This program is for foreign workers with the required work experience who want to immigrate to Canada as permanent residents.

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program is one of Canada Economic Class categories that is managed through the Express Entry System. The first step in this process is to be entered into the express entry system through the award of points based on six selection criteria. There are two stages as shown below:

STAGE 1

ELIGIBLE TO ENTER THE “EXPRESS ENTRY SYSTEM”

a) Eligibility stage – a candidate is required to obtain 67 points out of a total of 100 points in six selection criteria. If you are not able to obtain 67 points, then you are not eligible to apply under the federal skilled worker program.

The point award process works as follows: 

1. Experience (has to be full time- minimum 30 hours per month in skill type zero, skill level A or B. Maximum of 15 points can be awarded for years of experience).
   

   Work Experience (in the past 10 years to date)	Maximum 15 points
   1 year	9
   2-3 years	11
   4-5 years	13
   6 or more years	15

   Work experience has to be in:

   • Managerial jobs (skill type zero)
   • Professional jobs (skill level A)
   • Technical jobs and skilled trades (skill level B) 
2. Age (depending on your age which ranges between 18-46 years,. Maximum of 12 points can be awarded)
   

   Age	Points
   Under 18	0
   18-35	12
   36	11
   37	10
   38	9
   39	8
   40	7
   41	6
   42	5
   43	4
   44	3
   45	2
   46	1
   47 and older	0

3.  Language Test (has to be in English or French, must be approved test, minimum level of 7 in Canadian Language Benchmarks (CBL). Maximum of 24 points can be awarded for first official language and additional 4 point in second official language)
   • Speaking 
   • Reading 
   • Writing 
   • Listening
     

     First Language	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
     CLB level 9 or higher	6	6	6	6
     CLB level 8	5	5	5	5
     CLB level 7	4	4	4	4
     Below CLB level 7	Not eligible to apply	Not eligible to apply	Not eligible to apply	Not eligible to apply

     Second language	Points
     At least CLB 5 in all 4 areas	4
     CLB 4 or less in any of the 4 areas	0

4. Education (max 25 point). If your education is outside of Canada, your credentials have to be assessed by a government approved organization to determine its equivalence to Canadian education.
   

   Education	Points
   doctoral level (PhD)	25
   Master’s level or an entry-to-practice professional degree, (NOC) skill level A for which licensing is required by a provincial regulatory body in one of the following fields of study: medicine; veterinary medicine; dentistry; podiatry; optometry; law; chiropractic medicine; pharmacy.	23
   Two or more post-secondary program, one must have been issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer	22
   Post-secondary program of three years or longer	21
   Two-year post-secondary program	19
   One-year post-secondary program	15
   Secondary school (high school)	5

5. Valid job offer (valid job offer refers to a legitimate continuous full time paid job offer from a Canadian employer for at least 1-year, has to be in skill type zero, skill level A or B,  Maximum of 10 points can be awarded).
6. Adaptability (ability to settle in Canada-your partner language level, you or your partner past study/work in Canada, relative in Canada. Maximum of 10 points can be awarded).

You will be eligible to create a profile in the express entry system, once are you able to accumulate a minimum of 67 points from the six selection criteria above. If  you have less than 67 points, you will not be eligible to move to the next stage. 

STAGE 2 

CONPREHENSIVE RANKING SYSTEM (CRS)

b) The next stage is where you are ranked within the express entry system among other applicants based on the information in your profile. There is a total score of 1200 points awarded within the CRS based on a more detailed assessment of your profile. If your profile is ranked high, you will be selected among those who will be sent an “invitation to apply” for permanent resident. Once you receive the invitation to apply notice, you will have 60 days to complete your application. 

The second stages described above is overly simplified for easy understanding for those who want a quick synopsis of the process. The actual process is a little complex than as described above, which is where we come in to give you a hand.