Federal Skilled Worker Program – Canada PR in 2024
Immigrate to Canada as a Skilled Worker – Category Based Invitations
Federal Skilled Worker Program – Canada PR in 2024
Key Aspects
- Points Based System
- Eligibility Requirements
- Category Based Invitations
- Invitation to Apply (ITA)
- Medical and PCC
- Passport Request and COPR issuance
The Canada Federal Skilled Worker Program is one of the major and most opted visa routes to obtain Canada Permanent Residence as a Foreign Worker. You can apply for this program from any part of the world through the Canada Express Entry System, all you need is to fulfill the eligibility criteria to be able to submit your application online under the FSW Category.
Understand FSW Program
The main motive of this economic immigration program and the way it was designed is to attract the best Skilled foreign workers to come and settle in Canada through Immigration as Permanent Resident.
Certain selection factors make you eligible for this program and you will gain points based on your profile for each selection factor. Combining all the points gives you a score that will define your eligibility to apply and the minimum score required is 67 points.
On the other hand, the Express Entry system allocates a different points system called Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS).
What is IRCC Category Based Invitations
Canada introduced category-based invitations in 2023 as part of its Express Entry system for permanent residency. This system aims to attract skilled workers to address labor shortages in specific sectors.
Here's a breakdown of category-based invitations:
- Targeted Selection: IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) announces the targeted category beforehand. This lets you know if your skills and experience align with what they’re looking for.
- Focus on Economic Needs: The categories are chosen to address current economic priorities in Canada. For instance, they might target healthcare professionals or skilled tradespeople.
- Competition Among Eligible Candidates: Once the category is announced, IRCC ranks candidates in the pool who meet that category’s requirements. Invitations to apply for permanent residence go to the highest-ranking candidates.
Currently, Canada uses category-based draws for the following (as of March 2024):
- French Language Proficiency: Strong French skills are a plus for immigration.
- Specific Occupations: This includes healthcare, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM), skilled trades, transportation, and agriculture/agri-food sectors.
FSW Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you must meet the following requirements:
- Work Experience: You must have at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent part-time work experience in a skilled occupation within the last 10 years. The work experience must be classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system as Skill Type (TEER) 0 (Managerial occupations) or TEER 1 (Professional occupations) or TEER 2 (Technical occupations and skilled trades).
- Language Proficiency: You must prove your proficiency in English or French by taking a designated language test (such as IELTS GT or CELPIP for English) and obtaining the required minimum scores.
- Education: You must submit your education certificates to prove you meet the minimum education requirements. If you have completed your studies in Canada, you will have to submit a Diploma or Degree Certificate from a Post-Secondary Canadian institute.
If you have completed your education outside Canada, then you must need to get your foreign education qualifications assessed by Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) bodies that were authorized by IRCC.
- World Education Services (WES),
- International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS),
- Comparative Education Service (CES), University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
- International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
- International Credential Evaluation Service.
- Proof of Funds: You must demonstrate you have access to sufficient funds to support yourself and your family members in Canada. The exact amount you require to maintain depends on the size of your family.
- Admissibility: You must meet the health and character requirements set by the Canadian government. This includes undergoing a medical examination and providing police clearance certificates.
FSW Application Process
The Federal Skilled Worker Program operates within the Express Entry system, which is an online application management system. Here’s an overview of the process:
- Create an Express Entry Profile: Create an Express Entry profile and provide information about your skills, work experience, education, language proficiency, and other relevant details and submit your application.
- Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score: Your application will be assigned a CRS score based on information you provide. Your application will stay valid for 1 Year, after that you have to submit a fresh application.
- Invitation to Apply (ITA): ITAs are issued to the highest-ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores. If you receive an ITA, you will have 60 day’s time to submit the requested documents and information and submit your application for Permanent Residence.
- Wait for Application Processing: After submitting your application you will receive AOR. Your application will be reviewed by the case officer. The processing time can vary, but generally, the government aims to process applications within six months.
- Passport Request: If all the information submitted satisfies the Case officer, you will be requested to submit the Passports for Visa Approval. Along with initial entry visa all the applicants will be issued COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence).
Application Process Time
IRCC is aimed to complete the entire process of Federal Skilled Worker Program in 6 Months or less. Process timelines may vary, if IRCC requires additional information from applicant and the time the applicant takes to submit the same.
Visa Fees
APPLICANTS | FEE IN CANADIAN DOLLARS |
Principal Applicant – $850 application processing fee + $515 Right of Permanent Residence fee |
$ 1365 |
Accompanying Spouse or Common-law Partner – $850 application processing fee + $515 Right of Permanent Residence fee |
$ 1365 |
A dependent child of the principal applicant who is under 22 and is not a spouse or common-law partner, or is 22 or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition |
$ 230 Per Kid |
Biometric Fee for Individual
Biometric Fee for Family or 2 or More | $ 85
$ 170 |
How Mercury Visas assists you
Our team of consultants has 10+ years of expertise in Canada Immigration and successfully assisted thousands of individuals in their Federal Skilled Worker Program Application process.
- Free Assessment and Points Calculation
- Guiding on how to obtain Transcripts from your University. Applying for ECA and tracking the progress
- Assisting in Express Entry Profile Creation and Submission of the Right and Accurate information along with choosing the correct TEER code
- Responding to the ITA received and advising on the document’s checklist and preparation of the file. Applying for Permanent Residence
- Monitoring and updating you all the time until Visa Approval.
- Post-landing assistance involves finding accommodation of your choice, guiding in Bank account opening, and introducing to the local communities for knowledge sharing.