In our experience first question that arises in every applicant, which must be rightly addressed, is “Am I eligible as a federal skilled worker?”. In order to qualify as a federal skilled worker, the applicant must meet certain minimum requirements. The requirements are as follows:

(A)  Work Experience:

• At least 12-months of continuous, full-time, skilled work experience completed within the previous 10 years (or an equal amount in part-time experience) in a single occupation.
• Voluntary work/Unpaid internships don’t count
• Skilled work experience refers to experience classified under NOC Skill Level 0, A, or B:
  • Managerial jobs (skill type 0)
  • Professional jobs (skill level A)
  • Technical jobs and skilled trades (skill level B)

(B)  Language Proficiency

• The applicant must prove proficiency in either English or French by passing an approved language test. The minimum score for FSWC is equal to the Canadian Language Benchmark of Level 7 (CLB 7)

 (C) Education

• The applicant must have a minimum education of a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent in foreign education. If the candidate completed his/her education outside of Canada, then he/she will need an Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA) attesting to the value of their education by Canadian standards.

(D)Financial Support

• Must declare sufficient funds to support themselves and any spouse and/or children for settlement in Canada.

(E)Residence in Canada

• Must intend to live outside of the province of Quebec.

Along with the requirements mentioned above, the applicant must also obtain a minimum score of 67 out of 100 on the FSW points grid:

If the candidate meets all the requirements with a score of 67 or above, they will be eligible to submit an Express Entry profile for the Federal Skilled Worker program. However, the candidates must note that submission of an Express Entry (EE) profile does not necessarily grant permanent residency. The selection process is quite competitive and the candidates with a higher score will stand a better chance to receive an invitation to apply (ITA).

The candidates who fall under the FSW category must submit their Express Entry profile for immigration. Once the profile is submitted, they will subsequently be ranked under the Comprehensive Ranking System, which determines their chances of receiving an invitation to apply (ITA). Selected candidates will move on to the second stage of the application process and will have to undergo medical and background checks, following which they can submit their final application for permanent residency.

The steps for the FSW application through EE are as follows:

Candidates who submit their Express Entry profiles under FSW category will have to provide the following documents:

Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA)

Candidates have to provide a valid ECA report attesting to the value of foreign education by Canadian standards. Candidates who have completed their courses from a Canadian educational institution do not need an ECA.

Language Proficiency Test Results

Candidates must provide results from an approved language test taken within the previous two years. Accepted tests for English include the IELTS exam, and the CELPIP exam (only available in Canada). Accepted tests for French include the Test d’Évaluation de Français (TEF) and the Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada).

Identification Documents

Candidates will be required to provide information from identification documents. Ideally, a candidate and all accompanying family members should possess passports valid for travel.

Since the launch of the Express Entry system in 2015, the lowest ranking FSW candidate to receive an ITA held a CRS score of 413 points. If an applicant’s CRS score is below this score, they should pursue options to build-up on their CRS score.

To build up your CRS score our coaches, vigorously train you through mock tests and interviews to make your answers bulletproof. In addition, we also recommend certified books, courses and other e-learning material that would assist you positively.

Most of the applications are reviewed within six months or less. With our expert screening procedures and fast track system, we at MJS Immigration can ensure you of the fastest availability processing of applications that get you to Canada in your required time frame.

There are a number of documented benefits of the FSW Program:

• The candidates do not require any association to Canada in order to be eligible
• Minimum requirements for work experience, language proficiency, and education can all be completed outside of Canada, making this an excellent option for those living outside of Canada.
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program candidates receive the highest fraction of invitations to apply (ITAs).