The government of Canada recognizes that communities and cities across the country experience labour shortages in many skilled trades occupations. Consequently, the Federal Skilled Trades program is the only federal economic immigration program that singles out workers in trades occupations.

Eligibility Criteria

• Language levels: The required minimum results are Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, and CLB 4 for reading and writing.
• Work experience: have accumulated at least two years of full-time work experience (or the equivalent in part-time work experience) in the skilled trade during the last five years.
  Be able to demonstrate that the skills and experience gained covers the essential duties of the occupation; and have a full-time offer of employment in that skilled trade for a period of at least one year from up to two Canadian employers OR hold a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade from a Canadian provincial or territorial authority.

Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (NOC):

• 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
• Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers.
  

  The major NOC groups are subdivided into different occupations, and they are all skill type B.