What is The Federal Skilled Worker Program?

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is one of the three immigration programs under Express Entry, designed for skilled professionals who want to become permanent residents of Canada. This program is ideal for individuals with work experience in professional or technical fields.

Eligibility Requirements:

To qualify for FSWP, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Work Experience:

  • At least 1 year of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience in the last 10 years.

  • The job must fall under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 (managerial, professional, or technical jobs such as IT specialists, engineers, accountants, and healthcare workers).

  • Work experience must be paid and legally obtained.

• Education:

  • Minimum high school diploma or equivalent.

  • If the degree was obtained outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is required to verify its equivalency to Canadian standards.

• Language Proficiency:

  • Minimum CLB 7 (IELTS: Listening 6.0, Reading 6.0, Writing 6.0, Speaking 6.0).

• Proof of Funds:

  • Applicants must show sufficient funds to support themselves and their family unless they have a valid job offer in Canada.

• Selection Factors:

  • FSWP applicants must score at least 67 out of 100 on the FSWP points grid, which evaluates:

    • Age

    • Education

    • Work experience

    • Language skills

    • Adaptability (such as previous work/study in Canada or relatives in Canada)

    • Job offer in Canada (if applicable)

• Intent to Live Outside Quebec:

  • Since Quebec has its own immigration programs, FSWP applicants must plan to settle in any province except Quebec.
    

Advantages of FSWP:

✅ No requirement for Canadian work experience (unlike CEC).
✅ Direct pathway to permanent residence without needing a job offer.
✅ Higher priority for skilled professionals in fields with labor shortages.