Federal Skilled Worker Program: Eligibility, Application Process, Fee 

The Federal Skilled Worker Program invites skilled workers whose professions are listed under the Skilled Occupation List. Applicants with relevant skills and work experience have a higher chance of getting selected under the FSWP. Unlike the Canadian Experience Class, the work experience for the FSWP category can be gained even outside Canada. The processing time for FSWP is 6 months and the processing fee is CAD 1365 per person, along with a biometric fee.

 

What is the Federal Skilled Worker Program?

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) was launched in 1967 to invite skilled immigrants from all over the world. It is one of the three skilled worker programs managed under the Express Entry system. FSWP offers a fast and easy pathway to obtain Canada PR within 6 to 12 months. Successful candidates can work freely in Canada without any restrictions.

The FSW program under the Express Entry system plays a significant role in Canadian immigration. According to research reports by the Canadian Government, most successful Express Entry immigrants migrate via the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Statistical data over the year have shown the FSWP immigrants have had success careers in the country.

 

Eligibility Criteria for Federal Skilled Worker Program 

Skilled professionals who have scored at least 67 points under the CRS score calculator are eligible to apply. The other eligibility requirements are mentioned below:

• You must have professional work experience in your field
• You must be proficient in English or French language
• Your educational qualification should be equivalent to the Canadian  educational standards
• Your job role should be listed under NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3.
• You must have zero criminal records
• You must have enough financial means to support your stay

 

Minimum Requirements for FSWP Applicants

The minimum requirements for applicants to qualify for the FSWP are:

• You must have a minimum work experience of one year in a NOC classified skilled occupation for a paid, full-time or equivalent job role.
• You must have English proficiency of at least CLB 7 or equivalent or minimum French language proficiency of NCLC7.
• You must have educational documents from Canadian educational institutes or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
• You must meet the criteria for settlement funds as applicable.

 

FSWP Points Calculation

The Federal Skilled Worker Program uses a points-based system to evaluate the candidates. You would require a minimum of 67 points under the Canada CRS Calculator to qualify. Candidates are awarded points based on the following factors:

• Age: Maximum 12 points
• Educational Qualification: Maximum 25 points
• Professional Experience in NOC skilled occupations: Maximum 15 points
• Arranged Employment: Maximum 10 points
• Language Proficiency: Maximum 28 points
• Adaptability: Maximum 10 points

 

The Express Entry System 

The Government of Canada uses the Express Entry system to invite immigrants to migrate and settle there. The program aims to invite skilled workers to apply for Canada Permanent Residency. The Express Entry system has 3 immigration programs under it. They are:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

 

How FSWP fits into the Express Entry System 

The FSWP under the Express Entry system aims to attract skilled foreign workers to migrate to Canada. The FSWP considers skilled workers with relevant work experience in their field of work. The work experience can be gained within or outside Canada or even when working part-time as a student if other requirements are met. This allows more immigrants to enter Canada via FSWP, thereby making the Express Entry more successful.

 

Comprehensive Ranking System

The FSWP as well as the Express Entry program is a points-based system which uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) calculator to assess the eligibility of candidates. The CRS allows scores to each applicant in the Express Entry pool based on certain factors such as:

• Age
• Educational Qualification
• Language ability
• Work experience
• Arranged employment
• Adaptability

Candidates who score high under the CRS score calculator have a higher chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply for Canada PR.

 

Advantages of FSWP 

The following are the advantages of the Federal Skilled Worker Program:

• There is no requirement of prior connection to Canada
• Education and work experience can be gathered even from outside Canada
• FSWP applicants receive the maximum number of ITAs

 

Benefits of FSWP 

The following are the benefits of the Canada Federal Skilled Worker Program:

• Work, live, and settle anywhere in Canada
• Potential to get Permanent Residence within 6 months
• Apply for Citizenship after three years
• Sponsor your family and relatives
• Get access to government-sponsored education
• Avail world-class healthcare facilities
• Explore the robust job market in Canada

 

Contribution to Canadian Economy

The Canadian economy and labour market are heavily dependent on skilled immigrants to fill job vacancies across various sectors. Employers in Canada rely on Express Entry and FSW programs to recruit skilled foreign workers who will benefit their company and contribute to the economy. In return, these employees receive Canada PR, and they settle in the country while contributing significantly to Canada's GDP growth.

 

Potential Disadvantages of FSWP

FSWP applicants may face certain challenges and disadvantages while applying for Canada PR. Candidates with low CRS score may not qualify under the FSWP. Moreover, there is no guarantee of receiving an ITA even though you are eligible to apply. Therefore, it is suggested to improve your CRS score to increase your chances of receiving an ITA.

 

Federal Skilled Worker Program: step-by-step application process

You can apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program to acquire a Canada PR. The process of applying for FSWP to get PR in Canada is listed in the steps below:  

Step 1: Check the eligibility Criteria for FSWP

While applying under the FSWP, you must ensure that you fulfil the minimum requirements specified to be considered eligible.

Step 2: Gather the documents required as per the checklist

The following are the documents required for Canada FSWP:

• Completed visa application form
• A valid passport
• Identity proof
• Language proficiency test results
• Educational qualification details
• Proof of professional experience
• Proof of enough financial resources
• Police Clearance reports
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report

Step 3: Create an Express Entry profile

Fill out the Express Entry application form from the official IRCC website and submit it along with the required supporting documents.

Step 4: Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to be issued

If you qualify for the FSWP, then IRCC will send you an Invitation to Apply for Canada PR.

Step 5: Apply for Canada PR

Once you receive an ITA, you will have 60 days to apply for Canada PR. You have to submit medical exam results, police clearance reports, work reference letters and  background check reports along with your e-application form for Canada PR.

Step 6: Wait for your e-application to be reviewed

Canadian Immigration Officers might require certain additional documents while your application is under review. Therefore, it is advised to check your mails for further updates.

Step 7: Receive confirmation of permanent residence

PR applications under FSWP are usually processed within six months, thereby making it a top immigration program for immigrants.

Step 8: Get your PR Card

You can apply for your PR card upon receiving confirmation of permanent residence.

 

Federal Skilled Worker Program Processing Fee 

The application fee for the Federal Skilled Worker Program is CAD 1365 per person, along with a biometric fee.

The table below provides the breakdown of the Federal Skilled Worker Program processing fees:

Type of fee	Amount in CAD
Processing Fee	$850
Right of Permanent Residence Fee	$515
Biometric Fee	$85

Note: If you are applying with your family, you would be required to pay an additional fee of CAD 230 (per person) along with the biometric fee of CAD 170.

 

Settlement Funds and Financial Requirements 

Settlement funds are the funds that describe the economic sufficiency of an immigrant. FSWP applicants without a valid offer of arranged employment must demonstrate having enough settlement funds to be eligible. The requirement of settlement fund depends on the size of the family of the applicant.

The table below lists the amount of settlement funds required according to family size: 

No. of family members	Required Amount of settlement fund
1	CAD 14,690
2	CAD 18,288
3	CAD 22,483
4	CAD 27,297
5	CAD 30,690
6	CAD 34,917
7	CAD 38,875
>7	CAD 3958 (for each additional member)

Note: These funds must be available for transfer and not burdened under debts or the obligations.

 

Job market and Skilled Worker Occupations in demand 

The job market in Canada is in need of skilled workers across various in-demand sectors. The Federal Skilled Worker Program helps Canada recruit skilled immigrants to fill up job market demands.

The list of skilled occupations considered eligible for Canada CSWP are listed in the table below:

TEER Category	Job roles
TEER 0	Restaurant managers, retail and wholesale trade managers, managers in food service and accommodation
TEER 1	Professional jobs that require a university degree such as IT and legal occupations, engineering and construction occupations.
TEER 2	Occupations requiring an apprenticeship, diploma, or college degree, such as web technicians and medical laboratory technologists
TEER 3	Occupations requiring a college diploma, apprenticeship training, or less than 2 years or more than 6 months of on-the-job training

 

Improving your profile and CRS score

The CRS score plays a crucial role while applying for the FSWP or any other immigration program. Therefore, it is important to improve your CRS score to increase your chances of getting selected.

Here are some ways to improve your CRS score:

• Boost your language scores
• Gather more work experience
• Apply with your spouse to get spousal points
• Apply for Provincial Nomination program (PNP)
• Get a job in Canada
• Complete another educational program
• Learn a second language 

Language proficiency and work experience are the two important factors that can help to boost your CRS score. You would be required to submit documents to prove your language proficiency and work experience. Being proficient in a language and having relevant work experience can increase your CRS scores significantly.

 

Including Family in your FSWP Application 

You can apply for FSWP along with your spouse to get additional CRS points under spousal points. Children below the age of 22 years can be included as dependents while applying for the FSWP.

Parents cannot be included as dependents under the FSWP or Express Entry program. They can be sponsored to Canada under the Parents and Grandparents Program or the Super visa Program once you get Canada PR or Citizenship status.

 

Special Considerations for FSWP applicants

Having a valid job offer under Canadian employer can significantly increase your chances of qualifying under the FSWP or Express Entry program. An LMIA approved arranged employment offer will award you additional points under the CRS points calculator, thereby increasing your chances of receiving an ITA for Canada PR.

It is important to provide criminal clearance reports and medical tests results to avoid delays in your PR application process. After receiving an ITA, you will be granted a 60-day time period to arrange all the documents required. Therefore it is advised to gather the document well-in advance even before applying for Canada PR.

 

How can Y-Axis help you?

As the world’s No. 1 overseas immigration consultancy, Y-Axis has been providing unbiased and personalized immigration assistance for 25+ years. Our team of visa and immigration experts will assist you with the following:

• Arranging the immigration document checklist
• Filling out application forms
• Documentation and petition filing
• Getting your updates and follow-ups
• Finding relevant jobs with Y-Axis Job Search Services
• Obtaining Canadian Permanent Residence