Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

Federal skilled worker program is Canada’s prime immigration program, which allows the foreign skilled workers to settle in Canada with a permanent residency to fulfil the national workforce & economic needs.

This program was started in 1967, but candidates are invited to apply throughthe Express Entry System after its launch in 2015. This is a 5 years multiple entry visa, which allows foreign skilled workers to work and settle in Canada.

Key Highlights

• Requirements
• 67 Points Calculator
• FSW Application Process
• Eligibility Occupations
• Employment prospects
• Other important FAQs

Federal Skilled Worker Program Requirements

For the Federal Skilled Worker eligibility, you must meet the below minimum requirements.

• Skilled Work Experience
• Language Ability
• Experience

If you meet these requirements, there are six selection factors to assess your eligibility.

Six Selection Factors of FSW Program

There are some points are allocated for each factor and together it is a 100-point grid. You will be qualified to apply if you score 67 points or higher out of 100.

1. Language Skills

To apply for a study visa, PR or work permit it is very important to be able to communicate in English or at least one of the official languages of the country. In the same way, to apply for Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker visa you should know English, French or both.

You can get a maximum of 28 points with your language skills in English and French-based on your ability to Write, Read, Listen & Speak. And you must take an approved language test to prove your language proficiency.

IELTS Test for English

Reading	Speaking	Writing	Listening	CLB
6	6	6	6	CLB 7
6.5	6.5	6.5	7.5	CLB 8
7-7.5	7	7	8	CLB 9
8.5–9	7.5-9	7.5-9	8.5-9	CLB 10

French Language Test

TEF Canada	TFC Canada
The Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada (TEF Canada) is one of the tests approved by IRCC for French.	The Test de connaissances du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada) managed by the Centre International d’Études Pédagogiques (CIEP) in France.
You need to score a minimum level of 7 NCLC.	You should be able to score a minimum level of 7 NCLC.

2. Education

If you have studied in Canada, you must have a certificate of diploma or degree from a high school or post-secondary institution.

If you have completed your education outside Canada, you must provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.

Education Qualification	Maximum Points
University degree or equivalent to PhD	25 Points
Holding a Masters Degree	23 Points
Holding a Double-Bachelor Degree	22 Points
Bachelor’s Degree	21 Points
3 Years Diploma Course after Higher Secondary	19 Points
3 Years Diploma Course after High School	15 Points
High School	5 Points

Maximum 25 points will be awarded for the education.

3. Work Experience

You can get a maximum of 15 points with your work experience. For this, you must have 1 year of full-time skilled work experience or equivalent part-time work experience.

And you must have been working in an occupation in Skill level 0, A or B of theNational Occupation Classification.

Work experience	Points
1 year (minimum required under the program)	9
2-3 years	11
4-5 years	13
6 years or more	15

4. Age

A maximum of 12 points are allocated based on your age. Below is the point grid for the age factor.

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

5. Arranged Employment in Canada

If you have a job offer from a Canadian organization, you will be awarded a maximum of 10 points. And a valid job offer has to be for at least 1 year, full-time in an occupation listed as Skilled Type 0, A or B of the NOC.

And to get 10 points one of the below situations must also apply.

Step 1:

• Currently working in Canada on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-based work permit in a skilled occupation.
• The work permit must be valid when the application is made.
• The employer has made a full-time job offer in a skilled occupation to the candidate.

Step 2:

• The candidate is currently working in Canada on an LMIA-exempt work permit or a work permit issued under a provincial/territorial agreement.
• The work permit must be valid when the application is made and the employer has made a full-time job offer in a skilled occupation to the candidate.

Step 3:

• The candidate holds a valid Canadian work permit or is otherwise authorized to work in Canada, but does not fall into either of the above scenarios.
• The work permit authorization is valid when the application is made.
• A prospective employer has offered a permanent, full-time job to the candidate and this job offer is supported by a positive LMIA.

Step 4:

• The candidate does not hold a valid Canadian work permit.
• A prospective employer has offered a permanent, full-time job to the candidate and this job offer is supported by a positive LMIA.

6. Adaptability

Is your spouse coming along with you? Then, you can increase the score by providing your spouse‘s factors like education, work experience, and language proficiency.

Adaptability Factors	Maximum points
Your spouse or partner’s skills	5 Points
If pursued your education in Canada	5 Points
If your spouse or partner has pursued an education in Canada	5 Points
If having your previous work experience in Canada	10 Points
If your spouse is having past work experience in Canada	5 Points
If you have an arranged employment	5 Points
If you have any relatives living in Canada	5 Points

Proof of Funds

The candidates who are unable to get a job offer from a Canadian company must show that they have enough money to settle in Canada. Also, the proof of funds depends on the size of the applicant’s family.

Proof of Funds Required for:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program

Proof of Funds Not Required for:

• Canadian Experience Class, or
• if applying under FSWP or FSTP with (1) a valid job offer and (2) authorisation to work in Canada

Amount needed is as per the size of your family - yourself, your spouse/partner, your dependent children, as well as the dependent children of your spouse/partner. Spouse and dependent children have to be included for Express Entry proof of funds calculation even if they will not be coming to Canada with you.

The funds are to be readily available to you.

IRCC Express Entry Proof of Funds Requirement in 2023

The proof of funds requirement has been updated with effect from April 25, 2023. To remain eligible, you must ensure that settlement funds are accordingly updated in your Express Entry profile.

IRCC Express Entry Proof of Funds Requirement in 2023
Number of family members	Funds required in Canadian dollars (CAD)	Approximate in UAE Dirham (AED) As per 1 CAD = 2.69 AED
1	CAD 13,757	AED 37,006
2	CAD 17,127	AED 46,071
3	CAD 21,055	AED 56,637
4	CAD 25,564	AED 68,767
5	CAD 28,994	AED 77,994
6	CAD 32,700	AED 87,963
7	CAD 36,407	AED 97,934
For each additional family member	CAD 3,706	AED 9,969

How to calculate FSW points?

A minimum of 67 out of 100 points is required to apply under federal skilled worker (FSW) program.

Application procedure for Federal Skilled Worker visa

Below is the step by step process from eligibility check to getting your Canadian PR through the FSW Program.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

If you meet the minimum requirements then check if you’re able to get a minimum of 67 points with the above Federal Skilled Worker points calculator or from the point grid.

Step 2: Create Express Entry Profile

To create your Express Entry profile, you will need to provide the below 3 documents to IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).

• Identification - A Valid Passport
• Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA)
• Language Proficiency Test Results

In Every FSW Canada draw applicant is screened for medical and criminal inadmissibility. So, apart from these 3 documents, you have to provide a few more documents like:

• Medical examination report from an IRCC recognized panel physician
• Police clearance certificate from a local police station
• Work experience letters from previous employers

Before proceeding to the next step you must check you’re CRS Score and if your score is below the average cut-off score, our immigration expert can guide you on how to increase your CRS Score.

Step 3: Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

If an applicant is successful in receiving an ITA for Canadian PR, the candidate will have 60 days to submit an electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).

Step 4: Review of your e-application& Getting Canadian PR

A Canadian Immigration officer will review your application and let you know if any other information is required. If everything is fine, your application will be approved & a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) document will be sent.

Step 5: Apply for a PR card

Once you have your confirmation of status, you may then apply for your PR card. If you travel outside Canada, you may use this card as proof of your status in Canada.

Federal Skilled Worker Program Eligible Occupations

To apply for the FSW program, your work experience must be listed in the below skill types.


Skill Type 0 (zero): Management jobs, such as restaurant managers, retail and wholesale trade managers, managers in foodservice and accommodation, and more.

Skill Level A: Professional jobs that usually call for a degree from a university, including a range of Information Technology (IT) occupations, engineering and construction occupations, legal occupations, and more.

Skill Level B: Technical jobs and skilled trades that usually call for a college diploma or training as an apprentice, such as chefs, plumbers, general office workers, retail salespersons, and more.

What are the Employment prospects in Canada?

The Canadian economy was quickly recovered after Covid-19 pandemic and the government has announced a recovery plan with welcoming over 1.2 million new immigrants by 2023. Canada offers many job opportunities in various exciting fields.

Below are the jobs that have high demand in Canada are:

• IT professionals
• Doctors
• Nurses
• Chartered accountants
• Engineers
• Managers and other corporate professionals.
• Trade Senior managers
• Construction senior managers
• Employment in Broadcasting
• Government officials in a senior position
• Health senior managers
• Education senior managers
• Financial managers
• Transportation managers
• Human resources managers
• Courier and postal service managers
• Vocation training administrations
• School principals
• Employment in Fire department
• Community managers
• Recreational program directors
• Retail managers
• Commissioned officers
• Horticulture managers
• Museum directors
• Foodservice managers
• Corporate sales managers
• Architecture employment
• Mining engineers
• Aerospace engineers

There are a lot more occupations as stated under NOC that you can apply for FSWP immigration. A Canadian federal skilled worker would use their skill to improve society.

Other Important FAQs

The below section of this article is meant to clarify some of the questions or information you would like to know with regards to the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

What are the differences between a work permit and skilled worker immigration?

The differences between getting a work permit and skilled worker immigration are as follows.

Work Permit	Skilled Worker
You have a limited time period for working	Upon immigrating to Canada, you can work in your capacity for a long time
You have to return home after this work permit expires	You can apply through this program for citizenship and immigration Canada after 5 years
You have to apply for another program later	You can get citizenship and immigration without reapplying for another program if you pass

What is the difference between a federal skilled visa and express entry?

Federal skilled worker program is a Category of Canadian Immigration program for permanent residence while the Express Entry is an online system to apply for a permanent residence through 3 different federal programs.

Federal Skilled Visa	Express Entry
Marks distribution has a minimum score: 67 points	It does not have a minimum score; each factor has its minimum points
Having previous funds is a factor	Funds are not a factor

What are some important things you have to remember with FSWP?

• You should keep all your documents near you
• Show proof in the application form of your education, skill in an official language, work experience, etc.
• Good credential like age, finance, etc., are important to qualify
• You must attain at least a score of 67 out of 100 in the Federal Skilled Worker grid
• A work permit is not the same as the federal skilled workers’ program
• The eligibility factors you need to get citizenship in Canada
• Types of skilled workers who can apply for this immigration
• The differences between this program and the Express Entry immigration
• The jobs that you can apply for after getting citizenship

Who can apply for the federal skilled worker program?

With the above selection factors, the candidates who can get at least 67 points out of 100-points are eligible to apply for Canada’s FSW program.

Can I go to Canada without a job offer?

Yes, you can go to Canada without a job offer in hand with Federal skilled visa. You can search for work after getting there. You can also apply for jobs from UAE after receiving the visa. You get 3-6months to get in Canada after your visa is approved.

Which is the best place to migrate to Canada?

The popular Canadian destinations to get settled are Ontario and Saskatchewan. But it also depends on the area of your earlier work and its demand across Canada.

How much time does it take to get a Canadian PR through the FSW Program?

Most of the applications (around 80%) submitted under the federal skilled worker class are processed within six months. Some of the applicants have received ITAs in less than 4 months as well.

What is the difference between a Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trade?

People usually tend to get confused between Federal Skilled Workers and Federal Skilled Trades, especially when it comes to the eligibility criteria. However, these programs vary from one other, especially the jobs that qualify under the programs.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for is for workers skilled in fields like construction and manufacturing sectors. Applicants that fall under this program do not need a university degree but need some training and experience in the field.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program is for highly skilled professionals like IT professionals, doctors and managers who have a university degree and at least 1 year of experience.

What is the difference between FSW points and CRS points?

Visa applicants tend to get confused between the two types of points required to get permanent residency in Canada. They are:

• A 100 points system to be eligible for filing the Federal Skilled Worker Program application and
• A 1200 points Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) to get the Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.

After scoring at least 67 points to be eligible for the Canada FSW program, the candidate enters the Express Entry pool. CRS is then used to calculate the score of these applicants.

Out of the total 1200 points, 600 points are awarded for the factors considered under the Canada FSW point system and 600 is awarded for gaining nomination from Canadian provinces. The candidate has to score at least 471 points to receive the ITA.

Need more information?

You may get in touch with Canadian Center for Immigration Services for further details and guidance regarding Canadian Immigration. Alternatively, you can fill the free assessment form on our website so that our representative will contact you with all required information and key advice with regards to your Immigration Procedure and Visa Category.

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