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

Eligibility Factors for Express Entry FSWP
Eligibility for FSWP

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

0001000011000120001300014
0001510010100111001210019
1002010021100221002910030
2001020011200123001040010
4001140012400194002040021
4003040040400414004250010
5001150012600106002060030
6003160040700107001170012
7002070021800108002080021
800229001090011  

NOC codes for Federal Skilled Worker Program in TEER 1

1110011101111021110311109
1120011201112022110021101
2110221103211092111021111
2111221120212002120121202
2120321210212112122021221
2122221223212302123121232
2123321234213002130121310
2131121320213212132221330
2133121332213902139931100
3110131102311033111031111
3111231120311213120031201
3120231203312043120931300
3130131302313034110041101
4120041201412104122041221
4130041301413024131041311
4132041321414004140141402
4140341404414064140741409
5110051101511025111051111
5111251113511145112051121
51122    

NOC codes for Federal Skilled Worker Program in TEER 2

1201012011120121201312100
1210112102121031210412110
1211112112121131220012201
1220212203221002210122110
2211122112221132211422220
2222122222222302223122232
2223322300223012230222303
2231022311223122231332100
3210132102321033210432109
3211032111321123212032121
3212232123321243212932201
3220032209421004210142102
4220042201422024220342204
5210052110521115211252113
5211452119521205212162010
6202062021620226202362024
6202962100621016220162202
7260072601726027260372604

NOC codes for the Federal Skilled Worker Program in TEER 3

1310013101131021311013111
1311213200132013310033101
3310233103331094310043109
4320043201432024320343204
5310053110531115312053121
5312253123531245312553200
5320153202631006310163102
6321063211632206322193200

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

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.

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 CADNo. of family members
$13,7571
$17,1272
$21,0553
$25,5644
$28,9945
$32,7006
$36,4077
$3,706For 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:

FactorsFederal Skilled Worker Points
Age 12
Language Proficiency28
Academic Proficiency25
Work Experience15
Adaptability in Canada10
Valid Job Offer10
Total100

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 DrawsITAsCRS cut-off
23.11.20224750491
09.11.20224750494
26.10.20224750496
12.10.20224250500
28.09.20223750504
14.09.20223250510
31.08.20222750516
17.08.20222250525
03.08.20222000533
20.07.20221750542
06.07.20221500557

FSWP draws in 2020

Date of DrawsITAsCRS cut-off
23.12.20205000468
09.12.20205000469
25.11.20205000469
18.11.20205000472
05.11.20204500478
14.11.20204500471
30.09.20204200471
16.09.20204200472
02.09.20204200475
05.08.20203900476
08.07.20203900478
04.03.20203900471
19.02.20204500470
05.02.20203500472
22.01.20203400471
08.01.20203400473

FSWP draws in 2019

Date of DrawsITAsCRS cut-off
19.12.20191359469
11.12.2019997472
27.11.20191318471
13.11.20191307472
30.10.20191079475
02.10.20191427464
18.09.20191499463
04.09.20191513462
20.08.20191854456
12.08.20191438466
24.07.20191848459
10.07.20191651460
26.06.20191684462
12.06.20191623465
29.05.20191292470
01.05.20191700450
17.04.20191773451
03.04.20191678451
20.03.20191894452
06.03.20191705454
20.02.20191653457
30.01.20192059438
23.01.20192275443

FSWP draws in 2018

Date of DrawsITAsCRS cut-off
10.01.20192183449
19.12.20182363439
12.12.20181870445
28.11.20182251445
15.11.20182107449
29.10.20182155442
15.10.20182242440
03.10.20182044445
19.09.20181902441
05.09.20182122440
22.08.20182131441
08.08.20182030440
25.07.20182110441
11.07.20181716442
25.06.20182085442
13.06.20181923451
23.05.20182082440
09.05.20181800441
25.04.20182031441
11.04.20181674444
26.03.20181746446
14.03.20181306456
21.02.20181544442
07.02.20181490442
24.01.20181411444
10.01.20181388446

FSWP draws in 2017

Date of DrawsITAsCRS cut-off
20.12.20171321446
06.12.20171278452
15.11.20171645439
08.11.2017941458
18.10.20171335436
04.10.20171375438
20.09.20171342433
06.09.20171203435
23.08.20171494434
09.08.20171838433
02.08.20171538441
12.07.20171634440
28.06.20171596449
31.05.20172390413
17.05.20171801415
04.05.20171803423
19.04.20172436415
12.04.20172259423
05.04.20171854431
24.03.20171332441
01.03.20172163434
22.02.20171676441
08.02.20171439447
25.01.20171483453
11.01.20171443459
04.01.2017745468

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 $1365

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.

Athena Campbell

Athena Campbell

Articles: 93

2 Comments

  1. Sir I am Deepak. From Haryana Rohtak. My date of birth 1981. Till date I am working Delhi transport corporation as a contract driver. I have new passport. I want to Canada work permit. My contact number.

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