Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is one of the three programs that are managed through Express Entry system. The FSTP is aimed at individuals who are skilled in their trade. If you qualify, you will immigrate to Canada and become a Permanent Resident as you enter Canada.

If you immigrate to Canada under the FSTP, the Government of Canada will look at you comprehensively and will assign you a score based on your and your spouse's (if any) age, education, English / French proficiency, work experience, availability of a job offer (it is not mandatory) or certificate of qualification from a federal, provincial, or territorial authority.

In terms of work experience, you must have at least two years of full-time (or equivalent amount in part-time) work experience in a trade within the last five years.

So, what exactly is a "trade"? What professions qualify as "trade"?
Here are some of the examples:

• Equipment Technicians.
• Arborists.
• Auto Body Repairers.
• Automotive Painters.
• Automotive Service Technicians.
• Bakers.
• Brick and Stone Masons.
• Cement (Concrete) Finishers.
• Concrete Pump Operators.
• Construction Craft Workers.
• Cooks.
• Electricians.
• Mechanics.
• Carpenters.
• Machinists.
• Hairstylists.
• Heavy-Duty Equipment Technicians / Operators.
• Dozer / Excavator / Tractor / Crane Operators.
• Ironworkers.
• Network Cabling Specialists.
• Painters and Decorators.
• Plumbers.
• Powerline Technicians.
• Plumbers.
• Roofers.
• Metal Workers.
• Toolmakers.
• Truck-Trailer Service Technicians.
• Welders.
• And much more, just to give you a general idea.

Specifically for the FSTP, you must have either a valid job offer of full-time employment at least for one year or you must get a certificate of qualification from a federal, provincial, or territorial authority. Very often, you will have to travel to Canada to take an exam to get that certificate of qualification. 
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You must have a knowledge of either French or English at what's known in Canada as CLB Level 5 in Speaking and Listening, and CLB Level 4 in Reading and Writing.  Let's take IELTS General English test as an example. Your IELTS General test results must show at least the following numbers: Speaking - 5; Listening - 5; Reading - 3.5; Writing - 4.
Remember these are minimum scores, it's better if you have better results.

There is no mandatory education requirement, but if you need a higher score, you must complete an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) of your diplomas. One of the most popular choices for that procedure is World Education Services.

You must show that you have enough funds to immigrate to Canada. A bank statement signed by a bank officer can serve as a good proof for that. As of 2020, one person is required to have CAD 12, 960, two people - CAD 16,135, three people - CAD 19,836, and the family of four - CAD 24,083.

You must be admissible to Canada. It means that your medical, criminal, financial, and political background must not have major problems. If you committed a crime, it does not mean you are ineligible. We will have to look into the details of your crime to advise you if you might overcome this inadmissibility.

1. Take IELTS General (or CELPIP-G) test to learn your level of English (or TEF Canada / TCS Canada for the French Language). If you know both languages, take tests in both.
2. Send us your detailed resume and indicate if you have a job offer in Canada or not. 
3. At this point we should be able to give you a preliminary assessment of your CRS score. We will advise you if you need to take an examination to obtain a certificate of qualification and get an Education Credential Assessment.
4. Once we have either a job offer or a certificate of qualification, we will create an Express Entry profile for you and you will be scored against other candidates in the Express Entry pool.
5. If you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residence, we will have 60 days to apply for Permanent Residence. At that time, you will have to get a police clearance certificate and get your medicals done.
6. If the application is approved, it is time to do your biometrics. You have 30 days for that.
7. After your information is verified, you will get a Permanent Resident visa to travel to Canada and the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) document, which you will bring with you to Canada.

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Express Entry applications, although designed to be fast and efficient, are still subject to all Canadian immigration laws (IRPA, IRPR, officers' manuals). If you provide incorrect information or forget to provide some information or don't provide information which you think is irrelevant, you might be banned from entering Canada for five years.

Immigration officers scrutinize your applications, going thoroughly through every field. If they turn down your application and don't give you a ban for five years, it still means that you will have to submit an Express Entry profile again. Scores tend to rise over time, and there are good chances you might not score enough to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

For this reason, it is very important to do everything properly and correctly from the first try. Here's where we come in. We have the skills and the expertise to prepare your Express Entry profile in the proper way, so that in the future it doesn't contradict your application for permanent residence.

We know what the officers are looking for, and we know the red flags that can make them turn down your application. We will fill out all the forms in the right and correct way, and prepare the necessary supporting documents to make sure your case runs smoothly through the Canadian immigration system.