The federal skilled trade program is the fastest way to migrate to Canada under semi-skilled occupation. If an individual has experience in agriculture, cooking, baking, plumbing, electrical, construction, driving, then the IRCC welcomes the candidate to work as a skilled trade worker.


There is a strong need for federal skilled trade workers all across Canada with numerous occupations. Canada Federal Government has created the Federal skilled trade program (FSTP) to help Canada by fulfilling thousands of high demand jobs. The federal skilled trade program is one of the parts of federal permanent residence and is managed by Express Entry Stream. These occupations are listed by the Canadian Federal Government on their official website.

Eligibility Criteria:

In order to lodge an Expression of Interest under the Federal Skilled Traded Programme, the candidate must have:

  • Two years of work experience in the skilled trade category within 5 years from the date of application.
  • The relevant National Occupation Classification code (NOC) in the declared list by the federal government.
  • Arranged employment at least for 1 year or certificate of qualification issued by the Provincial Government in that Federal skilled trade.
  • Academic requirement is not mandatory. However, if an individual wants to earn points for an academic credential, then either their Education should be from Canadian Institute or Education credential assessment from a Canadian recognized agency is required.
  • Language proficiency level measured by the Canadian language benchmark must be Minimum CLB5 or CLB6
  • Evidence of sufficient funds.
Application Process
Standard Application Process for Federal Skilled Trade Program
01

The candidate must determine their eligibility and collect their mandatory documents like Passport, Education assessment report, Language proficiency report, Nomination from province or territory (If applicable), a Job offer from the Employer.

02

Submit an online expression of interest. Once all requirements are fulfilled, an individual must submit an online Expression of Interest into the Express Entry draw pool system which is valid for 12 months. Express Entry draws happen twice in a month since the process begins. The profile will be ranked with the CRS score against other candidates in the pool, which is based on an individual’s background and by their human capital information. An individual with the highest CRS score receives an Invitation to Apply under the Federal Skilled trade express entry draw.

03

On acceptance of the candidate’s invitation to apply for permanent residency through FSTP, the candidate will be notified about the invitation to apply through the Express entry account. The next step is to submit the supporting documents and accept the ITA within 60 days.