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Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program

The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program is one of the three programs contained within Canada’s Express Entry system for processing immigration applications. The FSW program allows candidates with foreign work experience and no connections to Canada to apply for permanent residency.

Check if you qualify as a federal skilled worker

Canada immigration opens numerous opportunities for skilled professionals worldwide, and the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program is a prime gateway for those seeking to contribute their expertise and build a future in Canada.

What is the FSW program?

The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program is managed under the Express Entry system and uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank candidates who wish to settle permanently in Canada. Unlike the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, Federal Skilled Workers are not required to have Canadian work experience to enter the Express Entry pool. Instead, candidates must meet a minimum points requirement based on factors such as work experience, language ability, and education. Once in the pool, applicants with the most competitive CRS scores will receive invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Who is eligible to apply under the FSW program?

In order to qualify for the FSWP, a candidate must meet certain minimum requirements regarding years of experience, level of education, age, and English or French language proficiency:

• 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).
    • Skilled work experience refers to experience classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
• Language Proficiency
  • Reach a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 on an approved English or French language test.
• Education
  • A minimum of a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent in foreign education.
• Financial Support
  • Enough funds to support themselves and any spouse and/or children in their settlement in Canada.
• Residence in Canada
  • Must intend to live outside of the province of Quebec.

If a candidate meets the requirements listed above, they must also demonstrate that they score a minimum of 67 out of 100 points on the FSW eligibility points grid.

If a candidate meets these requirements, they will be eligible to submit an Express Entry profile for the program. However, candidates should note that they must meet Canada’s basic admissibility requirements. Certain criminal offences and medical conditions may make a person inadmissible to Canada.

How can I apply under the FSW program?

Interested candidates must submit an Express Entry profile to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Submitting an Express Entry profile does not guarantee a candidate will receive Canadian permanent residence. Only after submitting an Express Entry profile will a candidate be assigned a CRS score and be considered in future Express Entry draws for Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence.

When submitting your Express Entry profile, an FSW candidate will need to provide the following documents:

• Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA)
  In order to claim points for education, an FSW candidate must provide a valid ECA report attesting to the value of foreign education by Canadian standards. There are five organizations in Canada authorized to issue ECA reports. This is not required for educational credentials obtained from a Canadian educational institution.
• Language Proficiency Test Results
  All candidates under the Express Entry programs 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.

If a candidate is successful in receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence, they will move onto the second stage of the application process. In this second stage, the applicant will have 60 days to prepare and submit an electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR). This application requires further documentation.

Since the Express Entry system launched 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 actively pursue options for improving their score.

How long does it take to process an FSW application?

A Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Express Entry profile will remain valid in the pool of candidates for a period of 12 months.

If, while in the pool of candidates, you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you will have 60 days to submit a full application and documentation to the Government of Canada.

The standard processing time for Express Entry applications is six months from the time the application is received by the Canadian authorities to the issuance of a permanent residence visa.

Additional factors may affect your processing time, including:

• The complexity and/or completeness of your application
• The ease with which the officer can confirm the information provided in your application
• Adding an additional family member to your application

Am I required to show settlement funds for FSW?

Federal Skilled Workers are required to demonstrate that they can provide for themselves and their families once they settle in Canada.

The funds required for settlement depend on the number of family members included in your application. Please refer to the below table for the amount required for your family size.

Number of Family Members	Funds Required
1	$14,690
2	$18,288
3	$22,483
4	$27,297
5	$30,690
6	$34,917
7	$38,875
If more than 7 people, for each additional family member	$3,958
Required amount as of May, 2024

For more information on what is accepted as proof of settlement funds, visit our Settlement Funds page.

If you are not able to demonstrate sufficient settlement funds, you can still apply as a Federal Skilled Worker if you first secure an offer of employment from a Canadian company.

What are the processing fees to apply under the FSW program?

The government processing fees must be remitted when submitting an application for permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Worker program. These fees are separate from a candidate’s settlement funds, which must be demonstrated as part of the Federal Skilled Worker eligibility requirements.

The processing fees to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker program are as follows:

Application	Processing fee in $ CAD
Principal applicant (Processing fee and right of permanent residence fee)	$1365
Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner (with right of permanent residence fee)	$1365
A dependent child under the age of 22 who is not a spouse or common-law/conjugal partner, or a dependent over the age of 22 who is unable to support themselves financially due to a physical or mental condition	Add $230 each per dependent
Last updated May 10, 2022

Do I need to provide language test results for the FSW program?

To apply under the FSW program, candidates must provide results from an approved language exam. To meet the minimum eligibly requirements, Federal Skilled Workers must score at least a CLB 7 or higher in each area of the language exam.

Federal Skilled Worker program eligible occupations

In order to be eligible for the FSW, you must have at least one year of work experience in an occupation skill type A, B, or 0. For a complete list of eligible occupations, please see below:

NOC code	Occupation title	Skill type
0011	Legislators	0
0012	Senior government managers and officials	0
0013	Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services	0
0014	Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations	0
0015	Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services, n.e.c.	0
0016	Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities	0
0111	Financial managers	0
0112	Human resources managers	0
0113	Purchasing managers	0
0114	Other administrative services managers	0
0121	Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers	0
0122	Banking, credit and other investment managers	0
0124	Advertising, marketing and public relations managers	0
0125	Other business services managers	0
0131	Telecommunication carriers managers	0
0132	Postal and courier services managers	0
0211	Engineering managers	0
0212	Architecture and science managers	0
0213	Computer and information systems managers	0
0311	Managers in health care	0
0411	Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration	0
0412	Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration	0
0413	Government managers - education policy development and program administration	0
0414	Other managers in public administration	0
0421	Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training	0
0422	School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education	0
0423	Managers in social, community and correctional services	0
0431	Commissioned police officers	0
0432	Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers	0
0433	Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces	0
0511	Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers	0
0512	Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts	0
0513	Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors	0
0601	Corporate sales managers	0
0621	Retail and wholesale trade managers	0
0631	Restaurant and food service managers	0
0632	Accommodation service managers	0
0651	Managers in customer and personal services, n.e.c.	0
0711	Construction managers	0
0712	Home building and renovation managers	0
0714	Facility operation and maintenance managers	0
0731	Managers in transportation	0
0811	Managers in natural resources production and fishing	0
0821	Managers in agriculture	0
0822	Managers in horticulture	0
0823	Managers in aquaculture	0
0911	Manufacturing managers	0
0912	Utilities managers	0
1111	Financial auditors and accountants	A
1112	Financial and investment analysts	A
1113	Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers	A
1114	Other financial officers	A
1121	Human resources professionals	A
1122	Professional occupations in business management consulting	A
1123	Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations	A
2111	Physicists and astronomers	A
2112	Chemists	A
2113	Geoscientists and oceanographers	A
2114	Meteorologists and climatologists	A
2115	Other professional occupations in physical sciences	A
2121	Biologists and related scientists	A
2122	Forestry professionals	A
2123	Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists	A
2131	Civil engineers	A
2132	Mechanical engineers	A
2133	Electrical and electronics engineers	A
2134	Chemical engineers	A
2141	Industrial and manufacturing engineers	A
2142	Metallurgical and materials engineers	A
2143	Mining engineers	A
2144	Geological engineers	A
2145	Petroleum engineers	A
2146	Aerospace engineers	A
2147	Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)	A
2148	Other professional engineers, n.e.c.	A
2151	Architects	A
2152	Landscape architects	A
2153	Urban and land use planners	A
2154	Land surveyors	A
2161	Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries	A
2171	Information systems analysts and consultants	A
2172	Database analysts and data administrators	A
2173	Software engineers and designers	A
2174	Computer programmers and interactive media developers	A
2175	Web designers and developers	A
3011	Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors	A
3012	Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses	A
3111	Specialist physicians	A
3112	General practitioners and family physicians	A
3113	Dentists	A
3114	Veterinarians	A
3121	Optometrists	A
3122	Chiropractors	A
3124	Allied primary health practitioners	A
3125	Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating	A
3131	Pharmacists	A
3132	Dietitians and nutritionists	A
3141	Audiologists and speech-language pathologists	A
3142	Physiotherapists	A
3143	Occupational therapists	A
3144	Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment	A
4011	University professors and lecturers	A
4012	Post-secondary teaching and research assistants	A
4021	College and other vocational instructors	A
4031	Secondary school teachers	A
4032	Elementary school and kindergarten teachers	A
4033	Educational counsellors	A
4111	Judges	A
4112	Lawyers and Quebec notaries	A
4151	Psychologists	A
4152	Social workers	A
4153	Family, marriage and other related counsellors	A
4154	Professional occupations in religion	A
4155	Probation and parole officers and related occupations	A
4156	Employment counsellors	A
4161	Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers	A
4162	Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts	A
4163	Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants	A
4164	Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers	A
4165	Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers	A
4166	Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers	A
4167	Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers	A
4168	Program officers unique to government	A
4169	Other professional occupations in social science, n.e.c.	A
5111	Librarians	A
5112	Conservators and curators	A
5113	Archivists	A
5121	Authors and writers	A
5122	Editors	A
5123	Journalists	A
5125	Translators, terminologists and interpreters	A
5131	Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations	A
5132	Conductors, composers and arrangers	A
5133	Musicians and singers	A
5134	Dancers	A
5135	Actors and comedians	A
5136	Painters, sculptors and other visual artists	A
1211	Supervisors, general office and administrative support workers	B
1212	Supervisors, finance and insurance office workers	B
1213	Supervisors, library, correspondence and related information workers	B
1214	Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations	B
1215	Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations	B
1221	Administrative officers	B
1222	Executive assistants	B
1223	Human resources and recruitment officers	B
1224	Property administrators	B
1225	Purchasing agents and officers	B
1226	Conference and event planners	B
1227	Court officers and justices of the peace	B
1228	Employment insurance, immigration, border services and revenue officers	B
1241	Administrative assistants	B
1242	Legal administrative assistants	B
1243	Medical administrative assistants	B
1251	Court reporters, medical transcriptionists and related occupations	B
1252	Health information management occupations	B
1253	Records management technicians	B
1254	Statistical officers and related research support occupations	B
1311	Accounting technicians and bookkeepers	B
1312	Insurance adjusters and claims examiners	B
1313	Insurance underwriters	B
1314	Assessors, valuators and appraisers	B
1315	Customs, ship and other brokers	B
2211	Chemical technologists and technicians	B
2212	Geological and mineral technologists and technicians	B
2221	Biological technologists and technicians	B
2222	Agricultural and fish products inspectors	B
2223	Forestry technologists and technicians	B
2224	Conservation and fishery officers	B
2225	Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists	B
2231	Civil engineering technologists and technicians	B
2232	Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians	B
2233	Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians	B
2234	Construction estimators	B
2241	Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians	B
2242	Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)	B
2243	Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics	B
2244	Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors	B
2251	Architectural technologists and technicians	B
2252	Industrial designers	B
2253	Drafting technologists and technicians	B
2254	Land survey technologists and technicians	B
2255	Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology	B
2261	Non-destructive testers and inspection technicians	B
2262	Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers	B
2263	Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety	B
2264	Construction inspectors	B
2271	Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors	B
2272	Air traffic controllers and related occupations	B
2273	Deck officers, water transport	B
2274	Engineer officers, water transport	B
2275	Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators	B
2281	Computer network technicians	B
2282	User support technicians	B
2283	Information systems testing technicians	B
3211	Medical laboratory technologists	B
3212	Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants	B
3213	Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians	B
3214	Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists	B
3215	Medical radiation technologists	B
3216	Medical sonographers	B
3217	Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.	B
3219	Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)	B
3221	Denturists	B
3222	Dental hygienists and dental therapists	B
3223	Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants	B
3231	Opticians	B
3232	Practitioners of natural healing	B
3233	Licensed practical nurses	B
3234	Paramedical occupations	B
3236	Massage therapists	B
3237	Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment	B
4211	Paralegal and related occupations	B
4212	Social and community service workers	B
4214	Early childhood educators and assistants	B
4215	Instructors of persons with disabilities	B
4216	Other instructors	B
4217	Other religious occupations	B
4311	Police officers (except commissioned)	B
4312	Firefighters	B
4313	Non-commissioned ranks of the Canadian Armed Forces	B
5211	Library and public archive technicians	B
5212	Technical occupations related to museums and art galleries	B
5221	Photographers	B
5222	Film and video camera operators	B
5223	Graphic arts technicians	B
5224	Broadcast technicians	B
5225	Audio and video recording technicians	B
5226	Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts	B
5227	Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts	B
5231	Announcers and other broadcasters	B
5232	Other performers, n.e.c.	B
5241	Graphic designers and illustrators	B
5242	Interior designers and interior decorators	B
5243	Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers	B
5244	Artisans and craftspersons	B
5245	Patternmakers - textile, leather and fur products	B
5251	Athletes	B
5252	Coaches	B
5253	Sports officials and referees	B
5254	Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness	B
6211	Retail sales supervisors	B
6221	Technical sales specialists - wholesale trade	B
6222	Retail and wholesale buyers	B
6231	Insurance agents and brokers	B
6232	Real estate agents and salespersons	B
6235	Financial sales representatives	B
6311	Food service supervisors	B
6312	Executive housekeepers	B
6313	Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors	B
6314	Customer and information services supervisors	B
6315	Cleaning supervisors	B
6316	Other services supervisors	B
6321	Chefs	B
6322	Cooks	B
6331	Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale	B
6332	Bakers	B
6341	Hairstylists and barbers	B
6342	Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners	B
6343	Shoe repairers and shoemakers	B
6344	Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations	B
6345	Upholsterers	B
6346	Funeral directors and embalmers	B
7201	Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations	B
7202	Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations	B
7203	Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades	B
7204	Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades	B
7205	Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers	B
7231	Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors	B
7232	Tool and die makers	B
7233	Sheet metal workers	B
7234	Boilermakers	B
7235	Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters	B
7236	Ironworkers	B
7237	Welders and related machine operators	B
7241	Electricians (except industrial and power system)	B
7242	Industrial electricians	B
7243	Power system electricians	B
7244	Electrical power line and cable workers	B
7245	Telecommunications line and cable workers	B
7246	Telecommunications installation and repair workers	B
7247	Cable television service and maintenance technicians	B
7251	Plumbers	B
7252	Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers	B
7253	Gas fitters	B
7271	Carpenters	B
7272	Cabinetmakers	B
7281	Bricklayers	B
7282	Concrete finishers	B
7283	Tilesetters	B
7284	Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers	B
7291	Roofers and shinglers	B
7292	Glaziers	B
7293	Insulators	B
7294	Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)	B
7295	Floor covering installers	B
7301	Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades	B
7302	Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews	B
7303	Supervisors, printing and related occupations	B
7304	Supervisors, railway transport operations	B
7305	Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators	B
7311	Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics	B
7312	Heavy-duty equipment mechanics	B
7313	Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics	B
7314	Railway carmen/women	B
7315	Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors	B
7316	Machine fitters	B
7318	Elevator constructors and mechanics	B
7321	Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers	B
7322	Motor vehicle body repairers	B
7331	Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics	B
7332	Appliance servicers and repairers	B
7333	Electrical mechanics	B
7334	Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics	B
7335	Other small engine and small equipment repairers	B
7361	Railway and yard locomotive engineers	B
7362	Railway conductors and brakemen/women	B
7371	Crane operators	B
7372	Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction	B
7373	Water well drillers	B
7381	Printing press operators	B
7384	Other trades and related occupations, n.e.c.	B
8211	Supervisors, logging and forestry	B
8221	Supervisors, mining and quarrying	B
8222	Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services	B
8231	Underground production and development miners	B
8232	Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers	B
8241	Logging machinery operators	B
8252	Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers	B
8255	Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services	B
8261	Fishing masters and officers	B
8262	Fishermen/women	B
9211	Supervisors, mineral and metal processing	B
9212	Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities	B
9213	Supervisors, food and beverage processing	B
9214	Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing	B
9215	Supervisors, forest products processing	B
9217	Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing	B
9221	Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling	B
9222	Supervisors, electronics manufacturing	B
9223	Supervisors, electrical products manufacturing	B
9224	Supervisors, furniture and fixtures manufacturing	B
9226	Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing	B
9227	Supervisors, other products manufacturing and assembly	B
9231	Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing	B
9232	Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing	B
9235	Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators	B
9241	Power engineers and power systems operators	B
9243	Water and waste treatment plant operators	B

How do I calculate my CRS points?

In order to submit a program under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), you must meet a minimum score of 67 on the FSW points grid. To calculate your Federal Skilled Worker score, you can check your points against the grids below.

For a free assessment of your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, complete our free online assessment form today!

Factor	Points
Education	25
Language Proficiency	28
Age	12
Work Experience	15
Arranged Employment	10
Adaptability	10
Minimum Pass Score	67

Factor 1: Education

Level of Education	Points
Doctoral (PhD) level	25
Master's level	23
Two or more post-secondary degrees - at least one for a program of at least 3 years	22
Post-secondary degree - 3 years or longer	21
Post-secondary degree - 2 years	19
Post-secondary degree - 1 year	15
Secondary school	5
Maximum	25

Factor 2: Language Proficiency

Language Proficiency
English	IELTS Score				Points
First Official Language	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
CLB 9	6	6	6	6	6 pts/ability
CLB 8	5	5	5	5	5 pts/ability
CLB 7	4	4	4	4	4 pts/ability
Second Official Language (OPTIONAL)
*Score must be met in all four abilities	4	4	4	4	4 points
English	CELPIP Score				Points
CLB 9	9	9	9	9	6 pts/ability
CLB 8	8	8	8	8	5 pts/ability
CLB 7	7	7	7	7	4 pts/ability
Second Official Language (OPTIONAL)
*Score must be met in all four abilities	5	5	5	5	4 points
Français	Marque TEF				Points
Première langue officielle	Expression orale	Compréhension de l'orale	Compréhension de l'écrit	Expression écrite
NCLC 9	371+	298+	248+	371+	6 pts/compétence
NCLC 8	349-370	280-297	233-247	349-370	5 pts/compétence
NCLC 7	310-348	249-279	207-232	310-348	4 pts/compétence
Seconde langue officielle (OPTIONELLE)
*vous devez atteindre le seuil minimal dans chacune des quatre compétences linguistiques	226-371+	181-298+	151-248+	226-371+	4 points
Français	Marque TCF				Points
Première langue officielle	Expression orale	Compréhension de l'orale	Compréhension de l'écrit	Expression écrite
NCLC 9	14+	523+	524+	14+	6 pts/compétence
NCLC 8	12-13	503-522	499-523	12-13	5 pts/compétence
NCLC 7	10-11	458-502	453-498	10-11	4 pts/compétence
Seconde langue officielle (OPTIONELLE)
*vous devez atteindre le seuil minimal dans chacune des quatre compétences linguistiques	6+	369-397+	375-405+	6+	4 points
Maximum					28

Factor 3: Age

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
Maximum	12

Factor 4: Work Experience

Work Experience	Points
6 or more years	15
4-5 years	13
2-3 years	11
1 year	9
Maximum	15

Factor 5: Arranged Employment

Arranged Employment		Points
If	And
You currently work in Canada on a temporary work permit.	Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the visa is issued (or you are authorized to work in Canada without a work permit when your visa is issued) and IRCC issued your work permit based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Your employer would have applied for the LMIA, which you then had to attach to your application to IRCC and You are working for an employer named on your work permit who has made a permanent job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker.	10
You currently work in Canada in a job that is exempt from the LMIA requirement under an international agreement (such as, the North America Free Trade Agreement) or a federal-provincial agreement.	Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the visa is issued (or you are authorized to work in Canada without a work permit when your visa is issued) and Your current employer has made a permanent job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker and You have been working for that employer for at least 1 continuous year, full-time or part-time equivalent.	10
You currently do not have a work permit, or do not plan to work in Canada before you get a permanent resident visa. OR You are currently working in Canada and a different employer has offered to give you a permanent full-time job OR You are currently working in Canada in a job that is exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment, but not under an international or federal-provincial agreement.	An employer has made you a permanent job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker and The employer has a positive Labour Impact Assessment from ESDC	10
Maximum		10

Factor 6: Adaptability

Adaptability	Points
Your past work in Canada You did at least one year of full-time work in Canada (NOC Skill Type 0, A or B) with a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada.	10
Your spouse or partner's full-time work in Canada Your spouse or common-law partner did at least one year of full-time work in Canada on a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada.	5
Your past study in Canada You finished at least two academic years of full-time (15 hrs/week) study in a program at least two years long at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada, and stayed in good academic standing during that time.	5
Your spouse or partner's past study in Canada Your spouse or common-law partner finished at least two academic years of full-time (15 hrs/week) study in a program at least two years long at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada, and stayed in good academic standing during that time.	5
Arranged Employment in Canada You earned points under Factor 5: Arranged Employment	5
Your spouse or partner's language level Your spouse or common-law partner has a language level in either English or French at CLB 4 level or higher in all four language abilities (IELTS Listening 4.0, Reading 4.5, Writing 3.5, Speaking 4.0)	5
Relatives in Canada You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have a relative who is living in Canada AND 18 years or older AND a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, either a: parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, child of a parent (sibling), child of a grandparent (aunt or uncle), or grandchild of a parent (niece or nephew)	5
Maximum	10

What is the difference between my FSW eligibility points and CRS score?

In order to submit a profile as a Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), you must meet the minimum of 67 eligibility points.  Once you can submit an Express Entry profile to the pool of candidates, you are ranked by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and given a CRS score. All candidates that enter the Express Entry pool are given a CRS score, but only FSW candidates need to meet the minimum FSW score.

What is foreign work experience?

To be eligible to submit an Express Entry profile, Federal Skilled Workers must have at least one year of full-time (or part-time equivalent) foreign work experience. Foreign work experience is any paid work experience acquired outside of Canada within the past 10 years.

The work experience must be in National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type A, B, or 0. To determine the skill type of your work, you will first need to find your NOC code.

How do I calculate CRS points for foreign work experience?

Foreign work experience CRS points are calculated as part of the skill transferability factors in combination with a candidate’s:

1. Official language proficiency; and
2. Canadian work experience.

Having three or more years of foreign work experience will allow you to claim the highest amount of points under these factors. See the below tables for a full breakdown of foreign work experience CRS points.

Foreign Work Experience and Official Language Proficiency

Years of Experience	Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7	Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9
No foreign work experience	0	0
1-2 years of foreign work experience	13	25
3+ years of foreign work experience	25	50

Foreign Work Experience and Canadian Work Experience

Years of Experience	Points for foreign work experience + 1 year of Canadian work experience	Points for foreign work experience + 2 or more years of Canadian work experience
No foreign work experience	0	0
1-2 years of foreign work experience	13	25
3+ years of foreign work experience	25	50

How do I calculate FSW points for part-time work experience?

Part-time work for Federal Skilled Workers can be calculated one of two ways:

1. Combining the total number of hours worked per week in two or more part-time, skilled roles (eg. 15 hrs/week in job A + 15 hrs/week in job B = 30 hrs/week)
2. Combining the total hours worked in one part-time job over the period of two or more years (eg. 15 hrs/week for two years = 1 year equivalent of full-time work) 15 hours per week in one part-time job over a period of two years, etc).

All part-time roles must be in NOC skill type A, B, or 0 to be considered toward one’s eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker program.

Is the Federal Skilled Worker program open?

Express Entry draws for Federal Skilled Worker candidates have been paused since December 2020. The Canadian government recently announced that draws targeting federal skilled workers would resume in early July 2022.

That said, FSW candidates may submit a profile at any time. While FSW candidates may not be invited in a federal Express Entry draw until July 2022, provinces continue to invite candidates for the chance to be nominated for permanent residency through Provincial Nominee Programs.

Can a Federal Skilled Worker work in Quebec?

According to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, Federal Skilled Workers are persons who have the intention to become economically established in Canada and reside in a province outside of Quebec.
Therefore, to be eligible for the program, you must not intend to reside in the province of Quebec. If you intend to settle in Quebec, you should immigrate through a Quebec immigration program. However, you may work for a Quebec company as long as you can sufficiently demonstrate your intention to reside in another province.

Is there an age limit to apply for under the FSW program?

There is no age limit to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program. However, after the age of 35, candidates will begin to lose points toward the FSW eligibility requirement. After the age of 29, candidates will also lose points toward the age factor of their Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS). For this reason, candidates with lower age points may need to increase their eligibility points and CRS score through other factors.

Can my spouse and children be included in my FSW application?

Individuals applying under the Federal Skilled Worker may include their children and spouse on their application for permanent residence. However, an applicant should consider how their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score may be affected when applying with a spouse.

Can I include my parents on my Federal Skilled Worker application?

Unfortunately, parents cannot be included on an application for permanent residence through the Federal Skilled Worker program. However, after becoming a permanent resident, you may be eligible to sponsor your parents to come to Canada.

Do I need a job offer to apply under the FSW Program?

A job offer is not required for the Federal Skilled Worker program. In fact, a large majority of candidates invited under the Express Entry system do not have a formal Canadian job offer. That said, having a valid job offer may increase a Federal Skilled Worker’s CRS score by 50-200 points. To qualify for these points, the job offer will likely require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

I have a criminal background or serious medical condition - can I still apply under the FSW program?

If you have a criminal record or serious medical condition, you may be considered inadmissible to Canada and unable to successfully apply under the Federal Skilled Worker program. However, inadmissibility is not necessarily a permanent ban from entering Canada. There are solutions available to help people otherwise considered inadmissible to enter Canada. Visit our inadmissibility page for more information.

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Related Links

• Express Entry

• Comprehensive Ranking System

• How to find your NOC Code