Skip to content

XL Immigration

Federal Skiller Worker Class

Home / Permanent Residence / Express Entry / Federal Skilled Worker Class

The Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWP) is one of the Express Entry Pool programs. Under this program, Canada invites talented individuals with foreign work experience across the globe to apply for permanent residence.

Through this program, skilled foreign workers are not required to have work experience in Canada. They must obtain a minimum CRS score to successfully get an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

FSW Class Advantages

The FSW class is managed through the Express Entry application management system. Under Express Entry, Canada aims to welcome over 110,000 immigrants.

  • The most successful Express Entry program allows candidates to immigrate to Canada through the Federal Skilled Worker Program-FSWP.
  • Immigration through the FSWP is beneficial to gain permanent residence within six months, compared with longer processing times for Canada’s other skilled worker programs.

Eligibility Criteria of the FSW Class or FSWP

To qualify for the FSWP, a candidate must meet certain minimum requirements, including experience, education, age, and English or French language proficiency:

  • A full-time work experience of at least 12 months is required within the previous ten years. Equivalent part-time experience is also acceptable.
  • Language Proficiency of minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 7 is required in English or French language proficiency tests.
  • A minimum level of education should be a Canadian High School diploma or the equivalent in foreign education.
  • A candidate must have financial funds to support himself, his spouse, or his family for their settlement in Canada.
  • The candidate intends to live in Canada outside the Quebec province

A candidate should meet the above requirements and score a minimum of 67 out of 100 points on the FSW eligibility points grid. He will then be eligible to submit an Express Entry Profile for the Federal Skilled Worker Program providing medical and police clearance; otherwise will make him inadmissible to Canada.

Application Process for FSW

All the eligible candidates submit an Express Entry profile to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). After that, they will be assigned a CRS score to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

An FSW candidate must provide the following documents while submitting the Express Entry profile.

  • Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA)

To claim points for education, an FSW candidate must provide a valid ECA report. It is not necessary to obtain education from Canadian Educational Institutions to get credentials.

  • Language Proficiency Test Results

The eligible candidates under the Express Entry programs must provide approved language tests taken within two years.

Accepted tests for English include

  • IELTS exam,
  • CELPIP exam (only available in Canada)
  • Test d’Évaluation de Français (TEF) and the Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada) for French Language tests
  • Identification Documents

The eligible Candidates provide information from identification documents and passports valid for travel.

When a candidate successfully receives an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence, he must submit an electronic Application for Permanent Residence with the required documentation within 60 Days.

Application Processing Time for FSW

A Federal Skilled Worker Express Entry profile is valid in a candidate’s profile for one year or 12 consecutive months. When he receives an Invitation to Apply (ITA), he has to submit an e-application and supportive documents to the Government of Canada within 60 days.

The standard Express Entry application processing time is six months from authorities receiving the application to issuing a permanent residence visa.

Other factors that may affect application processing time for FSW are:

  • Incomplete application
  • Validity of the information provided in the application
  • Adding a family member to your application

XL Immigration Consultations

Discover your Canadian immigration options with experienced consultants and representatives of XL Immigration Consulting Services, Inc. Contact us today!