This program is for people who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade. There is an overall cap of 5,000 applications. All 90 skilled trades from the following NOC Skill Level B groups are eligible (with sub-caps of 100 applications each):
– Major Group 72: Industrial, electrical and construction trades;
– Major Group 73: Maintenance and equipment operation trades;
– Major Group 82: Supervisors and technical occupations in national 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.

To qualify for Express Entry pool under the Federal Skilled Trades Program, one has to:

  • Have at least two years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade within the last five years, before application.
  • Have a certificate of qualification from a Canadian provincial or territorial authority, in that skilled trade if not a minimum of one-year full-time job offer.
  • Meet the set National Occupational Classification (NOC) job requirements for that particular skilled trade.
  • Meet the language ability levels in English or French, of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB), after taking a language test approved by CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada).

There are no education requirements for this program. However, having a certificate, diploma or degree from a recognized institution in Canada, or an equivalent as per the approved Education Credential Assessment report, will earn you points in the Express Entry pool.

You may have to get an assessment by the province or territory that you would like to reside in. The processes differ depending on where you want to live.