2. Federal Skilled Trades (FST)

The Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program is one of the three federal immigration programs managed by the Express Entry system. As with all Express Entry programs, FST uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank interested candidates against one another, only inviting the most competitive candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence..

Each year, over half of all immigrants to Canada are skilled workers welcomed through economic programs, including the Federal Skilled Trades program. For qualified trades people the F ST program can be a fast option for obtaining Canadian permanent residence, and with it, the right to live and work in Canada permanently.

FST Program Requirements

In order to qualify for FST, a candidate must have at least two years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade (or an equal amount in part-time). This experience must have been obtained within the previous 5 years and only considers work experience obtained after an individual has been granted the certification to practice the trade in their country of residence.

Canada's National Occupation Classification (NOC) code, defines skilled trades as the following occupation groups:

If a person does possess the necessary work experience, they also must meet the other eligibility criteria outlined by the FST program:

• Canada Employment Connection
  Have a valid offer of full-time employment for a position lasting at least 12-months or a certificate of qualification in their skilled trade which is issued by a Canadian provincial or territorial authority.
• Language
  Reach a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 on an approved English or French language test.
• Residence in Canada
  Must intend to live outside of the province of Quebec.

Provided a candidate meets these requirements, they will be eligible to submit an Express Entry Profile for the Federal Skilled Trades program. However, candidates should note that they must meet Canada's basic admissibility requirements. Certain criminal offences and medical conditions may make a person inadmissible to Canada. .

3. Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the three immigration programs operated through Canada's Express Entry system. As with all programs contained within Express Entry, CEC uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank interested candidates against one another, only inviting the most competitive candidates to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence.

Each year, over half of all immigrants to Canada are skilled workers welcomed through economic programs, including the Canadian Experience Class program. For qualified candidates the CEC program can be a fast option for obtaining Canadian permanent residence, and with it, the right to live and work in Canada permanently.

CEC Program Requirements

One important factor of CEC is the Canadian experience requirement. In order to be eligible for CEC, a candidate must have at least 12-months of full-time, skilled work experience, completed in Canada within the previous 3 years (or an equivalent amount in part-time experience). This program is not an option for foreign nationals who do not possess this level of Canadian experience.

In order to count work experience towards the requirement, the work experience must meet the following conditions:

• Work experience obtained in Canada within the 36 months prior to both: (1) the date an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received; and, (2) the date of submission of the electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).
• Skilled Work experience. This means the experience falls under the NOC code Skill Level 0, A, or B.
• Lawfully obtained work experience in Canada.
• An applicant cannot count work experience obtained while engaged in full-time studies in Canada.

In addition to the Canadian experience requirement, CEC has several other eligibility criteria which must be met in order to submit:

• Language
  Reach a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 on an approved English or French language test for NOC skill level 0 or A jobs. Reach a CLB 5 for NOC B jobs.
• Residence in Canada
  Intend to live outside of the province of Quebec.

Provided a candidate meets these requirements, they will be eligible to submit an Express Entry Profile for the Canadian Experience Class program. However, candidates should note that they must meet Canada's basic admissibility requirements. Certain criminal offences and medical conditions may make a person inadmissible to Canada.