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Eligibility for Express Entry programs: Who can apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program

Two years of work experience

This means you have to work a total of at least 30 hours over a period of 1 week for 2 years in your skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply.

For example:

Full Time

  • 30 hours/week for 24 months = 2 years full time (3,120 hours)

Part time

  • 15 hours/week for 48 months = 2 years full time (3,120 hours)

    or

  • 30 hours/week for 24 months at more than 1 job = 2 years full time (3,120 hours)

For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 3,120 hours.

We don’t count any hours you work above 30 hours/week.

Two employers

Up to 2 employers can commit to employing you for at least 1 year of continuous full-time work, meaning a total of at least 30 hours of work per week.

Who can issue a certificate

In Canada, provinces, territories and federal authorities issue certificates of qualification in the skilled trades. To get a certificate, the provincial, territorial or federal authority must assess your training, trade experience and skills to decide if you are eligible to write an exam to be certified.

Minimum requirements

To be eligible, you must meet all the minimum requirements for your

Skilled trades work experience

You must

Your work experience only counts if you were qualified to practice that trade where you got your work experience. If you were qualified in one country, but worked in another country with different rules for practicing your trade, you must have also met the requirements to practice there independently.

Skilled trades NOC groups

Your work experience must be in one of the following NOC groups:

  • Major Group 72, technical trades and transportation officers and controllers
    • excluding Sub-Major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers
  • Major Group 73, general trades
  • Major Group 82, supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production
  • Major Group 83, occupations in natural resources and related production
  • Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors, and utilities operators and controllers
  • Major Group 93, central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-Major Group 932, aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
  • Minor Group 6320, cooks, butchers and bakers
  • Unit Group 62200, chefs

Find the job’s NOC code, title and related training, education, experience and responsibilities category.

We will refuse your application if

Your work experience must be for paid work (paid wages or earned commission). We don’t count volunteer work or unpaid internships.

Job offer or certificate of qualification

You must have a

Certificate of qualification

A certificate of qualification proves you’re qualified to work in a certain skilled trade in Canada. This means you

This certificate is issued by

Depending on which body or authority issues it, this certificate may be called a “certificate of qualification” or a “qualification certificate.”

To get a certificate, the provincial, territorial or federal authority must assess your training, trade experience and skills to decide if you’re eligible to write a certification exam.

Get assessed by the province or territory

Each province and territory has its own

You may

To learn more about getting assessed, visit the website of the body that governs trades for the province or territory where you want to live and work:

If the province or territory where you plan to live and work doesn’t give certificates of qualification in your trade, you’ll need a valid job offer in your trade to be eligible for this program.

If your trade is federally regulated

If your trade is not regulated by a province or territory, it may be federally regulated (for example, airplane mechanics).

Find out who regulates your trade and how to get assessed through the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials.

Language ability

You must

Your language tests

Education

There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

If you want to improve your rank in the Express Entry pool, there are 2 ways you can do this.

  1. If you went to school in Canada, you can get points for a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian
    • secondary institution (high school) or
    • post-secondary institution
  2. If you have foreign education, you can get points if you have both of these

Proof of funds

You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada, unless you

Admissibility

You must be admissible to Canada.

Where you can live in Canada

You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, see Quebec-selected skilled workers for more information.

When you fill out your profile, we’ll ask you where you plan to live in Canada. You don’t have to settle in that province or territory.

If you’re a Provincial Nominee, you must settle in the province or territory that nominated you.

Next steps

Certificate of qualification

A certificate of qualification proves that a person is qualified to work in a certain skilled trade in Canada. This means that they:

  • have passed a certification exam
  • meet all the requirements to practice their trade in that province or territory.

This certificate is issued by the body that governs trades in a Canadian province or territory, or by a federal authority.

Depending on which body or authority issues it, this certificate may be called a “certificate of qualification” or a “qualification certificate”. Find out how to get a certificate.

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