Skilled Worker Class

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act provides for the selection of immigrants as members of an Economic Class based on their ability to become successfully established in Canada. Among other many classes that fall under The Economic Class is the Federal Skilled Worker Class.

The Federal Skilled Worker criteria and selection model is designed to identify economic immigrants who will be able to provide a significant economic benefit to Canada. The new regulations provide for the selection of Federal Skilled Worker based on a human capital approach (for their flexible skills) rather than intended occupation.

The regulations are based on an improved and more objective points system that evaluates all applicants on the basis of their education, language, experience, age, arranged employment and adaptability. The pass mark has recently been lowered to 67 points (out of the maximum 100 points), making it easier for applicants to qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker class:

To qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker class, applicants must have at least one year of work experience in the past 10 years in any skilled occupation.

Applicants with the following combination also qualify for Skilled Worker Class:

• those with high education/language profile but with no connection to Canada.
• those with moderate education/language profile and connection to Canada.
• those with lower education/language profile and with arranged employment.

The above facts are simply a high level overview of the Skilled Worker Class, please contact our office a free and confidential assessment of your case scenario.

On June 26th, 2010, the Government of Canada introduced substantive changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Class. The new rules will affect all new applications as well as all applications submitted on or after June 26th, 2010. The Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, provides assurances that new federal skilled worker applications, should receive a selection decision within 6 to 12 months.

Federal Skilled Workers are persons with suitable education, work experience, age and language abilities under one of Canada’s official languages and who are selected as permanent residents under six selection factors which demonstrate their likelihood to become economically settled in Canada.

To qualify for admission to Canada as a skilled worker, without an approved offer of employment, applicants must meet the following conditions:

1.Eliminatory condition:

Possess at least one year of applicable experience in one of 29 major high demand occupations (health, skilled trades and finance) listed in one of the National Occupational Classification categories:

For your application to be eligible for processing, you must include the results of your official language proficiency test, and either:

NOTE: the occupations above are all Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification list.

Please note that for those applying under the above occupation list, the government has limit the number of applications considered for processing to 20,000 per year as a way to better manage the supply of applications with labour market demand. Within the 20,000 limit, a maximum of 1,000 applications per occupation will be considered. The limit does not apply to applicants with a job offer. The first year will begin on June 26, 2010 and end on June 30, 2011. Subsequent years will be calculated from July 1st to June 30th.

In addition, all federal skilled worker and Canadian Experience Class applicants must submit the results of an independent language test before they will be considered. Under the previous laws language test was not mandatory to be submit along with the application.

Applicants, who possess applicable work experience in one of the above occupations, will be eligible for continued processing as a skilled worker and must also meet each of the following essential selection conditions:

2.Essential selection conditions:

• Possess one-year, within the previous 10 years, of continuous full-time paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time continuous employment; AND
• The work experience must be classified within Skill Type 0 (Managerial Occupations), Skill Level A (Professional Occupations), or Skill Level B (Technical Occupations and Skilled Trades) within the meaning of the National Occupational Classification system; AND
• Score sufficient points under the skilled worker point grid comprising of six selection factors. The current pass mark is 67 points;
• Possess suitable settlement funding;
• Undergo a successful security background and medical examination.

Interested readers with questions are invited to complete the following assessment questionnaire for an evaluation of their options at no charge.