The Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) is a class of people who:

• are qualified in a skilled trade;
• intend to live in a Canadian province other than Quebec; and
• may become permanent residents based on their ability to become economically established in Canada.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is one of three federal programs managed through Express Entry. It is for skilled workers who plan to become permanent residents based on their qualifications in a skilled trade. This program allows foreign workers with a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification to obtain permanent residence in any Canadian province or territory, apart from Quebec.

FSTP candidates must meet the job requirements for their skilled trade as described in the NOC, and have a valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one year.

Offer of Employment

To be considered valid, job offers for Express Entry candidates must be:

• documented in writing;
• for continuous, paid, full-time work (meaning at least 30 hours per week);
• for at least one year (seasonal employment offers do not qualify);
• under NOC skill type 0, or skill levels A or B; and
• supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) unless exempt.

Candidates can be employed by up to two employers who can commit to providing the candidate with at least one year of continuous full-time work.

Additionally, candidates who are working in a regulated trade must have a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.

Certificate of Qualification

A certificate of qualification proves that an individual is qualified to work in a certain skilled trade in Canada. In order to get a certificate, the provincial, territorial or federal authority must assess a candidate’s training, trade experience and skills. If eligible, candidates will have to write and pass a certification exam.

Eligible candidates must have at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the five years prior to applying. This means candidates should work at least 30 hours per week for two years in their skilled trade within the five years prior to applying.

This may look like either of the following:

• Full-time: Working 30 hours per week for 24 months is equal to two years of full-time work (3,120 hours)
• Part-time: Working 15 hrs per week for 48 months is equal to two years of full-time work (3,120 hours) or
• Part-time: Working 30 hrs per week for 24 months at more than one job is equal to two years of full-time work (3,120 hrs)

Eligible Skills

The following NOC groups are eligible categories for skilled trades:

• Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades
• Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades
• Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
• Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
• Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks
• Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers

The main NOC groups are subdivided into different occupations, and they are all categorized under skill type B. Candidates must prove that, while working in their primary occupation, they performed the duties described in the description of their NOC level occupation. Candidates who cannot demonstrate that their experience matches the description in the NOC will be denied.

For official definitions of the occupations mentioned above, click here.

There is no education requirement for the FSTP. However, applicants can earn points and improve their rank in the Express Entry pool by including their education history.

Candidates who attended a Canadian secondary or post-secondary school can earn points for a certificate, diploma or degree. Candidates with foreign education can also earn points for their credentials, provided they can obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from an approved agency. To earn points, the applicant’s ECA must demonstrate that their education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian secondary or post-secondary school.

FSTP applicants are required to take an  approved language proficiency test. English and French are the official languages in Canada. The applicant can choose to complete either an English or French proficiency test. They may also opt to both tests in order to increase their chances of approval. The results will reflect whether they have acquired adequate language abilities for them to properly establish themselves in Canada upon immigration.

Language Testing

Candidates are required to take a language test for each of the following categories:

• Writing
• Reading
• Speaking
• Listening

Language Qualification

Candidates must obtain a minimum score of:

• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5 for speaking and listening, and
• Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 for reading and writing.

Candidates must then update their Express Entry profile with the test results. Language tests are valid for two years after the date of the test result and must be valid on the date that the application for permanent residence is submitted.