About

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) is one of the three main immigration pathways under Canada’s Express Entry system. It is designed for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to become permanent residents of Canada.

Candidates are ranked in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which awards points for factors such as age, education, language ability, and work experience. Those with the highest scores are invited to apply for permanent residence through regular draws.

Who can apply

To qualify for the FSW program, you must meet minimum eligibility criteria:

• Work Experience: At least 1 year of continuous, paid, full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled job classified under TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 of Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC).
  
  
• Language Ability: Minimum CLB 7 in English or French (proved by an approved test such as IELTS, CELPIP, or TEF).
  
  
• Education: A Canadian secondary or post-secondary certificate/diploma/degree, OR a foreign credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) showing equivalency.
  
  
• Settlement Funds: Proof that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after moving to Canada (unless you are already authorized to work in Canada or have a valid job offer).
  
  
• Admissibility: You must be admissible to Canada (no serious criminal record, pass medical exam).
  
  

In addition, you must score at least 67 points out of 100 on the FSW selection factors, which include age, education, work experience, job offer, language ability, and adaptability.

Benefits

• Direct path to permanent residence for skilled workers.
  
  
• No Canadian work experience required (unlike some other programs).
  
  
• Faster processing — most applications are processed within 6 months after receiving an invitation.
  
  
• Family included — spouse/partner and dependent children can be included in the application.
  
  
• Provides access to Canadian healthcare, education, and social benefits as a permanent resident.

Real-Life Examples

• Ali, an IT specialist from Pakistan, has 5 years of skilled work experience, a bachelor’s degree, and IELTS results at CLB 8. He applies through Express Entry under FSW, scores well in CRS, and receives an invitation to apply for PR.
  
  
• Sofia, an accountant from Brazil, gets her education assessed through an ECA, proves CLB 7 in English and French, and applies under FSW with her family. They move to Canada as permanent residents within a year.

Frequently Asked Questions