The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) under Express Entry is a desirable immigration program for foreign tradespeople who intend to relocate permanently to Canada. The FSTP is appealing to newcomers with prior trade experience due to its high intake targets, simplicity of application, and quick processing times.
However, not all applicants are eligible to apply for permanent residence (PR) in Canada because the process is lengthy and complicated. In this article, we go over the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) eligibility requirements and application procedure in detail so that you can apply for Canadian permanent residency through Express Entry.
In this piece:
What exactly is the FSTP (Federal Skilled Trades Program)?
FSTP eligibility requirements for immigration to Canada.
Occupations that are eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
How to use the Federal Skilled Trades Program to get a PR.
If you are applying for FSTP to immigrate to Canada, do you require evidence of settlement funds?
Under FSTP, how long does it take to process PR applications?
What is the Federal Skilled Trades Program application fee?
If I qualify for PR through FSTP, can I live anywhere in Canada?
What exactly is the FSTP (Federal Skilled Trades Program)?
One of Canada’s Express Entry’s three economic immigration streams is the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). With at least two years of work experience and at least moderate English or French proficiency, skilled tradespeople can qualify for permanent residence (PR) and settle in Canada through the program.
Compared to other Canadian immigration programs, all Express Entry programs encourage foreign nationals to apply online and process applications more quickly. The combined intake targets for the three economic immigration streams—FSTP, Federal Skilled Worker, and Canadian Experience Class—are extremely high, making these programs appealing to newcomers even though the government does not set separate goals for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
FSTP eligibility requirements for immigration to Canada.
The following are the minimum requirements you must meet to be eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program:
Requirement for skilled work experience for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
You must have worked full-time in an eligible skilled trade for at least two years in the past five years (3,120 hours or more). In the five years preceding your application, you must have worked an equivalent number of hours if you have been working part-time. You can have work experience in any country.
You must have been compensated in the form of wages, salary, or commission for your labor. Volunteer work and internships are examples of unpaid work that do not count toward the minimum requirement for admission.
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) description lists the job requirements and responsibilities for that skilled occupation, with the possible exception of a certificate of qualification.
The requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program is language proficiency.
For the FSTP program, your score on the language test is an important qualification criterion. To be able to:
You are required to take a recognized language test in either French or English. These tests, like the IELTS or CELPIP for English and the TEF and TCF Canada for French, test your ability to speak four languages: speaking, listening, writing, and reading.
Your reading and writing Comprehensive Language Benchmark (CLB) scores should be at least 4 and your speaking and listening Comprehensive Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 respectively.
Your language scores must be entered into your Express Entry profile.
On the day you submit your application for permanent residence, the results of your language test must be current (less than two years).
Requirement for FSTP: a job offer or a certificate of qualification.
One of the following is required for foreign nationals applying for the Federal Skilled Trades Program:
An offer of a full-time job from a Canadian employer that is valid for at least one year after you become a permanent resident of Canada. Keep in mind that, in most cases, a Canadian employer who wants to offer a job to a non-resident will need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment, and they will only do so if they can’t hire a good candidate in Canada.
Certification of proficiency in your skilled trade from a Canadian regulatory body (federal, provincial, or territorial). When you apply for a qualification certificate, you will most likely need to pass a certification exam and meet other requirements.
Requirements for education for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
To be eligible for FSTP, you do not need any educational credentials. However, your educational credentials may still be eligible for additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, which could raise your Express Entry pool rank.
An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is required to demonstrate that a degree, diploma, or certificate earned outside of Canada is valid and comparable to one earned in Canada.
Qualified occupations for the Government Talented Exchanges Program.
Under the FSTP, not all skilled tradespeople are eligible for immigration to Canada. The following occupational groups are eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program:
Check the government’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) to see if your job qualifies before applying for FSTP. For your NOC, you will need to demonstrate that your prior experience corresponds to the job duties and responsibilities listed in the occupational description.
How to use the Federal Skilled Trades Program to get a PR
The government provides thorough instructions for each step of the Express Entry application process for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. To make the procedure easier to comprehend, we have divided it into steps:
Get a job offer or a certificate of qualification in the Canadian trades.
You must possess either a certificate of qualification from a federal, provincial, or territorial authority or a Canadian full-time job offer (depending on the trade you practice). You can use job portals like Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn, or Glassdoor to find jobs in your field in Canada. You can also network with professionals in the trades to learn more about the industry and the employment opportunities.
Your skilled trade and the provincial or territorial process may affect the eligibility requirements for certification of qualification. To obtain certification, skilled tradespeople with foreign experience typically must pass a qualifying exam and complete an apprenticeship or Trade Equivalency Assessment in their province. Check your eligibility for Express Entry, for instance, in Ontario, where certification can be obtained through Skilled Trades Ontario, and in British Columbia, where Skilled Trades B.C. is the trade regulator.
Utilizing the government’s questionnaire, determine if you are eligible for Express Entry before beginning your application. A few questions about your nationality, language skills, age, work experience, education, and other factors will need to be answered. After that, the tool will inform you of the Express Entry programs for which you might be eligible and generate a personal reference number that you can use to pre-fill a portion of your Express Entry profile in the future.
Create an Express Entry profile and an IRCC account
Create an account on the website of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) if you are determined to be eligible for FSTP. The next thing you need to do is create an Express Entry profile for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. However, before you start, you need to take a language test that has been approved and gather some documents, like your passport and your National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, among other things.
You will be required to fill out some fundamental information in your Express Entry profile, such as your age, work experience, education, scores on language tests, and provinces you are interested in living in.
Add yourself to the Express Entry candidate pool by submitting your profile
When you submit your completed Express Entry profile, it will be added to the pool of candidates, where it will remain active for up to one year or until you receive a PR invitation, whichever comes first. While your Express Entry profile is active, you must ensure that all of your information is correct and up to date.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score you provided is automatically calculated and your Express Entry profile is ranked by the system after you submit it.
Keep an eye out for an invitation to apply.
To determine the minimum CRS score requirement for Express Entry programs, the Government of Canada conducts periodic draws, usually every two weeks. Applications for Canadian permanent residence (PR) are invited from candidates whose CRS scores meet the requirements.
Two Express Entry draws were held in March 2023, and FSTP candidates who had CRS scores of 490 or higher were invited to apply for PR. Keep an eye on the Federal Skilled Trades Program draw results on the government website after submitting your Express Entry profile because the cut-off scores change with each draw. You will receive an ITA in your IRCC profile and an email regarding the invitation if your score meets the most recent cutoff.
Send in your application for permanent residency (PR).
You have 60 days from the time you receive an ITA to either submit a permanent residence application or reject the ITA.
Along with your PR application, you will need to submit the results of your language test, an ECA, a Canadian job offer or certificate of qualification, and employment letters from previous employers. You might also be required to provide additional documentation, such as proof of settlement funds to cover your costs of living in Canada for a few months and police certificates to show that you have no criminal history.
The application fee, which includes the processing fee, right to permanent residence fee, and biometrics fee, must be paid before submitting your PR application.
Get your Permanent Residence Confirmation (CoPR).
After receiving your application, the IRCC will examine the supporting documents to ensure that it is complete. An acknowledgment or instructions for submitting additional documentation will be sent to you. Before your application is accepted, you might be required to show up for a medical examination at a healthcare facility that is authorized.
You will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) and instructions for the next steps once your application is approved. Unless you’ve already submitted your biometrics for a Canadian visa in the past ten years, you might be asked to provide them. To obtain a stamp on your immigrant visa, you will need to submit your passport if you require a visa to visit Canada.
If you are applying for FSTP to immigrate to Canada, do you require evidence of settlement funds?
When applying for PR, the majority of applicants for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are required to provide evidence of settlement funds. However, if you have either of the following, you do not need to provide proof of funds:
An offer to work full-time in Canada that is valid for at least one year after you get your permanent residence. A valid Canadian work permit that lets you legally work in Canada.
Be sure to check the government’s website to see the most recent revisions to the minimum required settlement fund amounts and make adjustments accordingly. The required minimum settlement funds for 2023 are $13,757 for individuals applying on their own and $17,127 for families applying together. You’ll need an additional $3,500 to $4,000 for each additional member of your family.
Canada’s cost of living can be quite high and varies widely from city to city. The minimum settlement funds may not be enough to cover your living costs for the first six months in Canada, depending on where you intend to live. The Arrive cost of living calculator can help you figure out how much you’ll have to pay each month in your new city.
Do you want a Canadian proposition for employment to apply for FSTP?
To be eligible for FSTP, you must have employment in Canada or evidence of your employability. To be eligible for PR through the Federal Skilled Trades Program, most applicants must have a job offer from a Canadian employer. Your offer of employment must be paid, for at least one year, and full-time (30 hours or more per week).
The only exception is for applicants who hold a certificate of qualification from a Canadian provincial or federal regulator in an eligible skilled trade. A certificate of qualification demonstrates that you are authorized to practice your skilled trade in Canada after passing the certification exam and meeting other eligibility requirements.
Under FSTP, how long does it take to process PR applications?
PR applications submitted through the Federal Skilled Trades Program typically take up to six months to be processed. This includes the time required to submit your biometrics but does not include the time required to submit your application for permanent residence.
However, the IRCC’s application backlog, the country from which you are applying, and the completeness and ease of verification of your documents all play a role in how quickly your application is processed. For the most recent information on FSTP processing times, visit the government’s website.
How much does the Federal Skilled Trades Program charge for applications?
For adults, the FSTP application fee is $1,365, which includes a right of permanent residence fee of $515 and an $850 processing fee. There is a $230 processing fee for each dependent child for applicants with children.
In addition, you are required to pay a biometric fee of $170 if your application includes two or more members of your family, or $85.
If I qualify for PR through FSTP, can I live anywhere in Canada?
You have the right to mobility as a permanent resident of Canada, which means that you can live and move to almost any province or territory in the country. However, you must plan to live anywhere but Quebec if you have been approved for PR through the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Through the Quebec Selected Worker (QSW) program, the province of Quebec selects its PR candidates.
One way you can immigrate to Canada as a skilled tradesperson is to apply through the FSTP program. Through their Provincial Nominee Programs, many provinces also nominate skilled tradespeople. If your profession is not on the FSTP list, these programs could be a great way to get PR. You can also investigate other immigration programs for foreign nationals, such as the QSW program.
