Applying for Federal Skilled Trades Program

Federal Skilled Program Vs. Federal Trade Program

The leading difference between a Federal Skilled Trade Program and the Federal Skilled Worker Program is:

• FSTP does not need higher education, but FTWP needs one.
• The type of jobs offered in the two programs is different.
• FSWP hires highly skilled workers, while FSTP attracts workers in the industrial, and service sectors, etc.

The Requirements for Canada Federal Skilled Trades Program

To be qualified for a Federal Skilled Trades Program, you must fulfill the requirements in the following groups:

Primary requirements for Federal Skilled Trades Program

The first and basic requirements to be eligible for FSTP are as follows:

• Have enough language proficiency skills.
• Applicants must have at least two tears of full-time work experience for their skill during the last five years. It means 30 hours per week or more, for a total of 3120 hours. If full-time experience is not available, a part-time period that matches the full-time is accepted.
• Fulfill the skilled trade requirements set by the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
• The candidate has to gain a job offer from a Canadian employer. It must be full-time and last at least one year.

Qualified jobs for Federal Skilled Trades Program

The required skills and occupations in the FSTP get listed by the NOC. The NOC list has five skill levels. It starts from Skill Level 0 to Skill Levels A, B, C, and D.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program only approves skilled applicants in Levels A or B. Only 100 people can get the Skill Level A group’s occupations. However, there is no limitation in Skill Levels B. The following occupation comes into Levels B:

• Industrial
• Electrical and Construction
• Maintenance and Equipment Operations
• Agriculture and Production
• Processing
• Transport
• Manufacturing
• Cooks and Chefs
• Bakers and Butchers

If your work experience does not come in the NOC’s required jobs, your application will get rejected.

Education

Please note that the Federal Skilled Trades Program does not require education. But if you provide your educational background, it will improve your resume. You will have a better opportunity to get approved. There are two possibilities for an applicant’s education:

You have studied in Canada

In case you have studied in Canada, you should provide a certificate from the following:

• A secondary institution (high school) or
• A post-secondary institution

You have studied in a foreign country

Applicants who have studied abroad should Get an ECA (Educational Credential Assessment) for their foreign education.

Language Proficiency requirements

The common languages in Canada are English and French. Applicants must provide a proficiency certificate in one of them. One of the authorized language tests to prove language ability for English is the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB). The Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) is the test for French.

The least required score for an FSTP is as follows:

English

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Please note that to be eligible for FSTP, you have to pass a general IELTS test. The Canadian government won’t accept the IELTS Academic test for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General.

French

• TEF Canada
• TCF Canada

Applicants for FSTP must have a CLB level 5 score for speaking and listening. The score for reading and writing is CLB level 4.

If you are a teacher and want to immigrate to Canada, read this article.

Fulfilling Admissibility Requirements

By Canadian immigration law, some people don’t have permission to enter the country. They are inadmissible to enter Canada. One of the requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades Program is not to be inadmissible.

There could be many reasons that make applicants inadmissible to apply for an FSTP, as follow:

Conducting security crimes such as:

• Being engaged in espionage activities
• Trying to bring down a government.
• Any form of terrorism.
• Brutality
• Participation in a group that has participated in one of the above issues.
• Violating international or human rights, such as:
  • War atrocities
  • Felony against humankind
  • Being a high member of a government involved in violating human rights or the items mentioned above.

• Driving Under the Influence of alcohol (DUI)
• Taking part in an organization that deals with criminal activity, such as:
  • Human trafficking
  • money laundering
  • Smuggling

Medical reasons

• Posing a medical risk to the nation.
• Putting at risk public safety

Financial reasons

If you can not cover your expenses or your family in Canada, you become inadmissible.

If you have a job offer in Canada or are working legally, you will become eligible.

If you lie in your interview or application, you will become inadmissible.

If you have a family member who may not enter Canada, you also become inadmissible.

Please note that if the reason for inadmissibility is not serious, you could work to remove it.

If you want to know how to immigrate to Canada as a nurse, read our article.

Get evaluated by Canadian Province or territory

Depending on the trade you have, you need to go to one of the Canadian provinces or territories to evaluate your skill. The authorities in the province will grant you a certificate of qualification. After passing this stage and receiving a NOC number, you should visit one of the websites below to find a place that needs your skill:

• Alberta 
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

Please note that Quebec province has its immigration program. It gets called the Quebec Skilled Trades Program. You can not work in Quebec province through a Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Lawyers are among the people who can move to Canada through FSTP. 

Applying for Federal Skilled Trades Program

When you fulfill the requirements to be eligible for Federal Skilled Trades Program, you can begin the application process:

1. Preparing Requirements

You have to submit your profile to start the FSTP application process. The required documents are as follows:

• A valid passport.
• The results of your language test.
• Educational certificates to raise the chance of getting approved.
• If available, a formal, written job offer from a Canadian employer.
• IF applicable, provincial nomination.

In case the Canadian authorities invite you to apply for permanent residence, you must provide the following items as well.”

• Clean police certificates
• Medical exams to prove you are healthy.
• Proof of funds to cover your expenses in Canada.

 2. Submitting your Profile

In this stage, first, you must open an account on the Canadian immigration website. Then you must take its test to find out whether you are eligible for FSTP. The questions are according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS gives you a score according to your conditions. If you are eligible, you will go to the page to include your personal information.

When you start the application process, you have two months to complete it. If you don’t, it will start again.

Every two weeks, your profile will enter an Express Entry draw pool. The officials will compare your profile with others. The profile with the highest score will get an ITA (Invitation To Apply) to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

The Canadian immigration system is point-based. The higher point you have, the better your chances of getting accepted. In the meantime, you could work on your profile to get a higher score. You could improve your profile by:

• Getting more work experience.
• Passing another language test
• See if you are eligible for the Provincial Nominee Program. If one of the Canadian provinces asks for your skill, it will highly improve your profile.

3. Getting Accepted

If your profile gets accepted, you will get a notification through your account. The authorities will send you an invitation to apply for Canada Permanent Residence. They will inform you of the next procedures to follow.

Please note that you can decline the offer if you don’t want it. You have to accept the offer within 60 days. If not, it will get revoked, and you have to start again. When accepted, you should submit the supporting documents to prove you have been honest with your information.

Move to Canada as a professor and lecturer by reading our article.

Processing time for Federal Skilled Trades Program

The processing time for the Federal Skilled Trades Program is about six months. When the application gets approved, the applicant receives a notification in his/her account.

Please note that while you are waiting for application processing, you can work to improve your conditions. You could get more work experience, pass a new language course, etc. It will improve your chance of getting approved for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Federal Skilled Trades Program fee

There are different fees you have to pay for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. The processing fee is C$550.You have to pay the fee for the right of permanent residence, which is C$490. If your spouse or law partner is with you, you have to pay $1,040 for him/her. It includes processing fees and the fee for the right of residence.

The processing fee for your dependent child is C$150 per child.

Let’s sum up…

In this blog, we explained all you need to know about the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

We covered the people who can apply for FSTP, eligibility criteria, requirements, required skills by the Canadian government, the application process, FAQs, and more.

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In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.