CANADIAN IMMIGRATION LAWYER

Federal Skilled Trades Class

Rameh Law > Federal Skilled Trades Class

Federal Skilled Trades Class

The Canadian government, through IRCC, established the FST program to respond quickly to labor demands in sectors that are recording high economic growth. The program allows skilled foreign workers in particular occupations to acquire Canadian permanent resident permits.

The Federal Skilled Traders Class mainly targets candidates with skills and work experience in highly demanded trades, including welders, cooks, chefs, crane operators, and electricians.

Federal Skilled Trades Class requirements:

An eligible candidate must:

  1. Possess the required English or French  language skills in
  • reading
  • speaking
  • Listening
  • Writing
  1. You must plan to reside outside Quebec
  2. Have at least two years of paid full-time work experience in a skilled occupation within at least five years before your application. However, an equivalent amount of part-time work experience can still qualify you to apply. Free internships and volunteer work doesn’t count as work experience.
  3. Meet the work requirements for your chosen skilled trade as per the specifications of the NOC (National Occupational Classification) or possess a Certificate of Qualification from a territorial or  provincial body
  4. Have secured valid work offer of full-time service for a period totaling more than a year
  5. You must be admissible to Canada.

Eligible occupations

General categories for FST class are:

  • Constriction, Industrial, and electrical trades
  • equipment operation and maintenance trades
  • bakers and butchers
  • manufacturing, processing, and utility trades
  • An offer of Employment or certification
  • Supervisors and technical jobs in agricultures, national resources, and related production

After meeting all the eligibility criteria, you may need to be assessed in the province or territory where you’ll work.  It might also be necessary for an employer or company in Canada to give you the training and experience. Provincial certification is typically hard to acquire from outside Canada. Thus, the FST program can be most favorable to you if you are already working in the country as a temporary foreign worker. If you have already obtained an approved job offer from a recognized employer, you will also have a stress-free sail through the process.

You may need to visit the institution’s site mandated to govern trades for the territory or province where you wish to work or live. Processes vary slightly depending on your residence of choice.