The Federal Skilled Worker Program, also known as Federal Skilled Worker Class, is Canada’s immigration program handled by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) – the authority responsible for monitoring immigration in Canada.
FSWP is one of the three programs that come under the Express Entry System. Express Entry System is an online application system designed specifically for candidates eligible for Canadian permanent residence. The FSWP is targeted towards those individuals who do not have any previous work experience or those who haven’t been select by the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
This guide will take you through the different aspects of the Federal Skilled Worker Program and how you can get a skilled worker visa in Canada. Then, we’ll also look at the process to apply for the FSWP.
Let’s begin.
Federal Skilled Worker Program Requirements
To qualify for FSWP, the candidates must fulfill the following eligibility criterion:
- Work experience: The applicant must have skilled work experience. This means that they must have worked in one of these National Occupational Classification job groups:
- Managerial jobs (skill type 0)
- Professional jobs (Skill type A)
- Technical jobs and skilled trades (Skill level B)
Your skilled worker experience must be:
- The same type of job that you want to apply for in Canada after immigration.
- Within the last ten years.
- Paid employment – volunteer work and internships don’t count.
- Have at least one year of continuous work or 1,560 hours (30 hours per week).
If this seems quite challenging to understand, then getting the help of a Canada job consultancy in Chennai can be your best bet.
- Language proficiency: Next, you need to prove your language proficiency before applying for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. It consists of taking an approved language test used to assess your writing, speaking, reading, and listening skills in English or French.
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Approved language tests include:
- IELTS – International English Language Testing Program
- TEF – Test d’Evaluation de Français
- CELPIP – Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program
The candidates must obtain a minimum of a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four skills. Plus, they must mention their test results in their Express Entry profile.
Remember: The language proficiency test results are valid only for two years after the result date. Also, make sure when you are applying for permanent residence, your test results are valid on that particular date.
- Education: If you went to school or college in Canada, you have to show the required certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian high school/ secondary institution or post-secondary institution. On the contrary, if you have foreign education, here is the list of documents you must have:
- A diploma, degree or other educational credential issued after completing the education at a recognized institution
- An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes. This shows that your education is equivalent to the degree or diploma from a Canadian high school or post-secondary institution.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program application must show that the candidates meet all the eligibility requirements as mentioned above. And of selected, the successful candidates can get permanent residence in Canada, which allows them to work and live here.
Some other factors that are considered to assess your eligibility are – the candidate’s level of proficiency in English or Fresh, age, adaptability, a valid job offer, sufficient settlement funds, and so on.
Steps to apply for Federal Skilled Worker Program
Now that you know what Federal Skilled Worker Program is and its eligibility requirements, let’s move on to the step-by-step process to apply for the same.
- Create an Express Entry profile. Here, you have to provide information like your age, education, work experience, skills, language proficiency, etc. Once your application is approved by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you will be placed in a pool of applicants. In this draw pool, you will be ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
- Applicants who get high ranks are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Therefore, you must improve your CRS score to get a higher rank and the invitation. The CRS score depends on many factors, such as IELTS score, education, work experience, a job offer in Canada, and adaptability.
- As soon as you get the invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residency, submit a complete application along with the required documents. Remember that this invitation is valid only for 60 days from the date of issuance, so make sure you have all the documents ready with you. After uploading the application and documents, IRCC will issue and send you an Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR). After that, the IRCC will review your application and determine if you are eligible for the same.
There you have it.
We hope this detailed guide on applying for FSWP helps you make your process of acquiring a skilled worker visa in Canada hassle-free and straightforward.
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