The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.

Minimum requirements

To be eligible, you must

  • meet the required language levels for each language ability
  • have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply
  • meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification, except for needing a certificate of qualification have a
  • valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or
  • certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
  • There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program
Skilled work experience

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.