Federal Skilled Trades Program (Express Entry)

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.

Federal Skilled Trades Program

The Canadian Federal Skilled Trades Program offers potential immigrants who are qualified in a skilled trade the opportunity to quickly become a permanent resident of Canada in an attempt to ensure that the country attracts and retains a skilled work force. The Canadian Government and Immigration Department developed the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) in 2013 in order to address the growing shortage of skilled workers in areas that were experiencing rapid growth due to the increasing strength of the economy. The economic immigration program was developed at the request of Canadian businesses and employers who were struggling to hire enough skilled workers to help them complete their work on time. The Canada Federal Skilled Trade Program now operates through the Canadian Express Entry immigration selection system.

Canada Federal Skilled Trades Program Eligibility

There are a variety of different factors that affect an applicant’s eligibility for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Skilled Trade Program applicants are assessed on their predicted ability to establish themselves in Canada economically.

Work Experience
The applicant must have at least 24 months of full-time experience (30+ hours per week) in the particular trade in the five years prior to the application being lodged. Part-time work that adds up to two years of full-time work also meets the requirements. This can be 24 months of working more than one job for a total of 30 hours/week, or a longer duration of part-time work (15+ hours each week) totaling 3,120 hours over a two-year period.

Language Proficiency
Applicants who wish to reside in Canada through the Skilled Trades Program must demonstrate that they have at least an intermediate grasp of either English or French. This can be done by taking a test through the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) for English, or the Test d’Evaluation de Francais (TEF) for French. The applicant will be tested on all four parts of the chosen language: speaking, reading, listening and writing. The prospective immigrant needs to score above the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) points in order to be found eligible for Federal Skilled Trades Class immigration.

For IELTS, the 2018 Federal Skilled Trades Program Canada requires CLB 5 for speaking (5.0+) and listening (5.0+), and CLB 4 for reading (3.5+) and writing (4.0+)
For CELPI, the Federal Skilled Trades Program 2018 requires CLB 5 for speaking (5+) and listening (5+), and CLB for reading (4+) and writing (4+)
For TEF, the 2018 Canada Federal Skilled Trades Program requires NCLC 5 for speaking (226+) and listening (181+), and NCLC 4 for reading (121+) and writing (181+)

Please note: all language testing must be completed with an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) approved agency.

Permanent Job Offer or Skilled Trade Qualification

In the case of a permanent job offer, the applicant must be able to supply proof that they have been offered a full-time job in Canada that adds up to 30 hours a week or more. This can also be applicable to two part-time job offers that will cover 30 hours a week.

If the applicant is qualified and holds a certification in their particular skilled trade, they do not necessarily need a job offer. Instead, the applicant needs to get hold of the regulatory body in the province or territory in which they intend to work, and through this provincial or territorial organization get their skilled trade qualifications certified.

Please note: it is likely that the applicant will have to travel to the province or area in which they wish to reside to get the certification done.

Satisfy Job Requirements

An applicant must be able to meet the requirements of one of the employment opportunities that is offered in the Federal Skilled Trades Program. There is a list of the possible jobs for applicants, and failure to meet either the relative certification or training for one of these jobs will result in failure to work in Canada through the program. We have listed all the eligible Federal Skilled Trades Program occupations below, as well as their National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes.

Work Outside Quebec
Quebec has its own skilled immigration program called the Quebec Skilled Trades Program, therefore prospective immigrants who are qualified in a skilled trade and wish to work and settle in Quebec are not able to got through the Federal Skilled Trades Program and must instead apply to the relevant authorities in Quebec. The Federal Skilled Trades Program is only for prospective immigrants who wish to live and work in British Columbia (BC), Alberta (AB), Saskatchewan (SK), Manitoba (MB), Ontario (ON), New Brunswick (NB), Nova Scotia (NS), Prince Edward Island (PEI), Newfoundland (NL), or any of the Canadian territories.

Interested in Canada’s Federal Skilled Trades Program? Contact us today for a free consultation.

Federal Skilled Trades Program Cap

The maximum cap for the Canada Federal Skilled Trade Program is 3000 successful applicants, but for many of the occupations a maximum sub-cap of 100 is applied. To qualify for the Skilled Trades Program an applicant must first be found eligible through various factors such as job offers, qualifications, language proficiency, and work experience. The employment opportunities are mainly found in the following sectors of the economy.

Eligible occupation categories:

Industrial
Electrical and Construction
Maintenance and Equipment operations
Agriculture and Production
Processing
Transport
Manufacturing
Cooks and Chefs
Bakers and Butchers

Federal Skilled Trades Program Eligible Jobs List

The following occupations, all of which are classified as National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level B, are eligible for the Canada Skilled Trades Program. NOC Skill Type B jobs are skilled trades and technical jobs that typically require a college diploma or apprenticeship training. In general, prospective immigrants who are skilled in trades that are in high demand in Canada, such as welders, electricians, machinists, cooks, carpenters, mechanics and plumbers, are qualified for immigration to Canada through this program. We have listed all the eligible occupations for the Federal Skilled Trades Program Canada below, including the official NOC job code pertaining to each. To find out exactly which occupations are subject to a sub-cap of 100 participants, please contact us.

Minor Group 632 – Chefs and cooks

6321 Chefs
6322 Cooks

Minor Group 633 – Butchers and bakers

6331 Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale
6332 Bakers

Major Group 72 – Industrial, electrical and construction trades

Minor Group 720 – Contractors and supervisors, industrial, electrical and construction trades and related workers

7201 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
7203 Contractors and supervisors, pipe fitting trades
7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers

Minor Group 723 – Machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades

7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
7232 Tool and die makers
7233 Sheet metal workers
7234 Boilermakers
7235 Structural metal and plate work fabricators and fitters
7236 Iron workers
7237 Welders and related machine operators

Minor Group 724 – Electrical trades and electrical power line and telecommunications workers

7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
7242 Industrial electricians
7243 Power system electricians
7244 Electrical power line and cable workers
7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers
7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
7247 Cable television service and maintenance technicians

Minor Group 725 – Plumbers, pipe fitters and gas fitters

7251 Plumbers
7252 Steamfitters, pipe fitters and sprinkler system installers
7253 Gas fitters

Minor Group 727 – Carpenters and cabinetmakers

7271 Carpenters
7272 Cabinetmakers

Minor Group 728 – Masonry and plastering trades

7281 Bricklayers
7282 Concrete finishers
7283 Tile setters
7284 Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers

Minor Group 729 – Other construction trades

7291 Roofers and shinglers
7292 Glaziers
7293 Insulators
7294 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
7295 Floor covering installers

Major Group 73 – Maintenance and equipment operation trades

Minor Group 730 – Contractors and supervisors, maintenance trades and heavy equipment and transport operators

7301 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
7302 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
7303 Supervisors, printing and related occupations
7304 Supervisors, railway transport operations
7305 Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators

Minor Group 731 – Machinery and transportation equipment mechanics (except motor vehicle)

7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
7312 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
7313 Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
7314 Railway carmen/women
7315 Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
7316 Machine fitters
7318 Elevator constructors and mechanics

Minor Group 732 – Automotive service technicians

7321 Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
7322 Motor vehicle body repairers

Minor Group 733 – Other mechanics and related repairers

7331 Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics
7332 Appliance servicers and repairers
7333 Electrical mechanics
7334 Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics
7335 Other small engine and small equipment repairers

Minor Group 736 – Train crew operating occupations

7361 Railway and yard locomotive engineers
7362 Railway conductors and brakemen/women

Minor Group 737 – Crane operators, drillers and blasters

7371 Crane operators
7372 Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction
7373 Water well drillers

Minor Group 738 – Printing press operators and other trades and related occupations, n.e.c.

7381 Printing press operators
7384 Other trades and related occupations, n.e.c.

Major Group 82 – Supervisors and technical occupations in natural resources, agriculture and related production

Minor Group 821 – Supervisors, logging and forestry

8211 Supervisors, logging and forestry

Minor Group 822 – Contractors and supervisors, mining, oil and gas

8221 Supervisors, mining and quarrying
8222 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services

Minor Group 823 – Underground miners, oil and gas drillers and related occupations

8231 Underground production and development miners
8232 Oil and gas well drillers, services, testers and related workers

Minor Group 824 – Logging machinery operators

8241 Logging machinery operators

Minor Group 825 – Contractors and supervisors, agriculture, horticulture and related operations and services

8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
8255 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services

Minor Group 826 – Fishing vessel masters and fishermen/women

8261 Fishing masters and officers
8262 Fishermen/women

Major Group 92 – Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators

Minor Group 921 – Supervisors, processing and manufacturing occupations

9211 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing
9212 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities
9213 Supervisors, food, beverage and associated products processing
9214 Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing
9215 Supervisors, forest products processing
9217 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing

Minor Group 922 – Supervisors, assembly and fabrication

9221 Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling
9222 Supervisors, electronics manufacturing
9223 Supervisors, electrical products manufacturing
9224 Supervisors, furniture and fixtures manufacturing
9226 Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing
9227 Supervisors, other products manufacturing and assembly

Minor Group 923 – Central control and process operators in processing and manufacturing

9231 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing
9232 Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators
9235 Pulping, paper making and coating control operators

Minor Group 924 – Utilities equipment operators and controllers

9241 Power engineers and power systems operators
9243 Water and waste treatment plant operators