Federal Skilled Trades (FST)

As of January 2015, skilled immigrants including Federal Skilled Trade Worker candidates will need to be placed in the Express Entry pool and receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in order to be eligible for immigration. Please consult Marvin Moses Law Office to find out more about the Express Entry system.

Launched on January 2, 2013, the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) helps to facilitate the immigration of skilled tradespeople to Canada. The program is for people who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade. Applicants are selected according to criteria geared towards their reality, placing more emphasis on practical training and work experience rather than on formal education. Given Canada's aging workforce and the continued demand for certain skilled trades in the natural resource, agriculture and construction sectors, immigration is considered to be part of the solution for trades' renewal.

Eligibility Criteria of Application

- Plan to live outside the province of Quebec

- Meet minimum language proficiency thresholds in either English or French: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in speaking and listening; and CLB 4 in reading and writing;

- Have at least two years of work experience (within the last five years) in one of 90 skilled trades listed below;

- Meet all job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC);

- Have EITHER a one-year qualifying job offer OR a Provincial/Territorial certificate of qualification in a qualifying skilled trade to demonstrate that the individual can be employed in Canada.

Eligible Skilled Trades

6321 Chefs
6322 Cooks
6331 Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale
6332 Bakers
7201 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
7203 Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
7232 Tool and die makers
7233 Sheet metal workers
7234 Boilermakers
7235 Structural metal and plate work fabricators and fitters
7236 Ironworkers
7237 Welders and related machine operators
7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
7242 Industrial electricians
7243 Power system electricians
7244 Electrical power line and cable workers
7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers
7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
7247 Cable television service and maintenance technicians
7251 Plumbers
7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
7253 Gas fitters
7271 Carpenters
7272 Cabinetmakers
7281 Bricklayers
7282 Concrete finishers
7283 Tilesetters
7284 Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
7291 Roofers and shinglers
7292 Glaziers
7293 Insulators
7294 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
7295 Floor covering installers
7301 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
7302 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
7303 Supervisors, printing and related occupations
7304 Supervisors, railway transport operations
7305 Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators
7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
7312 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
7313 Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
7314 Railway carmen/women
7315 Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
7316 Machine fitters
7318 Elevator constructors and mechanics
7321 Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
7322 Motor vehicle body repairers
7331 Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics
7332 Appliance servicers and repairers
7333 Electrical mechanics
7334 Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics
7335 Other small engine and small equipment repairers
7361 Railway and yard locomotive engineers
7362 Railway conductors and brakemen/women
7371 Crane operators
7372 Drillers and blasters - surface, mining, quarrying and construction
7373 Water well drillers
7381 Printing press operators
7384 Other trades and related occupations, n.e.c.
8211 Supervisors, logging and forestry
8221 Supervisors, mining and quarrying
8222 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling services
8231 Underground production and development miners
8232 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
8241 Logging machinery operators
8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
8255 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
8261 Fishing masters and officers
8262 Fishermen/women
9211 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing
9212 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities
9213 Supervisors, food, beverage and associated products processing
9214 Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing
9215 Supervisors, forest products processing
9217 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing
9221 Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling
9222 Supervisors, electronics manufacturing
9223 Supervisors, electrical products manufacturing
9224 Supervisors, furniture and fixtures manufacturing
9226 Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing
9227 Supervisors, other products manufacturing and assembly
9231 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing
9232 Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators
9235 Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators
9241 Power engineers and power systems operators
9243 Water and waste treatment plant operators