Federal Skilled Trades
Advance your career and build a bright future in Canada through the Express Entry - Federal Skilled Trades program
Book a 30 min consultation and have an immigration lawyer advise you on your options based on your individual circumstances.
The Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Program is a federal immigration program that allows skilled workers in certain trades to become permanent residents of Canada. To be eligible for the program, applicants must have at least two years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade, meet the language requirements, and have an offer of employment or a certificate of qualification in their trade from a Canadian province or territory.
The program is designed to address labor shortages in specific industries and help ensure that Canada has a skilled workforce. Once approved, applicants and their families can live, work and study in Canada, as well as access healthcare and other social benefits.
FST Primary Benefits
- You do not have to have Canadian work experience to be eligible for FST. You can keep your occupation in that skilled trade while processing the application.
- FST intakes will remain steady and available for the foreseeable future.
- You may take full advantage of your specialized skills once you land in Canada, which are generally highly sought after in the Canadian job market.
- There is no education requirement for FST program, but it may boost your ranking if you have education
- You can enter the Express Entry pool anytime you want as long as you meet the minimum requirements.
- Express Entry implements electronic systems from profiles to final PR submissions, so you can enjoy paper-free flexibility.
FST Basic Requirements
To qualify under FST, you must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Work experience in a skilled trade: you must possess at least 2 years of paid and full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply. The accepted skilled trades for FST are as follows:
Major Group 72 | technical trades and transportation officers and controllers (excluding Sub-Major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers) |
Major Group 73 | general trades |
Major Group 82 | supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production |
Major Group 83 | occupations in natural resources and related production |
Major Group 92 | processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors, and utilities operators and controllers |
Major Group 93 | central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-Major Group 932, aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors |
Minor Group 6320 | cooks, butchers and bakers |
Unit Group 62200 | chefs |
- You must ensure that you perform the lead statement of your corresponding TEER, all of the essential duties and most of the main duties as outlined in the National Occupation Classification 2021.
- 2 years of work experience can only count after you qualify to practice independently in this skilled trade in your country of residence.
- Language: you must meet the minimum level of language requirements for English and/or French for FST as outlined in the table below:
Language | Abilities | Minimum requirement |
English | Speaking and listening | CLB 5 |
English | Reading and writing | CLB 4 |
French | Speaking and listening | NCLC 5 |
French | Reading and writing | NCLC 4 |
- Job offer OR certificate of qualification:
- Job offer must be continuous, paid, and full-time work for at least 1 year in a skilled trade and can be made by up to 2 employers. It must also meet specific requirements based on your current country of residence, employment and work permits in Canada; or
- Certificate of qualification in the skilled trade of your primary employment issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
- Settlement funds: you must prove that you have sufficient funds for you and your family to live in Canada.
- Intention to live outside the province of Quebec: you must have the intention to live outside Quebec since the province of Quebec has its own immigration system.
- You must otherwise be admissible to Canada.
FST Application Process
As long as you meet the minimum requirements, we can create and launch your Express Entry profile to enter the pool. Once an ITA (Invitation to Apply) is received, we will have 60 days to prepare for the permanent residence application.
We can submit the application online as soon as the eAPR (Electronic Application for Permanent Residence) is completed with all supporting documents.
Visitor Visa Processing Times
We will process your case as soon as we receive all supporting documents. The processing time for Express Entry applications is generally 6 months per the IRCC.
However, due to processing delays and staff shortages caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 6-month processing time cannot be guaranteed, but Express Entry programs still enjoy relatively shorter processing durations as opposed to other types of applications.
Express Entry Processing Fees
For up-to-date pricing information, please visit the Government of Canada Website.
If you have questions about the Canadian Express Entry program or are ready to start your application, don’t hesitate to contact us. We can provide you with the guidance and support you need to complete the process successfully.
Questions? Answers.
You can go to the National Occupation Classification website and use the NOC 2021 to search for your job title. We can also help verify that your duties match the lead statement of the corresponding TEER, all of the essential and most of the primary duties listed.
Each province has different regulations for assessing trades. You may need to verify with the body that governs trades in your destination province for training and experience requirements.
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