Trade Assessment Support
Canada welcomes hundreds of thousands of new immigrants each year. No wonder – beautiful scenery and straightforward immigration process are hard to beat.
For most new immigrants, the Express Entry immigration system becomes part of their journey as soon-to-be Canadian citizens.
Who is the Federal Skilled Trades Class for?
The Federal Skilled Trades Class is designed to attract skilled foreigners with work experience who want to permanently immigrate to Canada and continue their work as a tradesperson.
Not sure if you qualify? The following job categories under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) are considered skilled trades:
- industrial, electrical and construction trades
- maintenance and equipment operation trades
- technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and all the related production
- processing, manufacturing and utility supervisors and central control operators
- chefs and cooks
- butchers and bakers
What is the processing time for the Federal Skilled Trades Class?
Once you are selected to apply for permanent residence, most applications are processed within 6 months.
To stay up to date on processing times and the status of your application, please visit the Government of Canada website.
Who can help me apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Class?
It can be hard to navigate all the policies surrounding immigration. One of your options is to use an immigration lawyer that can help you collect all the necessary documents and stay on top of your application.
At Marcus Educate, our team of immigration lawyers have the experience to guide you through the entire process – from setting up your Express Entry profile to completing and submitting documents once you’ve been selected for permanent residence.
Contact us at contact@marcuseducate.com or at +1 (647) 622-3022.
What are the eligibility criteria for Federal Skilled Trades Class?
Before you submit your application, go through this checklist to make sure that you meet all the checkboxes the immigration lawyer is looking for:
- Minimum 2+ years of paid full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled trade obtained within the last 5 years
- Experience in an eligible skilled trade job under specific groups of National Occupational Classification (NOC)
- A valid full-time job offer for at least 1 year or a certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian authority for that skilled trade
- A diploma/degree from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or postsecondary institution if you went to school in Canada or your credentials along with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if you completed your education abroad
- Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 5 for speaking and listening categories in English or French
- Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 4 for reading and writing categories in English or French
Is there a settlement funds requirement?
When you apply to immigrate through the Federal Skilled Trades Class, you need to prove that you have enough money for you and/or your family to settle in Canada, unless you have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer. Your family includes your spouse/common-law partner and any dependent children.
The amount required depends on the size of your family. Refer to the chart below to see how much money you need to immigrate to Canada:
| Size of Family | Funds Required (CAD) |
| 1 | $12,669 |
| 2 | $15,772 |
| 3 | $19,390 |
| 4 | $23,542 |
| 5 | $26,701 |
| Each additional family member add | $3,414 |
What is the Federal Skilled Trades Class application process?
Now that you have a basic understanding of what the Federal Skilled Trades Class is and all the requirements that surround the application, let’s a look at the more detailed application process:
- Have at least two years of relevant experience. If you have worked for a total of 30 hours per week for 2 years in your skilled trade within the last 5 years of applying, then you have nothing to worry about. The job doesn’t even have to be full-time – you could also work part-time if your total hours adds up to 3120 hours. Just remember that the Government of Canada does NOT count any hours you work above 30 hours per week.
- Check that your trade is on the list. Use the National Occupational Classification website to check if your trade is eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Class. You must demonstrate that you have performed the duties for the job listed on the NOC (using letters of reference from your previous employer, for example). If you can’t, your application will automatically be rejected.
- Ensure you meet other eligibility criteria. Besides showing your proof of funds and work experience, make sure that you have taken and passed your language tests. For English, you can take the IELTS or CELPIP tests. For French, you can take the TEF tests.
You should also have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial, or federal authority for your skilled trade. - Create an Express Entry profile. Since you must be admissible to Canada, you need to create an Express Entry profile. Before you can make one, you will also need to sign up for an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) account. You can sign in or create an IRCC account on this page.If you’re not sure whether you’re eligible for Express Entry, you can complete this form to see if you are. If you meet the requirements, you will receive instructions on how to create your profile. Once you start creating your profile, you will have 60 days to finish and submit your profile, otherwise, you will have to restart the whole process.
- Improve your profile and ranking under the CRS. The higher your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, the more likely you are to be invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada.Improving your language test results or having more work experience can help boost your score. One of the biggest opportunities to improve your CRS score in the Federal Skilled Trades Class is through proof of education. Since you are not required to prove your education as a Federal Skilled Trades Class applicant, many people skip this step causing them to lose out on a lot of points.Make sure you provide proof of your Canadian education through a diploma/degree or if you completed your education abroad, submit an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) as proof.
- Receive an invitation to apply for an Express Entry draw. The Government of Canada will invite the top candidates to apply for permanent residence during Express Entry draws, which take place every two weeks.Then, you can check the status of your application by logging into your IRCC account.You will be able to see the overall status of your application and whether you’ve been invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
- Provide all the additional documents (medical & security background checks) and submit your e-application. IRCC requires everyone to complete a background check to make sure that no applicants are dangers to the Canadian public and national security. Most applicants with a criminal record are not allowed to enter Canada.You are also required to complete a medical exam with an IRCC approved physician as part of the application process prior to submitting the application.
- Your e-application gets reviewed. An immigration officer will review your application. If any additional steps are required or if you are invited for an interview, you will be notified through a message in your IRCC account.
- Receive confirmation of permanent resident status and enjoy your new home! When your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) document which you will receive once you arrive in Canada. You will also receive the entry visa which will allow you, unsurprisingly, to enter the country.You can use the COPR document to apply for your permanent residence card later.
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If you have any questions, or you have any doubts/concerts about education in Canada, or if you just wish to ask us for help with your programs, please reach out to us. We will gladly answer all of your questions. We are able to present and support your interests to the governmental bodies and agencies of Canada, including with regard to immigration. We are a licensed company that is able to meet all your immigration needs — R514071.
