The Federal Skilled Worker Program is Canada’s premier immigration pathway, allowing foreign skilled workers to move to Canada and obtain permanent residency to meet the country’s workforce and economic needs.
Initially launched in 1967, candidates are now invited to apply through the Express Entry System, introduced in 2015. This is a 5-year multiple-entry visa, enabling skilled foreign workers to work and settle in Canada.
“With the FSW program, you can live in any province in Canada, except for Quebec, as it follows a separate PR system.”
To qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you must meet the following minimum requirements:
If you meet these requirements, your eligibility will be assessed based on six selection factors.
Points are allocated for each factor, and the total is a 100-point grid. You are eligible to apply if you score 67 points or higher out of 100.
You can score a maximum of 28 points based on your ability to read, write, listen, and speak in English or French. You must also take an approved language test to demonstrate your proficiency.
| Reading Score | Speaking Score | Writing Score | Listening Score | CLB Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | CLB 7 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | CLB 8 |
| 7-7.5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | CLB 9 |
| 7.5-9 | 7.5-9 | 8.5-9 | N/A | CLB 10 |
| Test Name | Description | Minimum Required Score |
|---|---|---|
| TEF Canada | The Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada (TEF Canada) is an approved test by IRCC for French proficiency. | Minimum NCLC 7 |
| TCF Canada | The Test de connaissances du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada) is managed by the Centre International d’Études Pédagogiques (CIEP) in France. | Minimum NCLC 7 |
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 Master’s Degree | 23 Points |
| Holding a Double-Bachelor Degree | 22 Points |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 21 Points |
| 3-Year Diploma Course after Higher Secondary | 19 Points |
| 3-Year Diploma Course after High School | 15 Points |
| High School | 5 Points |
Maximum 25 points will be awarded for the education.
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 the National 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 |
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 |
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:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
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 Factor | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Your spouse or partner’s skills | 5 |
| If you pursued your education in Canada | 5 |
| If your spouse or partner has pursued education in Canada | 5 |
| If you have previous work experience in Canada | 10 |
| If your spouse has past work experience in Canada | 5 |
| If you have arranged employment | 5 |
| If you have any relatives living in Canada | 5 |
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:
Proof of Funds Not Required for:
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 2024
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.
| Family Members | CAD Amount | PKR Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAD 13,757 | PKR 2,855,845 |
| 2 | CAD 17,127 | PKR 3,556,353 |
| 3 | CAD 21,055 | PKR 4,372,579 |
| 4 | CAD 25,564 | PKR 5,303,414 |
| 5 | CAD 28,994 | PKR 6,032,474 |
| 6 | CAD 32,700 | PKR 6,795,850 |
| 7 | CAD 36,407 | PKR 7,564,405 |
| Each Additional Member | CAD 3,706 | PKR 757,176 |
A minimum of 67 out of 100 points is required to apply under federal skilled worker (FSW) program.
The below calculator can help you to find your FSW points.
Below is the step by step process from eligibility check to getting your Canadian PR through the FSW Program.
In every FSW Canada draw, applicants are screened for medical and criminal inadmissibility. Therefore, in addition to these three documents, you’ll need to provide some additional documents, such as:
Before proceeding, check your CRS Score. If your score is below the average cut-off, our immigration expert can guide you on how to improve your CRS score.
Some of the high-demand jobs in Canada include:
There are many more occupations under NOC that you can apply for through the FSWP. A skilled worker in Canada would use their expertise to contribute to society.
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The differences between getting a work permit and skilled worker immigration are as follows.
| Work Permit | Skilled Worker |
|---|---|
| Duration of Work | Limited time period for working |
| Post-Immigration | You can work in your capacity in Canada for an extended period |
| Work Permit Expiry | You are required to return home once the work permit expires |
| Pathway to Citizenship | You can apply for Canadian citizenship and immigration after 5 years |
| Future Application | You must apply for another program after the work permit ends |
| Citizenship Without Reapplying | You can receive citizenship and immigration without needing to reapply if you meet the criteria |
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 |
|---|---|
| Minimum Score | Requires a minimum of 67 points |
| Score Distribution | Does not have a fixed minimum score; each factor has its own minimum points |
| Previous Funds | Previous funds are considered as a factor |
| Funds | Funds are not considered as a factor |
Yes, you can move to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program without having a job offer in hand. Once you arrive in Canada, you can search for a job. You also have the option to apply for jobs from Pakistan after receiving your visa. Once your visa is approved, you typically have 3 to 6 months to settle in Canada.
The most popular destinations to settle in Canada are Ontario and Saskatchewan. However, your choice should also depend on the demand for your skills in different regions of the country.
For most applicants (around 80%), the processing time for the Federal Skilled Worker application is within six months. Some applicants have even received their Invitation to Apply (ITA) in under 4 months.
There is often confusion between the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). These programs differ in terms of eligible jobs and requirements:
Applicants often confuse the Federal Skilled Worker points system with the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Here’s how they differ:
The total CRS score consists of two parts:
To receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), the candidate needs a minimum of 471 points.
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