Immigration > Canada

Canadian immigration authorities proposed changes to the FSWP, which were announced in December 2012. These changes came into effect in May 2013.

The intake of most new FSWP applications was paused from July 1, 2012, except for applicants with a qualifying job offer and those applying under the PhD stream. This pause was lifted, and intake was re-established on May 4, 2013.
Individuals considering applying on or after May 4 should keep in mind that their application will not be processed unless it meets at least one of the following requirements:

They have at least one year of continuous work experience in one of the 24 eligible occupations;
They have a qualifying offer of arranged employment; or
They are eligible to apply through the PhD stream.

If an applicant meets at least one of the following requirements, they must also meet the minimum language threshold and obtain an Educational Credential Assessment.

Eligible Occupation List

Overall cap of 25,000 applications in the eligible occupations stream
Cap of 500 applications for the PhD eligibility stream
No limit on applicants who have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer

Sub-caps of 1,000 applications for each of the 50 eligible occupations below (their 2011 National Occupational Classification (NOC) code is included in brackets):

Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services (0013)
Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services, n.e.c. (0015)
Financial managers (0111)
Human resources managers (0112)
Purchasing managers (0113)
Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers (0121)
Managers in health care (0311)
Construction managers (0711)
Home building and renovation managers (0712)
Managers in natural resources production and fishing (0811)
Manufacturing managers (0911)
Financial auditors and accountants (1111)
Financial and investment analysts (1112)
Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers (1113)
Other financial officers (1114)
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations (1123)
Supervisors, finance and insurance office workers (1212)
Property administrators (1224)
Geoscientists and oceanographers (2113)
Civil engineers (2131)
Mechanical engineers (2132)
Electrical and electronics engineers (2133)
Petroleum engineers (2145)
Information systems analysts and consultants (2171)
Database analysts and data administrators (2172)
Software engineers and designers (2173)
Computer programmers and interactive media developers (2174)
Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (2232)
Construction estimators (2234)
Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians (2241)
Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics (2243)
Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety (2263)
Computer network technicians (2281)
Nursing coordinators and supervisors (3011)
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (3012)
Specialist physicians (3111)
General practitioners and family physicians (3112)
Dietitians and nutritionists (3132)
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists (3141)
Physiotherapists (3142)
Occupational therapists (3143)
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists (3214)
Medical radiation technologists (3215)
Medical sonographers (3216)
Licensed practical nurses (3233)
Paramedical occupations (3234)
University professors and lecturers (4011)
Psychologists (4151)
Early childhood educators and assistants (4214)
Translators, terminologists and interpreters (5125)

Minimum Language Threshold:

All prospective applicants to the FSWP should meet the minimum language threshold: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). An applicant must take a third-party language test from an organisation designated by the minister and submit the test report with the application to CIC.

English:

Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)An FSWP applicant must score at least 4L on the CELPIP-General test in each of the four skills to meet the minimum language threshold.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)An FSWP applicant must score at least 6.0 on the IELTS General Training test in each of the four skills to meet the minimum language threshold of CLB 7.

French

Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)An FSWP applicant must score at least 206 in reading, 248 in listening and 309 in both speaking and writing on the TEF to meet the minimum language threshold of NCLC 7.

Arranged Employment

Earlier, employers used to apply for an Arranged Employment Opinion (AEO) when they wished to hire a foreign national on a permanent, full-time basis and support their employees’ application for permanent residence through the FSWP. CIC will not accept AEOs in support of an FSWP application from May 4, 2013. Instead, most offers of arranged employment would require a Labour Market Opinion.

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA):

Another important change that took effect on May 4, 2013, is the introduction of the education credential assessment (ECA). Applicants may start the process of getting an ECA before May 4 if they are planning to submit a foreign education credential. Applicants who have Canadian educational credentials do not need to get an ECA, unless they are also submitting a foreign educational credential in support of their application.

Four organizations have been designated by CIC to provide ECA reports for purposes of immigrating to Canada under the FSWP application. The designated organizations are:

Comparative Education Service: University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies;
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada;
World Education Services; and
Medical Council of Canada

CIC will only accept ECA reports issued after the date the organization was designated by CIC to provide ECA reports for immigration purposes (i.e. April 17, 2013).

Skilled Migration Canada

Skilled Migration to Canada is the dream of many people who want to live and work in a country with a high quality of life and strong security standards.

Canada welcomes skilled migrants who can contribute to the economy. It has established pathways that facilitate the entry of skilled migrants into the country.

Pathways for Skilled Immigrants

The Federal Skilled Worker Program enables skilled and experienced workers to immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry system.

This system dates back to 1967 and has undergone numerous modifications over time.

It uses a points-based system that considers factors such as age, education, work experience, English or French language ability, and other criteria.

Selection criteria

Applicants who meet the health, character, financial and language requirements and achieve high selection scores have a greater chance of approval.

The consolidated score helps identify higher-scoring applicants and may facilitate immigration with their spouses and dependant children.

Privileges and Benefits

In addition to wages, workers in Canada may have access to various benefits that can support settlement and family life, including education, healthcare coverage and other family benefits, subject to eligibility.

A person selected under this system may obtain permanent residence with broad working rights and may later become eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship.

The programme benefits the country in several ways by helping the government address skills gaps through the attraction of qualified workers from around the world.

It supports economic expansion and encourages the exchange of ideas and innovation.

In short, the programme can benefit both the host country and skilled migrants.