The Federal skill Trades program (FSTP) was launched in 2013 by the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and the focus was to aid the immigration of skilled trade workers.
There are three federal programs managed by the Canadian government’s Express Entry system, and the FSTP is one of them. You can apply for this program if you are a skilled trades professional. You could also use the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or any Quebec program to migrate as a worker if you don’t want to go through FSTP.
What are the benefits of the FSTP?
Applying for the FSTP offers many advantages to the applicant and Canada’s economy. With the skilled trade, Canada will enjoy support in the labour force as the aging population seems to overshadow the birth rate. This is why it is easier to get permanent residency in six months in Canada using this program than any other express entry stream.
If you are an FSTP candidate, you will not need education certification to enter the country, which might mean a lower CRS score. There are unique draws that the IRCC holds to compensate for this score and invite only FSTP candidates. By being in the Express Entry pool as an FSTP candidate, you are also opportune to be provincially nominated for permanent residency.
You are at a higher advantage of getting picked if you have experience working or studying in Canada before applying. This experience positively impacts your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. It will also be faster to gain permanent residence with the connection and experience you have built before the application.
How does the immigration process work with the FSTP?
The IRCC manages three major programs under the Express Entry system, and FSTP is among them.
Follow the guide below to see what it entails and how you can begin applying to the FSTP and migrate to Canada.
Step 1
Check the Eligibility criteria for FSTP to see if you meet them
Step 2
Once you know the criteria, write the official language test IRCC recommends and ace it. To increase your point in CRS, you can use the educational certificate from a foreign school, but you need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to validate that.
Step 3
Proceed to create and submit your Express Entry profile available on IRCC’s website.
Step 4
Check every two weeks for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in your mail as the IRCC does an Express entry draw bi-weekly.
Step 5
Once you see your ITA in your mail, the next step is to apply for permanent residence and complete it before the deadline. You will get permanent residency if approved six months after the application date.
Eligibility Criteria
The main criteria that qualify you to apply are:
Basic language proficiency results from an accredited Canadian-approved exam (The Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) for reading and writing is 4 while listening and speaking is 5).
Valid job offers from a Canadian employer, either full-time or part-time, for a year or more.
Two years of full-time experience in an approved skilled trade job in the past five years before application
A skillset that corresponds to the experience in the occupation stated
The skilled work experience that is accepted is under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) below:
| Group | Occupation |
|---|---|
|
Major Group 72 |
electrical, industrial and construction trades |
|
Major Group 73 |
equipment operation trades and maintenance |
|
Major Group 82 |
technical jobs and supervisors in agriculture, natural resources, and related production |
|
Major Group 92 |
manufacturing, processing and central control operators and utility supervisors |
|
Minor Group 632 |
cooks, chefs |
|
Minor Group 633 |
bakers and butchers |
If you plan to stay in Quebec, the criteria are different as the immigration system is unique. Therefore, FSTP candidates must have plans to reside in any province outside of Quebec if they want to follow this route.
FAQ.
Yes, you need to write the designated IRCC exam for language proficiency. The minimum requirement for speaking and listening is the Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) 5. For reading and writing, you need at least a CLB 4.
Note that your test result is only valid if you apply before the end of two years of taking the exam.
The certificate of qualification is the document that shows that a person can practice a specific trade in Canada. The certificate demonstrates that the province’s requirement has been met, and they can work as a skilled trader. Only the body that governs the trade can issue the certificate that will be used in the province.
The provinces and territories are usually responsible for setting the certificate requirement for skilled trades. The requirement often involves accessing your trades experience, skills, training and test result (applicable if you are eligible to write the exam).
Most times, to write the exam, you need to travel to the province in charge. Also, it is best to know what the exam will entail and what will be gotten from your Canadian employer. With sufficient training by your employer, it will be easier to ace the exam.
One of the trades that isn’t coordinated by the province is airplane mechanics. This trade doesn’t have an exam under the province as it is under federal regulation. Aside from this trade, you need to take the exam from the province.