The program has minimum requirements for:

• Language ability
• Skilled work experience
• Education

You must fulfill all the minimum requirements to be eligible for the Express Entry visa under this program.

Selection Factors

Once you fulfill all the bare minimum requirements, your application will be assessed based on the below criteria:

• Education
• Age
• Work experience
• Valid job offer
• Language skills in either English or French or both
• Adaptability to the Canadian environment

You need to note that these factors are a part of a 100-point grid used to assess your eligibility for the program. You will earn points based on how you perform in the factors, as mentioned earlier. The present pass mark if 67 points.

These points that are based on your selection factor will be used to judge your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Once you are in the pool of Express Entry visa applications, a different system will be used to rank your profile. Those candidates with the highest-ranking in this pool will be invited to apply for permanent Canadian residence.

Minimum Requirements

Language Ability

You will have to:

• Take all the approved language tests in French or English for reading, writing, speaking, and listening
• Get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark or CLB 7 in all the four abilities
• Include the results of the test in your Express Entry profile

The language tests that you take will be valid for a maximum of 2 years from the date of the result. The results must be valid on the day of the application for permanent residence.

Work

Work Experience (Skilled)

Experience in skilled work category means that you have worked in 1 of the below mentioned National Occupational Classification or NOC job groups. These are:

• Professional jobs – skill level A
• Technical jobs and skilled trades – skill level B
• Managerial roles – skill level 0

It is also essential for you to make sure that your skilled work experience:

1. Was in the same job type as the job you wish to use for the immigration application purpose
2. Was within the last 10 years
3. Was a paid work, since unpaid internships do not count
4. Was for at least a full year or a total of 1560 hours of work

Work Experience (Part-Time)

When it comes to part-time jobs, you can show that you worked for more or less than 15 hours a week as long as it totals up to 1560 hours for an entire year. Make a note that working for more than 30 hours a week will not be considered.

Work Experience (Student)

Any work experience that you may have gained during any educational course may be considered towards your minimum requirements. However, the work:

• Should be paid by commissions or wages
• Did not have any gaps in the employment period and was continuous
• Fulfills all the other necessary needs of the Program

Education

If you attended one of the Canadian schools, you need to provide a relevant certificate, degree, or diploma from the school, which may be:

• A high school or secondary institution
• A post-secondary institution

If you attended some other foreign school, you need to provide:

• An Educational Credential Assessment or ECA for immigration from a designated organization. This document should prove that you have completed your education that is equal to a completed degree, diploma, or certificate from a Canadian high school or post-secondary institution.
• A completed credential (Includes any degree, trade or apprentice credential or diploma that was issues to you for completing a specific program of study of training at any of the recognized training or educational institution)