Table of Contents
What is FSW Program
This program permits foreign nationals with professional skills and work experience paving the way for the skilled worker and their family to gain permanent residence in Canada.
This program was launched in 2015 and is an integral part of the Canada’s Express Entry immigration system which requires an individual to complete an online profile and each profile is assigned a score. This score is primarily based on age, education, experience, language skills, adaptability, job offer and provincial nomination.
Eligibility
Minimum Eligibility criteria for this program is:
1) 1 year of work experience in NOC 0, A or B
2) Minimum CLB 7 on English or French language proficiency test
3) Job offer is not required
4) Minimum high school diploma
Skilled Work Experience
Experience must be on NOC 0, A or B level. The job description and duties must match the duties and the description shown for each NOC. Work experience must be attained in the last 10 years, paid, 1-year continuous, full time, 30 hours minimum per work.
Part time work experience may be counted provided it was paid, continuous and be 15 hours per week minimum.
Student work experience in Canada or outside Canada may be counted towards meeting your minimum requirements provided it was continuous and paid.
Language
Foreign nationals must take an approved language test for English or French. CELPIP and IELTS are approved language tests for English.
TEF Canada and TCF Canada are approved language tests for French.
You must obtain minimum of CLB 7 in EACH of the four components of your language test (writing, reading, speaking and listening).
Note: For candidates taking the IELTS General test, this is equivalent to 6.0 band.
Education
For Canadian education, you must provide your degree or diploma.
For foreign education, educational credential assessment report is required which must be assessed by an approved designated organization. To see the list of designated organizations, please click here.
Proof of Funds
You must be able to demonstrate you’ve sufficient funds to support your family while settling in Canada. This is not applicable for foreign nationals who possess Canadian work permit AND have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
Admissibility
You must not be inadmissible. To learn more about inadmissibility, please click here.
Where you can live in Canada
You may plan to live anywhere in Canada EXCEPT Quebec. Province of Quebec has its own immigration streams. To learn more about Quebec skilled worker immigration stream, please click here.
How can a foreign national apply under this stream?
Foreign nationals wishing to apply under this stream must submit an Express Entry profile using the IRCC’s website. Once a profile has been submitted, a CRS score will be assigned to your profile. The express entry eligibility criteria is determined using this distinctive point-based system called the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking system).
The following documents must be provided when making your express entry profile under the Federal Skilled Worker Program:
Education credential Assessment from an authorized organization in Canada
Language Proficiency Test Results (IELTS or CELPIP)
Passport or travel documents
Job offer letter from an employer in Canada (If you have one)
Provincial Nomination (If you have one)
What is the processing fee for this program?
| Fees | $CAN |
| Your application | 1,325 |
| Processing fee ($825) | |
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee ($500) | |
| Your application (without right of permanent residence fee) | 825 |
| Include your spouse or partner | 1,325 |
| Processing fee ($825) and right of permanent residence fee ($500) | |
| Include your spouse or partner (without right of permanent residence fee) | 825 |
| Include a dependent child | 225(per child) |
Will my medical condition or adverse criminal background affect my application?
Your medical condition or adverse criminal background can make you inadmissible to Canada. However, inadmissibility can be overcome depending upon the nature of the criminal offence or the medical condition. Please contact our immigration consultant to learn how your inadmissibility basis can be managed.
How can a foreign national apply under this stream?
Foreign nationals wishing to apply under this stream must submit an Express Entry profile using the IRCC’s website. Once a profile has been submitted, a CRS score will be assigned to your profile. The express entry eligibility criteria is determined using this distinctive point-based system called the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking system).
The following documents must be provided when making your express entry profile under the Federal Skilled Worker Program:
Education credential Assessment from an authorized organization in Canada
Language Proficiency Test Results (IELTS or CELPIP)
Passport or travel documents
Job offer letter from an employer in Canada (If you have one)
Provincial Nomination (If you have one)
FSWP Point Grid
For Express Entry, there is no minimum score. Each profile will be assigned a score based on a different scoring mechanism called Comprehensive Ranking system.
To quality for FSWP program, you must score MINIMUM of 67 points out of 100. If you meet this criterion of 67 points minimum, you may submit a profile and become part of the Express entry pool of eligible candidates under the Federal skilled worker program.
You will be assessed against six selection factors which will determine your points on the FSWP point grid as shown below:
Language skills (maximum 28 points)
| First official language (maximum 24 points) | ||||
| Check the table below and add the points that match your skill level: | ||||
| Points | ||||
| First official language | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
| CLB level 9 or higher | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB level 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| CLB level 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Below CLB level 7 | Not eligible to apply | Not eligible to apply | Not eligible to apply | Not eligible to apply |
| Second official language (maximum 4 points) | ||||
| You can get 4 points only if you have a score of at least CLB 5 in each of the 4 language abilities. | ||||
| Second official language | Points | |||
| At least CLB 5 in all of the 4 abilities | 4 | |||
| CLB 4 or less in any of the 4 abilities | 0 | |||
Education (maximum 25 points)
| Doctoral (PhD) level | 25 |
| Master’s Degree | 23 |
| Two or more post-secondary credentials, one of which is a three-year or longer post-secondary credential | 22 |
| Three-year or longer post-secondary credential | 21 |
| Two-year post-secondary credential | 19 |
| One-year post-secondary credential | 15 |
| Secondary school/high school diploma | 5 |
Work experience (maximum 15 points)
| Experience | Maximum 15 points |
| 1 year | 9 |
| 2-3 years | 11 |
| 4-5 years | 13 |
| 6 or more years | 15 |
Age (maximum 12 points)
| You’ll get points based on your age on the day we get your application. | |
| Age | Points |
| Under 18 | 0 |
| 18-35 | 12 |
| 36 | 11 |
| 37 | 10 |
| 38 | 9 |
| 39 | 8 |
| 40 | 7 |
| 41 | 6 |
| 42 | 5 |
| 43 | 4 |
| 44 | 3 |
| 45 | 2 |
| 46 | 1 |
| 47 and older | 0 |
Arranged employment in Canada (maximum 10 points)
For employments which are full time, continuous, duration for one year minimum and paid may qualify for ten additional points.
To learn more about which jobs are considered full time, please click here.
Adaptability (maximum 10 points)
| Adaptability | Maximum 10 points |
| Your spouse or partner’s language level | 5 |
| Your spouse or common-law partner has a language level in either English or French at CLB 4 level or higher in all 4 language abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing). | |
| Your past studies in Canada | 5 |
| You completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada. | |
| Your spouse or partner’s past studies in Canada | 5 |
| Your spouse or common-law partner completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada. | |
| Your past work in Canada | 10 |
| You did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada: | |
| 1. In a job listed in Skill Type 0 or Skill Levels A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). | |
| 2. And, with a valid work permit, or while authorized to work in Canada. | |
| Your spouse or common-law partner’s past work in Canada | |
| Your spouse or partner did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada on a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada. | |
| Arranged employment in Canada | 5 |
| Relatives in Canada | 5 |
| You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have a relative who is: | |
| living in Canada, 18 years or above and must be permanent resident or citizen | |
| This relative must be a: | |
| parent | |
| grandparent | |
| child | |
| grandchild | |
| your or your spouse’s sibling (child of your or your spouse’s parent) | |
| your or your spouse’s aunt or uncle (by blood or marriage) | |
| your or your spouse’s niece or nephew (grandchild of your or your spouse’s parent) | |
| Source: IRCC |
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