Skilled workers are selected as permanent residents based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, and other criteria that have been shown to help them become economically established in Canada.
In recent years, there have been several changes to the selection criteria used by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) when assessing Skilled Workers and Professional who apply for permanent residency to Canada. CIC uses a selection process that includes a points reward system of the following criteria:

• Occupation
• Education
• Language Skills in English and French
• Work experience in a qualified occupation
• Age
• Job Offer from a Canadian company in a “skilled” position
• Previous study in Canada
• Current or previous work in Canada
• Education of spouse (if applicable)
• Family in Canada
• Funds available to settle in Canada

The government of Canada has a classification system for all jobs performed by workers in Canada. This is called the National Occupation Classification system (NOC). There are 5 categories in the NOC which are further used to classify the job you perform or performed ranging from Executive/Director level positions to low skilled/entry level positions. These categories are listed as type 0, A, B, C and D. Only experience in jobs that are classified as 0, A or B positions can be considered eligible for points under the Federal Skilled Worker program.

Further, CIC will only accept a limited number of applications from workers who have at least one year of full time work experience within the last 10 years in one of the following positions:

• Restaurant and Food Service Managers
• Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
• Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
• Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
• Biologists and Related Scientists
• Architects
• Specialist Physicians
• General Practitioners and Family Physicians
• Dentists
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists
• Registered Nurses
• Medical Radiation Technologists
• Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Chefs
• Cooks
• Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
• Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
• Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
• Industrial Electricians
• Plumbers
• Welders & Related Machine Operators
• Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
• Crane Operators
• Drillers & Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
• Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Services

If you have a permanent job offer from a Canadian company in a skill level 0, A or B position but NOT in one of the above positions, you may also be eligible to apply as a Federal Skilled Worker. This job offer must be approved by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. This is called an Arranged Employment Opinion.

If you are already working in Canada in ANY skill level 0, A or B position, you may also be eligible to apply for permanent residence as a Federal Skilled Worker.

The requirements for this program are VERY strict and can seem like an overwhelming task to satisfy. Contact Join Canada and our representation will provide you with professional advice and guidance every step of the way. Or complete our FREE ASSESSMENT and we will be in touch to discuss your eligibility and the next steps to assist you to become a permanent resident.

DO NOT DELAY!! CIC has placed a maximum number of applications it will accept in each occupation every year. Once the maximum is reached, no more applications will be accepted by CIC for that year. So speed is important!