Federal Skilled Worker Program or FSWP for Canada

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is one of the three Express Entry pathways exclusively for skilled workers with Canadian or foreign work experience.

Work Experience Requirements for FSW

To be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), you must have at least one year of continuous work within the last 10 years in one of the NOC codes eligible for the FSWP program. Your work experience must:

• Belong to TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) level 0, 1, 2, or 3.
• Must be in the same NOC code as your primary occupation submitted in your Canada PR application. For example, if your primary occupation in the PR application is  NOC code 21211- Data Scientists, your work experience must be gained in the same occupation.
• The work experience must be acquired in the last 10 years
• The job must have been paid
• It should be at least one year of continuous work, i.e. 1560 hours or 30 hours of paid work per week. You can acquire these working hours either by working full-time in one job or working part-time in multiple jobs belonging to the same NOC code.
• Any unpaid internships or volunteer work is not eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker program
• If you are a student, applying through the FSW for Canada, your past work experience will be taken into consideration only if it is paid, continuous, and satisfies the 1560 hours requirement. Moreover, it should be in the same NOC code as your primary occupation provided in the Express Entry profile.

NOC codes for Federal Skilled Worker Program

The Federal Skilled Worker Program is eligible for the following list of NOC codes. The Express Entry FSWP pathway allows applicants from 275 occupations to apply for Canada PR.

NOC codes for the Federal Skilled Worker Program in TEER 0

00010	00011	00012	00013	00014
00015	10010	10011	10012	10019
10020	10021	10022	10029	10030
20010	20011	20012	30010	40010
40011	40012	40019	40020	40021
40030	40040	40041	40042	50010
50011	50012	60010	60020	60030
60031	60040	70010	70011	70012
70020	70021	80010	80020	80021
80022	90010	90011

NOC codes for Federal Skilled Worker Program in TEER 1

11100	11101	11102	11103	11109
11200	11201	11202	21100	21101
21102	21103	21109	21110	21111
21112	21120	21200	21201	21202
21203	21210	21211	21220	21221
21222	21223	21230	21231	21232
21233	21234	21300	21301	21310
21311	21320	21321	21322	21330
21331	21332	21390	21399	31100
31101	31102	31103	31110	31111
31112	31120	31121	31200	31201
31202	31203	31204	31209	31300
31301	31302	31303	41100	41101
41200	41201	41210	41220	41221
41300	41301	41302	41310	41311
41320	41321	41400	41401	41402
41403	41404	41406	41407	41409
51100	51101	51102	51110	51111
51112	51113	51114	51120	51121
51122

NOC codes for Federal Skilled Worker Program in TEER 2

12010	12011	12012	12013	12100
12101	12102	12103	12104	12110
12111	12112	12113	12200	12201
12202	12203	22100	22101	22110
22111	22112	22113	22114	22220
22221	22222	22230	22231	22232
22233	22300	22301	22302	22303
22310	22311	22312	22313	32100
32101	32102	32103	32104	32109
32110	32111	32112	32120	32121
32122	32123	32124	32129	32201
32200	32209	42100	42101	42102
42200	42201	42202	42203	42204
52100	52110	52111	52112	52113
52114	52119	52120	52121	62010
62020	62021	62022	62023	62024
62029	62100	62101	62201	62202
72600	72601	72602	72603	72604

NOC codes for the Federal Skilled Worker Program in TEER 3

13100	13101	13102	13110	13111
13112	13200	13201	33100	33101
33102	33103	33109	43100	43109
43200	43201	43202	43203	43204
53100	53110	53111	53120	53121
53122	53123	53124	53125	53200
53201	53202	63100	63101	63102
63210	63211	63220	63221	93200

Federal Skilled Worker Program: Language requirements

FSWP Canada prefers skilled workers who are fluent in either of the two official Canadian languages: English or French. You must score at least CLB 7 or NCLC 7 for your first official language. To claim points for proficiency in the second official language, score at least CLB/NCLC 5 in language tests. Skilled workers adept in either English or French are more likely to adjust better in the workplace and have enhanced productivity. Thus, lingual proficiency is a mandatory requirement in the FSWP program of the Express Entry. Canada accepts the following language tests:

For English language proficiency

• CELPIP-G: CELPIP is also known as the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program. Only CELPIP general is accepted as a valid proficiency test.

• IELTS:  Also known as the International English Language Testing System is also accepted as the language proficiency test. The applicant must take the general training option as the academic option is ineligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program in Canada.

• PTE: The Pearson Test of English is an international and standardized computer-based test by Pearson. The PTE-Core test is accepted for the FSWP English language test.

For French Language Proficiency

• TCF: Test d’évaluation de français.
• TEF: Test de connaissance du français.

Your language test report must not be older than 2 years.

Federal Skilled Worker Program: Academic qualifications

Express Entry FSW (Federal Skilled Worker) is specifically for the best and most skilled immigrant workers. Needless to say, their academic proficiency is an important eligibility requirement. Applicants with a Ph.D. score the highest in the FSWP factor points (67 points calculator)

If you have Canadian education, you must provide a valid Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate from a recognized Canadian university, high school, or tertiary institution.

If you have a foreign education, you must have a valid ECA or Educational Credential Assessment report from an authorized institution. Canada accepts ECA from the following institutions.

• MCC: Medical Council of Canada
• PEBC: Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada
• ICES: International Credential Evaluation Service
• IQAS: International Qualifications Assessment Service
• CES: Comparative Education Service, University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
• ICAS: International Credential Assessment Service of Canada.
• WES: World Education Services

The ECA report in the FSW for Canada program is only valid for 5 years.

Additional Requirements

Besides the above eligibility requirements, you will also be required to submit proof of funds.

The proof of funds is only required for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades program. The Canadian Experience Class does not require proof of funds. However, since you cannot choose which program you will immigrate through, you must keep the proof of funds constantly ready.

The proof of funds required in FSW for Canada are given below.

Money in CAD	No. of Family Member
$14,690	1
$18,288	2
$22,483	3
$27,297	4
$30,690	5
$34,917	6
$38,875	7
$3,958	For each family member

Apart from the above eligibility requirements, the Federal Skilled Worker Program Canada mandates that the skilled immigrant is admissible in Canada.

67 points criteria for Federal Skilled Workers (FSW)

During the Express Entry profile creation, you will be required to provide information about your age, education, language proficiency, work experience, job offer and, adaptability factors, etc. During this process, you must be able to score 67 points out of 100 to be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The 67 points calculator must not be confused with the Comprehensive Ranking System or CRS calculator. The 67 points criteria are exclusive for the FSWP stream. 

The scoring factors are given below:

Factors	Federal Skilled Worker Points
Age	12
Language Proficiency	28
Academic Proficiency	25
Work Experience	15
Adaptability in Canada	10
Valid Job Offer	10
Total	100

The 67 points criteria are embedded in the Express Entry system. If you are eligible to create an Express Entry profile but are unable to score 67 points while creating your profile, you will be assigned either the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Trades program, as per your submitted information.

FSWP Express Entry Draws

Federal Skilled Worker Program latest news: IRCC held the first FSWP-specific draw on 2nd February 2023. The 240th Express Entry draw issued 3300 ITAs to Express Entry profiles belonging to the FSWP, with the CRS cutoff at 489 points.

Watch this video to know more about this draw.

Below is the table for the Express Entry draws specifically for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. There were no draws for the FSWP and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) in the year 2021 due to the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, Express Entry draws were only held for the Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program.

FSWP draws in 2022

Date of Draws	ITAs	CRS cut-off
23.11.2022	4750	491
09.11.2022	4750	494
26.10.2022	4750	496
12.10.2022	4250	500
28.09.2022	3750	504
14.09.2022	3250	510
31.08.2022	2750	516
17.08.2022	2250	525
03.08.2022	2000	533
20.07.2022	1750	542
06.07.2022	1500	557

FSWP draws in 2020

Date of Draws	ITAs	CRS cut-off
23.12.2020	5000	468
09.12.2020	5000	469
25.11.2020	5000	469
18.11.2020	5000	472
05.11.2020	4500	478
14.11.2020	4500	471
30.09.2020	4200	471
16.09.2020	4200	472
02.09.2020	4200	475
05.08.2020	3900	476
08.07.2020	3900	478
04.03.2020	3900	471
19.02.2020	4500	470
05.02.2020	3500	472
22.01.2020	3400	471
08.01.2020	3400	473

FSWP draws in 2019

Date of Draws	ITAs	CRS cut-off
19.12.2019	1359	469
11.12.2019	997	472
27.11.2019	1318	471
13.11.2019	1307	472
30.10.2019	1079	475
02.10.2019	1427	464
18.09.2019	1499	463
04.09.2019	1513	462
20.08.2019	1854	456
12.08.2019	1438	466
24.07.2019	1848	459
10.07.2019	1651	460
26.06.2019	1684	462
12.06.2019	1623	465
29.05.2019	1292	470
01.05.2019	1700	450
17.04.2019	1773	451
03.04.2019	1678	451
20.03.2019	1894	452
06.03.2019	1705	454
20.02.2019	1653	457
30.01.2019	2059	438
23.01.2019	2275	443

FSWP draws in 2018

Date of Draws	ITAs	CRS cut-off
10.01.2019	2183	449
19.12.2018	2363	439
12.12.2018	1870	445
28.11.2018	2251	445
15.11.2018	2107	449
29.10.2018	2155	442
15.10.2018	2242	440
03.10.2018	2044	445
19.09.2018	1902	441
05.09.2018	2122	440
22.08.2018	2131	441
08.08.2018	2030	440
25.07.2018	2110	441
11.07.2018	1716	442
25.06.2018	2085	442
13.06.2018	1923	451
23.05.2018	2082	440
09.05.2018	1800	441
25.04.2018	2031	441
11.04.2018	1674	444
26.03.2018	1746	446
14.03.2018	1306	456
21.02.2018	1544	442
07.02.2018	1490	442
24.01.2018	1411	444
10.01.2018	1388	446

FSWP draws in 2017

Date of Draws	ITAs	CRS cut-off
20.12.2017	1321	446
06.12.2017	1278	452
15.11.2017	1645	439
08.11.2017	941	458
18.10.2017	1335	436
04.10.2017	1375	438
20.09.2017	1342	433
06.09.2017	1203	435
23.08.2017	1494	434
09.08.2017	1838	433
02.08.2017	1538	441
12.07.2017	1634	440
28.06.2017	1596	449
31.05.2017	2390	413
17.05.2017	1801	415
04.05.2017	1803	423
19.04.2017	2436	415
12.04.2017	2259	423
05.04.2017	1854	431
24.03.2017	1332	441
01.03.2017	2163	434
22.02.2017	1676	441
08.02.2017	1439	447
25.01.2017	1483	453
11.01.2017	1443	459
04.01.2017	745	468

Documents required for FSWP

While creating your Express Entry profile, you won’t need to submit any documents. However, once you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for the Express Entry draws, you must upload all the necessary documents to support your claim for CRS points. Below is the list of documents required for the Federal Skilled Worker Program:

• Upload a scanned copy of your passport
• Education Credential Assessment (ECA) report that must not be older than 5 years.
• To demonstrate proof of funds, upload copies of letters from the bank or institutions where you keep your money.
• Copy of your language test score results. They must not be older than 2 years.
• Copy of your offer letter from a Canadian employer that includes your NOC code, designation, working hours, and wages.
• Reference letters from employers to demonstrate work experience.
• Copy of Provincial Nomination Certificate or territorial certificate of nomination if applicable
• Copy of marriage certificates or divorce certificates (if applicable)
• Copy of your valid passport
• Copy of your photographs
• Copy of birth certificate.

This is not the complete list of the required documents. You might be asked to provide any additional documents depending on your application.

Processing time and fee for Foreign Skilled Worker Program

The processing time for the Federal Skilled Worker Program or FSWP is 6 months. The processing time also depends on the following factors:

• The completion of your application
• How quickly IRCC processes applications they have already received
• How easily IRCC can verify the information you have provided in your application
• The time you take to respond to the requests and concerns conveyed by IRCC.

Hiring a CICC-authorized immigration consultant exponentially improves the processing time and enables you to get your Canada PR faster.

The application fee for the Foreign Skilled Worker Program is CAN $1525

The FSWP or the Federal Skilled Worker Program is one of the most popular immigration pathways for Express Entry. This makes this program extremely competitive. Moreover, you cannot select your Express Entry program. It will be assigned to you as per the information you provide during creating your Express Entry profile. Talent Connected Worldwide (R527196, R16157) is an award-winning immigration company that legally assists you in creating an Express Entry profile with a high CRS score.

Aiming to ace the next Express Entry draw? Don’t hesitate, to contact us now.