Federal Skilled Worker Frequently Asked Questions

Federal Skilled Worker FAQs

My occupation is on the new list. How long do I have to apply?

Starting May 4, 2013, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will accept up to 300 complete applications in each of the 24 eligible occupations, but no more than a total of 5,000 complete applications in the occupation list stream.

In addition, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will accept up to 1,000 applications under the Ph.D. stream.

There is no limit on the number of applications with a valid offer of arranged employment.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada regularly updates the number of applications in each cap on their site. But, since they get so many applications and there is a time lag, it is possible that your occupation may be full by the time we get your application, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the moment.

What happens if I do not meet the language requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker Application?

To apply as a Federal Skilled Worker, there is a minimum skill level which is referred to as a threshold in order to qualify. You will now need a minimum skill level of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in each of the four abilities (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). You must meet the threshold in all four abilities, or Citizenship and Immigration Canada will not consider your application.

Can I still apply for the Federal Skilled Worker if I am over 46 years old?

The Federal Skilled Worker program has a point system in which all applicants are assessed. This is known as the selection grid. If you are over 46, you will not get any points under the Age factor of the Federal Skilled Worker selection grid, but you can still apply. The applicant’s age is worth 12% of the overall selection criteria.

How can I get the most possible points for the Adaptability factor?

You can get 10 points if you have previously worked in Canada for at least one year in a skilled occupation listed as Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2011. You would have had a valid work permit or have been authorized to work in Canada then. This is worth a total of 10 points on the selection grid.

Likewise, you can combine any two of these to get up to a maximum of 10 points:

• your accompanying spouse has taken a language test and has Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 or higher in all 4 abilities (5 pts)
• you studied in Canada for at least two academic years, and during that time, you were in good academic standing (5 points)
• your accompanying spouse studied in Canada for at least two academic years, and during that time, he or she was in good academic standing (5 points)
• your accompanying spouse worked in Canada before as a Temporary Foreign Worker for at least one year (5 points)
• you or your accompanying spouse have a qualifying relative in Canada (5 points)
• you have an offer of arranged employment in Canada (5 points)

Even if more than two of these apply to you and your spouse, you can only get 10 points in total.

What does “equal amount of part-time work experience” mean?

When Citizenship and Immigration Canada refers to full-time experience or “an equal amount in part-time,” part-time could mean:

• You had more than one part-time job at the same time, or
• You worked at one or more part-time jobs for the same number of hours as you would have worked in one year of full-time work.

If you had more than one part-time job and worked 30 or more hours per week, add up the number of continuous weeks, you worked to figure out your total work experience for a particular job.

If you worked part-time for less than 30 hours per week, add up the number of hours you worked to make up 1,560 hours total. For instance, if you worked part-time for 15 hours per week over a period of two years, you would have the equivalent of one year of full-time experience.