The Federal Skilled Trades (FST) immigration program allows skilled tradespeople – such as carpenters, electricians, others with experience in construction and industry, and also chefs, cooks, butchers and bakers – to immigrate permanently to Canada with their families.

See the detailed criteria below.

As you will see, you will probably need a job offer from a Canadian company. However, if you have been working in Canada and you already have a “Certificate of Qualification” from a Canadian province or territory, you do not need a job offer – you can apply right away, as long as you meet the language and experience requirements.  If you are in Canada now, and want to apply for a Certificate of Qualification, please contact your provincial trades authority (in the province of Ontario, for instance, you would contact www.collegeoftrades.ca)

 Eligibility criteria:

Persons with at least 2 years’ experience in the skilled trades from the following NOC Skill Level B groups are eligible.  For detailed information about the jobs listed here,  visit the website of the NOC (Canada’s National Occupational Classification).

• 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, and
• Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers

To apply, the applicant must show:

• at least 2 years full-time work experience within the past 5 years in that occupation (post-training) – in any country, whether authorized work or not (except if  the work experience was in Canada, it must be legally authorized work).

and

• A one-year-plus job offer in that occupation (from one or two employers) plus LMIA or a Certificate of Qualification from a Canadian province

and

• English or French test score (on one of the following tests: IELTS, CELPIP, or TEF) equivalent to at least CLB 5 in speaking and listening, and at least CLB 4 in reading and writing

Please contact us if you have questions, or if you want to know if you qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades immigration program.