The Federal Skilled Worker program has a few basic requirements pertaining to your employment history, having the necessary amount of work experience in an eligible occupation, language skills etc.
However, in addition to this, there are Selection Factors to the Skilled Worker Program that an Immigration Officer will use to grade you against. You must meet a passing score in order to be successful in your application.
Selection Factor |
Maximum points |
English and/or French skills |
28 |
Education |
25 |
Experience |
15 |
Age |
12 |
Arranged employment in Canada |
10 |
Adaptability |
10 |
Total |
100 |
Pass mark: 67 out of 100 points |
Federal Skilled Worker Selection Factors
Language Proficiency
You will need to demonstrate that you have the necessary English or French communication skills in order to function and contribute to your intended occupation in Canada. Being able to communicate and work in one or both of Canada’s official languages is very important. Knowing English, French or both helps you in the Canadian job market.
You can get up to 28 points for your skills in English and French. You will be given points based on your ability to
- listen
- speak
- read and
- write.
Education
You can also earn points for your educational experience and background depending on the nature of your credentials.
To get points, you must:
- Prove that you earned a Canadian diploma or certificate, OR
· Have your foreign education assessed by an agency approved by CIC to show it is valid and equal to a completed Canadian credential
You must include your Canadian credential or your foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report when you apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Education |
Maximum 25 points |
University degree at the Doctoral (PhD) level or equal |
25 points |
University degree at the Master’s level or equal OR University level entry-to-practice professional degree (or equal ) Occupation related to the degree must be:
Note: Degree program must be in one of these fields of study: Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Podiatry, Optometry, Law, Chiropractic Medicine, or Pharmacy. |
23 points |
Two or more Canadian post-secondary degrees or diplomas or equal |
22 points |
Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a program of three years or longer, or equal |
21 points |
Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a two-year program, or equal |
19 points |
Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a one-year program, or equal |
15 points |
Canadian high school diploma, or equal |
5 points |
Experience
You can get points for the number of years you have spent in full-time paid work (at least 30 hours per week, or an equal amount of part-time).
Age
You will get points based on your age on the day when the Visa Office gets your application.
Age |
Points |
Under 18 |
0 |
18-35 |
12 |
36 |
11 |
37 |
10 |
38 |
9 |
39 |
8 |
40 |
7 |
41 |
6 |
42 |
5 |
43 |
4 |
44 |
3 |
45 |
2 |
46 |
1 |
47 and older |
0 |
Arranged Employment
You can also get points for the Federal Skilled Worker Program if you have a permanent, full-time job offer from a Canadian employer. You will first need to find a Canadian Employer who is willing to hire you before you make the application.
A valid job offer has to be:
- for full-time, permanent and not seasonal work, and
- in an occupation listed as Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Adaptability
You can get points for your ability to prosper in Canada depending on your unique situation. When reviewing your application as a Skilled Worker, an Immigration Officer will give you points on your ability to contribute to Canada.
If you have a spouse or common‑law partner who will immigrate with you to Canada, they can earn points for adaptability too. You can only get points for each item once.