The Canadian Government launched Express Entry in January 2015 for skilled applicants to apply for Permanent Residence status. Applicants are eligible to apply whether they are in Canada as temporary foreign workers or outside of Canada, so long as they meet the criteria.
The purpose of creating the Express Entry Federal Skilled Trades Permanent Residence category is to allow skilled workers to gain entry into Canada as Permanent Residents much faster than before. It allows Canadian Immigration officers to select immigrants based on their skills and education. The Express Entry portal is created by completing a standard questionnaire that asks questions based on one's age, education, work experience, and so on. The government then decides whether to extend an invitation to the applicant to apply for permanent residence.
FREE CALCULATOR: CHECK YOUR EXPRESS ENTRY SCORE
The Canadian government created the Federal Skilled Trades program for those seeking to become permanent residents based on their qualifications in a specific skilled trade. There are minimum requirements that must be met:
- No plans to live in the province of Quebec as it does not use this system
- Language skills at the necessary levels
- Two full years of full-time experience in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply
- An offer of full-time employment must be made (for at least one year of employment) or a "certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial or territorial authority" must be available
- The job must meet the criteria for skilled trades as laid out by the NOC, these are:
- Major Group 72 industrial, electrical and construction trades
- Major Group 73 maintenance and equipment operation trades
- Major Group 82 supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
- Major Group 92 processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
- Minor Group 632 chefs and cooks
- Minor Group 633 butchers and bakers
If you believe you qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, we suggest you speak with a legal expert to confirm your eligibility.
Contact us today at (403) 452-9515 Ext. 100 or 1-800-932-1190 or email us directly.
