After much anticipation and a long delay, the Federal skilled worker program is finally re-opened in Canada. Under this program, skilled workers are chosen as permanent residents based on their ability to settle in Canada and take part in its economy. They are assessed on a number of criteria as well as whether or not their particular profession is of need in Canada.

What is the Federal skilled worker program?

The Federal skilled worker program is a permanent resident program that allows foreign skilled workers to reside permanently in Canada provided they meet the basic criteria and that their particular type of skilled work is currently in demand in Canada as per the list of occupations outlined for this program. Those who do qualify are able to submit an application for permanent residence for themselves as well as their dependents and other family members. In order to qualify as a skilled worker, your profession must be classified as A, B or 0 under the national occupational classification matrix.

Do I qualify for the federal skilled worker program?

Those applying for the first worker program or are chosen for permanent residence based on a number of different criteria:

• English or French skills and language abilities
• Education
• work experience
• Ability to establish yourself in Canada
• Language abilities – you must meet the minimum language levels and include the results of a language Chestman Agency approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada upon submission of your application. The minimum work language requirement is classified as a CLB7.
• Education – you must have a Canadian degree or diploma, certificate or credential. If you have received their education outside of Canada, you’ll be required to complete an educational credential assessment by an agency approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. This is completed in order to demonstrate that your education abroad is equivalent to an education in Canada.
• Work Experience – in or to be eligible, you must have at least one year in the same occupation, continuous and paid full-time or an equal amount of part-time work within the last 10 years. This type of work must be classified under the national occupational classification matrix as either a skill level A, B or 0. A skill level 0 is considered to be managerial, skill level A a professional occupations and skill level B are typically technical occupations and skilled trades.
• Adaptability – this is assessed based on the immigration officer’s discretion and is typically demonstrated through a number of factors such as your language capability, the size of your family travelling with few, if any, the current economic situation of the province you wish to reside in, as well as your available funds for your time in Canada.

What documents will I require for the Federal skilled worker program?

You will need to provide documentation that satisfies the officer that you are qualified for the occupation that you are applying under, you have the necessary work experience, and you are able to establish yourself in Canada.  Further, any sort of proof that you can provide to demonstrate your experience will also help you in compiling a strong application. Letters of reference, employment verifications, and any other proof of your previous experience would also be most beneficial. You also be required to provide proof of funds available readily available for you in Canada, as this will help demonstrate to the officer that you are able to adapt to Canada’s economy quickly.

What is the processing time for the Federal skilled worker program?

Processing times for the Federal skilled worker application are based on your country of origin. Depending on the country you are applying from, the visa office designated to process applications has unique processing times. The average processing time based on how long it took to process the percent of all cases between April 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013, is roughly between 18 to 24 months approximately. Make certain you submit a completed application as this will often avoid extensive delays and for the processing times should the immigration officer assigned in your application require further documentation.

I have a valid job offer. Do I qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program program?

If you already have a valid job with a Canadian employer, you may be exempt from requiring a Labour Market Opinion and made obtain your permanent residence in Canada as a skilled worker under this category. Please note that your employer would need to provide a qualifying job offer and potentially obtain an arranged employment opinion prior to an application for permanent residence in Canada. A qualifying job offer is one that permits, if not seasonal and full-time, a skill type A, B or 0 and has wages and working conditions comparable to those offered to Canadians working in the same occupation.