Federal Skilled Trades Program

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for individuals who want to become permanent residents of Canada based on their qualifications in a skilled trade. This program is designed for skilled workers with experience in a specific trade who meet the requirements for immigration.

Skilled Trade Sectors

Skilled trades require specialized knowledge and hands-on work, often involving apprenticeships. Skilled tradespeople may work in the following sectors:

• Construction
• Transportation
• Manufacturing and Industrial
• Natural Resources and Agriculture

Skilled Trades Work Experience

To qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, your work experience must meet specific criteria. Here’s what you need to know:Requirements for Skilled Work Experience:

1. NOC Classification:  First, identify the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for your job. Your experience must be in one of these NOC groups:

• Major Groups: 72 (excluding Sub-Major Group 726), 73, 82, 83, 92, 93 (excluding Sub-Major Group 932)
• Minor Group: 6320
• Unit Group: 62200

1. Job Requirements: Your work experience must show that you:

• Performed the actions described in the lead statement of the NOC job description.
• Carried out most of the main duties listed for that occupation.
• Met the job requirements for that skilled trade as outlined in the NOC.

 

1. Paid Work: Your experience must be from paid work (wages or earned commission). Volunteer work or unpaid internships do not count.
2. Work Location: The experience must have been obtained in a country where you were qualified to practice the trade.
3. Duration of Experience: You must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or 3,120 hours total) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply.

Ensure your skilled work experience meets all these requirements to be eligible for the program.If You Worked in More Than One Country

• Your work experience only counts if you were qualified to practice the trade in the country where you gained that experience.
• If you were qualified in one country but worked in another country with different rules for practicing your trade, you must have also met the requirements to practice independently in the country where you worked.

Part-time Work Experience

• For part-time work, you can work fewer than 15 hours per week as long as the total hours add up to 1,560 hours.
• You can combine hours from more than one part-time job to reach the required total.
• Hours worked above 30 hours per week will not be counted.

Student Work Experience

• Work experience gained while studying does not count towards the minimum requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Bottom of Form

Job Offer or Certificate of Qualification

To be eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, you must have either:

• A valid job offers for full-time employment for at least 1 year, or
• A certificate of qualification in your skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial, or federal authority.

Certificate of Qualification

A certificate of qualification (also known as a qualification certificate) proves that you are qualified to work in a specific skilled trade in Canada. To receive this certificate:

• You must have passed a certification exam.
• You must meet all the requirements to practice your trade in the province or territory that issued your certificate.

This certificate can be issued by:

• The provincial or territorial body that governs trades in that region, or
• A federal authority.

To obtain a certificate, the relevant provincial, territorial, or federal authority will assess your training, trade experience, and skills to determine if you are eligible to take the certification exam.

• Language ability:

To prove your language skills for Express Entry, you need to take an approved language test in either English or French. Here’s how you can do it:English Tests:

• CELPIP- General Test: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program
• IELTS General Training Test: International English Language Testing System
• PTE Core: Pearson Test of English

French Tests:

• TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français
• TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français

Minimum Language Requirements by Language abilities:Your required language proficiency depends on the NOC TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) classification for your job.

Abilities	English CLB	French NCLC
Speaking and listening	CLB 5	NCLC 5
Reading and Writing	CLB 4	NCLC 4

This means the test results must be dated within 2 years of the date you complete your Express Entry profile or submit your application.

• Education:

There are no education requirements for the Canadian Experience Class.If you want to boost your rank in the Express Entry pool, there are two ways to do this:

1. If you studied in Canada, you could earn points for a certificate, diploma, or degree from a Canadian high school or post-secondary school.
2. If you studied outside of Canada, you could earn points if you have:
   • A completed educational credential, and
   • An educational credential assessment report for immigration purposes.

Proof of Funds

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family when you settle in Canada.You do not need to provide proof of funds if you:

• Are currently able to legally work in Canada, and
• Have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada.

How Much Money You Need

• The amount of money you need to support your family when immigrating to Canada depends on the size of your family.
• The table below shows the minimum amount required to immigrate to Canada as of June 3, 2024. If you have more money, you should list the full amount in your profile or application.

Number of Family Members	Funds You Need (CAD)
1	$14,690
2	$18,288
3	$22,483
4	$27,297
5	$30,690
6	$34,917
7	$38,875
For each additional family member (if more than 7)	$3,958

• Admissibility:

You must be allowed to enter Canada.Some people are not permitted to come to Canada for various reasons. These could include security concerns, criminal history, or medical issues.

• Where you can live in Canada:

You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec, as Quebec chooses its own skilled workers. If you plan to live in Quebec, refer to Quebec-selected skilled workers for more details.When creating your profile, you’ll be asked where you intend to live in Canada. However, you’re not required to settle in that specific province or territory.If you’re a Provincial Nominee, you must live in the province or territory that nominated you.