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The highest number of invitations to apply for permanent residence was issued to Federal Skilled Workers in the year 2018, says the 2018 year-end report of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Express Entry. The total number of Express Entry draws held in the year 2018 was 27 and a total of 89,800 ITAs (invitations to apply) were issued. 53 per cent of these ITAs went to Federal Skilled Workers (FSW). While the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) received 34 per cent of invitations, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and Federal Skilled Trades (FST) applicants received 12 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively.
In 2018, Federal Skilled Workers received a total of 47,523 Express Entry ITAs, the highest since the launch of Express Entry system in 2015. In the year of Express Entry launch, the number invitations issued to Federal Skilled Workers was a mere 13,214. Since then, there has been a steady increase in the number of invitations received by Federal Skilled Workers.
Federal Skilled Workers :
The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program is one of the three economic immigration programs of Canada managed under the Express Entry. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Class are the other two. For a candidate to be able to apply for permanent residence in Canada under the FSW program, he/she must meet certain eligibility criteria. These include work experience, level of education, age and language proficiency. The eligibility is assessed on the basis of a unique points grid and the candidate must score at least 67 points under the 100-point grid of the program to be eligible.
Minimum eligibility requirements for Federal Skilled Workers :
- At least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience acquired in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A or B.
- Language proficiency level equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English/French in all the four abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
- Canadian educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) /foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
The candidates who meet all the criteria can create an Express Entry profile for the Federal Skilled Worker program. Each of these profiles will be assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and the IRCC will invite the highest-scoring candidates to apply for permanent residence in the regularly conducted draws. Those who receive the invitation can submit the complete application for permanent residence within 60 days.
Express Entry offers a great option for foreign skilled workers to make Canada their permanent home. If you are interested in Canadian migration, take our free eligibility test to explore your options.
