigration, the Government of Canada chooses eligible newcomers based on many factors through these programs. The details of one such program, the Federal Skilled Worker Program are discussed here.
Can i apply for the FSWP?
There are 3 main criteria that you have to meet. If you meet the given criteria, you can apply for this program to move to Canada. These are :
1. Skilled work experience
Under this, various professions are divided into skill types. If you have worked in any of these professions and received a wage or an income for the same then you meet these criteria.
The three skill types are :
- skill type 0 or managerial profession.
- skill type A or professional job
- skill type B or technical or trade skills.
The profession you wish to pursue in Canada must match the skill type you have mentioned in the application.
Under this criterion, your unpaid internships and volunteer work experience will not be considered.
If you are a student, you can be an eligible candidate as well for this program. But requirements for migrating to Canada for you vary as in that you must have held a job that paid an income or a commission, there must be no gaps in your employment, and you must satisfy the other two criteria as well for moving to Canada.
2. Language Skills.
To meet these criteria, you must have taken approved tests in either English or French. These tests must indicate that you can read, write, speak, and understand, either French or English.
You must score a minimum of 7 in all of the four above mentioned areas of the language ( read, write, listen, and speak ) in the Canadian Language Benchmark.
The program dictates that a language test is valid for up to 2 years from the day the test was taken. You must ensure that your score is valid on the day you submit the application for this program.
3. Education level.
For any international student to meet these criteria of immigrating to Canada, you must have completed a level of education, either school level or have a degree. You must also produce an ECA or Educational Criteria Assessment, that shows that your education level is at par with or equivalent to secondary education or post-secondary education in Canada.
If you have passed from the education system of Canada, then you must produce proof of the same in the form of a certificate from school for secondary level education or a degree/diploma for post-secondary level education.
How can i apply for the Canadian Permanent Residence?
If you meet all the criteria listed previously, you are eligible for this program. Congratulations! Here is how you can apply for this program to gain permanent residency in Canada.
1. Documents
Since you are eligible to apply for this program, gather up all your documents to prove the same. Apart from that, you must also have documents to show that you are financially capable of taking care of yourself and your family if you are allowed to live in Canada.
You must also be legally capable of working in the country and have a job offer from an employer in Canada. Documents proving this are required.
Apart from these, your birth certificate, marriage certificate, adoption certificate, medical exam results are also required.
2. Fill the form
Your application for permanent residence is filled out in the Express Entry Profile which is available online. You can take the help of immigration consultants to do the same. There are many factors considered for the selection of a candidate and multiple rounds.
You can also choose to apply under the Provincial nominee program while filling out your Express Entry profile. You have the option to choose any of the Canadian Province/provinces such as Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, etc.
Express Entry has a Comprehensive Ranking System, once selected under Express Entry, you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). After receiving the ITA, gather the supporting documents and apply for a Visa.
To understand the selection factors, continue reading.
Selection factors of the Federal Skilled Worker Program
The program has not one but six selection factors it checks each candidate against. The program has a point system to grade each candidate against these 6 factors. To make the cut, a candidate must score 67 or higher in this point system. Below we have also mentioned what is the weightage of each factor out of 100. The six factors are :
1. Language skills
It has a total of 28 points. As mentioned above, you will gain points based on your ability to read, write, understand, and speak French or English. It is even better for you to know both languages.
Also, your language test results must be valid at the time of application and you must have secured a minimum of 7 in all the four above mentioned areas of the language.
2. Education
This factor has a total of 25 awardable points. As discussed earlier in this article for international students, must have either a secondary or post-secondary level of education according to Canadian standards and have proof of the same.
3. Work experience
This area has a maximum of 15 points. Foreign workers must keep the golden number 1560 in mind, the number of hours you must have worked per year. The skill type you will be working in, in Canada, must match the skill type you have mentioned in your application.
Points are assigned based on years of employment in skill type 0, A, or B.
4. Age
You can be assigned a maximum of 12 points in this factor. The day your application is received for consideration, that age is taken into consideration for assigning points.
5. Job offer in Canada
Under this factor, a maximum of 10 points can be received by foreign nationals. A job offer from an employer in Canada before starting your application makes you eligible to receive these points.
A valid job offer in Canada has to be for the duration of at least one year, award you an income and it must fall under skill type 0, A, or B. You must be able to convince the board that you are capable do to the offered job and may be able to receive a license or a certification for the same in the country.
6. Adaptability
Your adaptability can get you a maximum of 10 points. The program has expertly designed some adaptability factors that help them determine how well you and your family will be able to settle down and become a social and economic part of life as a Canadian citizen.
There are several tools you can access online to order to assess your score in this six-factor selection test. A score of 67 or above is essential, but if you do not pass, do not worry. The program allows you to improve your score. You can reapply after either completing a higher level of education, improving your score on the language test, or after receiving a job offer from an employer residing in Canada.
Also, FSWP is one program out of three under Express Entry. If this is not the program for you, do check the other programs made available to you by the Canadian government, the Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Remember, once you are a permanent resident of Canada then that makes you eligible to apply for citizenship.
Our team of registered RCIC’s are the qualified Best Canada Visa and immigration experts who can guide you through the entire process of obtaining a Canada Permanent Resident Visa. For further information email us at [email protected] or call 1-833-789-1845.