Federal Skilled Trades Program

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers interested to acquire a permanent residence visa for Canada. If you are a qualified worker in one of the specific skilled trades, you may be eligible to make an application through Express Entry.

Minimum Requirements:

1. Have at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience)* in a skilled trade within the five years before you apply,
2. Meet all the job requirements for the job that you are applying,
3. Have a full-time job offer for a period of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a provincial or territorial body.

SKILLED WORK EXPERIENCE

• • minimum 30 hours per week for each 12 month period or 15 hours per week for each 24 month period
  • up to two employers can commit to employing you for at least 12 months of full-time work
  • only the following occupations are accepted for this program, all of which are skill type 0, A or B of NOC 2011;
• Group 72 – industrial, electrical and construction trades
• Group 73 – maintenance and equipment operation trades
• Group 82 – supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture, and related production
• Group 92 – processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
• Group 632 – chefs and cooks, and
• Group 633 – butchers and bakers

EDUCATION

There is no minimum education requirement for this program. However, to be awarded the highest number of possible points for an Express Entry application candidates are must have either;

• a secondary school (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree obtained in Canada, or
• an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) and provide the report at the time of application

LANGUAGE ABILITY

Candidates must undergo an English and/or French language test. Candidates must:

• meet the minimum level benchmark of 5 for speaking and listening, and the minimum of benchmark 4 for reading and writing
• provide original test results from an approved language testing center
• Click here for the minimum required IELTS language scores.