Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
The Canadian government recognizes that many skilled trades occupations are in short supply in communities and cities across the country. As a result, the Federal Skilled Trades program is the only federal economic immigration programme that specifically targets workers in trades occupations.
Eligibility Criteria
- Language Proficiency- A minimum score of 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for speaking and listening and a minimum score of 4 on the CLB for reading and writing are required.
- Work experience: have accrued at least two years of full-time (or the equivalent amount of part-time) work experience in the skilled trade over the previous five years.
Possess a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade from a Canadian provincial or territorial authority OR be able to prove that the skills and experience gained cover the essential responsibilities of the occupation.
Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are classified according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) as follows:
- 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 major NOC groups are further subdivided into various occupations, all of which are skill type B.”