Express Entry Immigration

Federal Skilled Worker

Federal Skilled Worker is one of the Express Entry Immigration programs in Canada. It has minimum requirements, selection factors and based on points system.

Eligibilty

To be eligible you must meet program minimum requirements

Skilled work experience

Skilled work experience means you’ve worked in one of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) job groups:

  • Managerial jobs (skill type 0)
  • Professional jobs (skill level A)
  • Technical jobs and skilled trades (skill level B)

You must show that while working in your primary occupation you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC. This includes all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.

Your skilled work experience must be:

  • in the same type of job (have the same NOC) as the job you want to use for your immigration application (called your primary occupation)
  • within the last 10 years
  • paid work (This means you must have been paid wages or earned commission. Volunteer work or unpaid internships don’t count.)
  • at least 1 year of continuous work or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week). You can meet this in a few different ways:
    • full-time at 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
    • equal amount in part-time: 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
    • full-time at more than 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months at more than 1 job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)

For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours.

We don’t count any hours you work above 30 hours/week.

Language ability

You must:

  • take approved language tests in English or French for:
  • get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four abilities
  • enter the test results in your Express Entry profile

Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.

Education

If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:

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

If you have foreign education, you must have:

  • a completed credential, and
  • an Educational Credential Assessment report from an approved agency showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
    • secondary (high school) or
    • post-secondary school

Selection Factors

If you meet all the minimum requirements, then you will be assessed based on:

  • age
  • education
  • work experience
  • whether you have a valid job offer
  • English and/or French language skills
  • adaptability (how well you’re likely to settle here)

These factors are part of a 100-point grid used to assess eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. You earn points for how well you do in each of the 6 factors.

The current pass mark is 67 points.

 

Once you’re in the Express Entry pool, IRCC will use a different system to rank your profile (CRS). They will select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool and invite them to apply for permanent residence.

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Can I have more than one Express Entry profile?

No. You may only have one profile at a time. This is set out in Canada’s immigration law.

Creating more than one profile will not give you a better chance at being invited or allow you to be invited under a different program.

What kind of language test can I use for Express Entry?

We only accept these tests for Express Entry:

For English

For French

How long is an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report valid for?

Five years from the date they are issued, so long as they were issued on or after April 17, 2013.

What credential should I get assessed for immigration purposes?

Usually, you should choose the highest level degree, diploma or certificate (or combination) that will award you the most points.

For example, you would get more points for an ECA report that shows you have a Canadian equivalent of a master’s degree than for one that shows you have the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree.

But, if you have more than one degree or diploma (if the highest is at least at a bachelor’s level), you will get more points than a single bachelor’s degree.

For example, you hold

  • a Bachelor’s degree and a diploma or certificate or
  • two Bachelor’s degrees

In this case, you need to get an ECA for each credential to get the maximum points.

How much does an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) cost, and how long does it take to get one?

The fees for an ECA report and the length of time to get one vary and can change without notice.

Each assessment organization sets their cost for an ECA.

For most people, the cost is about CAN$200 plus the cost to have it delivered. Delivery costs depend on how you choose it to be sent, with courier delivery being the most expensive.

If you are a family or specialist physician, or a pharmacist, the cost will be higher. You will need to contact the assessment organization to find out how much it will cost.

The time to get your education assessed is different for each organization. It can take from a few weeks to a few months.

No matter which one you choose, keep in mind that it will be much faster if you provide all the documents they ask you for and make sure your application is complete before you send it.

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)

You can get an ECA at any of the designated organizations listed below. We only accept assessments from these organizations.

When they assess your education, they will give you a report that tells you what your education is equal to in Canada.

We only accept assessments issued on or after the date the organizations were designated to do ECA reports for immigration purposes. If you got a report before that date, contact the organization to see if they’ll re-issue it.

Assessment of most foreign education

You must use an organization on our list. If an organization isn’t on this list, we will not accept assessments from them.

If you aren’t sure which organization to choose, contact them.

Assessment for specialists and family physicians

You must get your report from the Medical Council of Canada (designated April 17, 2013) if your primary occupation is:

  • specialist physician
  • general practitioner/family physician

 

Assessment for pharmacists

If you are a pharmacist (NOC code 3131), where you need to get your report depends on your job.

If you need a license to practice you must get your report from the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (designated January 6, 2014).

This applies to you if you care for patients in a:

  • hospital pharmacy
  • long term care facility
  • community pharmacy

 

If you do not need a license for your job, you can get your assessment from any other designated ECA organization. This includes jobs where you may need a pharmacy degree but may not need to have a licence to practice, such as:

  • government
  • the pharmaceutical industry

Contact the regulatory body in the province where you plan to live to find out if you need a licence to practice.

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