Federal Skilled Worker Program

Immigration has always contributed to Canada’s economy. Canada encourages skilled worker applications for Permanent Residence from people with skills, education and work experience that will contribute to the Canadian economy.

Qualification to the skilled worker program is based on a number of selection factors, including age, education, work experience, language skills, arranged employment and adaptability. Applicants will be awarded points to each factor, and those who score a total of 67 points or more will normally be considered eligible for the programs.

Effective June 26, 2010, eligibility to this program is limited to people have at least one year of experience in one of the 29 “priority occupations” within the past ten years unless one has a valid arranged employment offer.  Also, a cap is placed for each occupation on yearly basis. Applicants with a valid job offer or Arranged Employment Opinion, however, are NOT subject to the caps and the limitation of the 29 priority occupations. Also effective June 26, 2010, all applicants are required to submit recognized language test result (IELTS for English, TEF for French) to demonstrate their official language abilities, otherwise the application will be considered incomplete and returned.

For the year between July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will accept a total of 10,000 applications for processing, and the maximum number of applications for each occupation is 500. For the latest update about the applications received under each category, click here.  If the cap is reached, the applicant will have to wait until next year to apply.

Calculating an applicant’s points is more than just a matter of adding up scores. There are pitfalls in the point system and many legal issues involved. The central issue of eligibility determination for the federal skilled worker program is the applicant’s ability to economically establish himself/herself in Canada, and the point schedule is but to assist the officer in determining such ability. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations allow an immigration officer to exercise discretion to determine that the applicant will economically establish himself/herself in Canada, even if the applicant does not achieve the 67 points pass mark. However, the Regulations also allows an immigration officer to exercise negative discretion to refuse an application even if the applicant scores 67 points or above.

To accurately assess your eligibility under the program and prepare your application swiftly, it is recommended that you seek professional help.

 

Related links:

Canadian Permanent Residence

Canadian Experience Class

Study in Canada

Work in Canada