Federal Skilled Worker applications are assessed based on an applicant’s ability to become economically established upon immigration to Canada.

From January 1, 2015, Federal Skilled Worker applications are being processed through the Express Entry immigration selection system for immigration to Canada. Candidates eligible under the Federal Skilled Worker Program must first make an expression of interest in immigrating to Canada by creating an online Express Entry profile.

In order to be eligible for a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa, Federal Skilled Worker applicants must:

• Have at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation (National Occupational Classification skill lever 0, A or B); or
• Qualify for Arranged Employment In Canada with a Labour Market Impact Assessment and a full-time, permanent job offer from a Canadian employer; or
• Have completed a PhD in Canada, or have completed two years of study in Canada towards a PhD, in both cases at a recognized institution; and
• Pass a minimum threshold of language ability in one of Canada’s two official languages, English or French.

In addition, Federal Skilled Worker (Professional) applicants must obtain at least 67 points based on Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) immigration selection factors.

Those selection factors are listed below.

• Education: Candidates can be awarded up to 25 points for your formal education.
• Language Skills: Candidates can be awarded up to 28 total points (24-first official language, 4-second official language).
• Work Experience: Under this factor, candidates can be awarded up to 15 points for certain paid, skilled work experience that they have acquired in the last 10 years, but they must attain at least a score of 9 points in order to qualify.
• Age: Candidates can be awarded up to 12 points based on their age at the time of applying.
• Arranged Employment: Candidates can be awarded up to 10 points if they have arranged employment in Canada that meets certain requirements.
• Adaptability: Candidates can be awarded up to 10 points for a number of factors that show that they are adaptable to moving to Canada.

Once it has been determined that a candidate meets the eligibility and points requirements, he or she must show that he or she has sufficient settlement funds to support him or herself and any dependents after his or her arrival in Canada. Finally, candidates and their dependents must also undergo medical examinations and obtain security clearances as part of the Canadian immigration application process.

Note, the Canadian government recognizes that the points awarded under the skilled worker selection system do not always accurately reflect an applicant’s chances of successfully establishing themselves in Canada. As a result, Citizenship and Immigration Canada Officers are authorized to use an alternate method of assessing an application. Under the concept of “substituted evaluation”, a Visa Officer may make their own evaluation for the likelihood of the applicant becoming economically established in Canada. This method allows the Visa Officer to accept or refuse the applicant no matter how many points the applicant has achieved.