Federal Skilled Trades Class

Federal Skilled Trades Class candidates must:

• Meet the required language levels for each language ability (speaking, reading, listening, and writing) by submitting results of a language test recognized by the government of Canada. The required minimum results are Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening,and CLB 4 for reading and writing.
• Have accumulated at least two years of full-time work experience (or the equivalent in part-time work experience) in the skilled trade during the five previous years.
• Be able to demonstrate that the skills and experience gained covers the essential duties of the occupation and
• Have a full-time offer of employment in that skilled trade for a period of at least one year from up to two Canadian employers OR hold a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade from a Canadian provincial or territorial authority.

Eligible occupation categories:

Settlement Funds Requirement

Federal skilled trades candidates without an offer of arranged employment must declare sufficient settlement funds upon entering the Express Entry pool. This declaration must then be proven when an application for permanent residence is made. The requirement for settlement funds increases based on the size of an applicant’s family:

Federal Skilled Trades Process

Step 1. Determine Eligibility: Make sure you meet all the requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker Class.

Step 2. Create an Express Entry profile: Eligible individuals must submit an Express Entry profile which acts as an Expression of Interest (EOI). Eligible candidates will automatically receive a score based on their profile and will be ranked against the other candidates in the pool.

The ranking score for Express Entry is based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and is out of 1,200 points. The higher a candidate’s CRS score, the higher the likelihood they will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

The CRS score is used as a cut-off point in Express Entry Draws. It is designed to project a candidate’s likelihood of being economically successful in Canada. It ranks different candidates based on their career and educational history, language skills, and whether they have already received a qualifying job offer or provincial nomination in Canada, among other factors. Candidates can receive additional points if they have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, or if they’ve received a provincial nomination.

Step 3. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA): IRCC conducts Express Entry draws at regular intervals and invites candidates above a certain rank are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. If a candidate is not invited, their profile will expire after 12 months, at which point they may submit a new profile.

Step 4. Submit your application for permanent residence: If you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you will be given 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence. In this application you will have to provide extensive personal information along with supporting documentation. The entire application is submitted electronically. Eighty percent of Express Entry applications are processed in six months or less.

How can a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant Help?

In addition to making sure the application is complete there are three main areas where an RCIC can help.

Immigration Strategy and Option: An RCIC can advise you on the different options that are available to you to obtain permanent residence in Canada and explain the pros and cons of each option. It is important you choose the best immigration program from the start as this will likely save you time and money in the long run.

Professional Representation: If you do not have a representative assisting you then you will probably only submit the required documentation listed on the IRCC document checklist. Submitting only these documents may be enough to result in a favorable decision. However, submitting only those documents sometimes is not enough to make your case and to satisfy the visa officer you meet the requirements of the visa. Generally, it is wise to submit as much evidence as you can above and beyond the minimum required by IRCC. Your representative can assist you in preparing and submitting a strong application to IRCC by identifying the weaknesses in your application and advising you how to strengthen your application.

Submission letter: An RCIC will prepare and submit a submission letter on behalf of the applicant along with the application. The submission letter is an important part of the application which summarizes and more importantly demonstrates why you meet the requirements of the visa.

Ready to Apply for the Canada Experience Class Program?

• Review your information and develop a strategy to apply
• Submit your profile in the Express Entry system
• Prepare and submit your permanent resident visa application to IRCC
• Act as your authorized representative to IRCC
• Update you regularly on the status of your application.

If you want to apply for permanent residence through the Canada Experience Class we are here to help! Please contact us and one of our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants will revert to you within 48 hours.