The Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) is a Canadian permanent residence pathway for foreign nationals with experience in a skilled trade via Express Entry. They have to follow the same route of EE.

The FSTC allows individuals with a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification to obtain permanent residence in any Canadian province or territory other than Quebec.

Book a consultation to Find out if you qualify under this program or any other program under canadian immigration

Eligibility Criteria for the Federal Skilled Trades Class

  1. The Candidate must have valid job offers of continuous, paid, full-time employment (at least 30 hours a week) from up to two employers in Canada for at least one year OR a certificate of qualification* from a provincial or territorial body;
  2. Demonstrate that they meet the minimum threshold set by the Minister — Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, CLB 4 for reading and writing;
  3. Must have obtained 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work) in the skilled trade in the previous 5 years of applying; and
  4. be able to demonstrate the skills and experience and that they have performed the essential duties of the occupation.

 *A certificate of qualification proves that a foreign national is qualified to work in a skilled trade occupation in Canada. With a certificate of qualification, applicants prove they have passed a certification exam or met all the requirements to practice their trade in a specific province or territory.

Skilled work experience eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Class falls under the following categories of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Codes:

Major Group 72: industrial, electrical and construction trades,
Major Group 73: maintenance and equipment operation trades,
Major Group 82: supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production,
Major Group 92: processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators,
Minor Group 632: chefs and cooks, and
Minor Group 633: butchers and bakers.

FSTC candidates must plan to reside outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers through a unique immigration system. 

If you plan on immigrating to Quebec, please visit the Quebec Skilled Worker Program page for more information.

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