Permanent Residence · Express Entry

The Federal Skilled Trades Program

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is one of the federal economic immigration programs managed through Express Entry. It offers a path to Canadian permanent residence for people who are qualified in a skilled trade — from construction and transportation to manufacturing, natural resources, and agriculture. Selection is based on your trade experience together with a qualifying job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification.

01 What is the Federal Skilled Trades Program

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is a federal economic immigration program administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It allows skilled workers to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade. It is one of the programs managed through the Express Entry application system.

The FSTP is one of three federal programs under Express Entry, alongside the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. It is designed specifically for tradespeople rather than for general professional or office-based work experience.

Skilled trades typically involve specialized knowledge and hands-on work, and most require an apprenticeship. Under IRCC's classification, skilled tradespeople may work in sectors such as construction, transportation, manufacturing and industrial, and natural resources and agriculture.

02 Eligible Skilled Trades and NOC Groups

Eligibility is decided by your occupation's classification under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) — not by your job title. Your work experience must all fall under the same NOC, and that NOC must belong to one of the trade groups eligible for the program.

As of June 2026, IRCC lists the eligible groups as NOC Major Groups 72 (excluding Sub-Major Group 726), 73, 82, 83, 92, and 93 (excluding Sub-Major Group 932), plus Minor Group 6320 and Unit Group 62200. These groups are set by IRCC and can change — confirm your exact NOC and its eligibility on the official IRCC page and NOC tool before relying on it.

These groups broadly cover trades such as:

Construction & Technical Trades

Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, heavy-equipment and other technical trades within the eligible NOC major groups.

Transportation & Maintenance

Maintenance and equipment-operation trades, including certain transportation-related occupations within the eligible groups.

Manufacturing, Resources & Production

Supervisors and operators in natural resources, agriculture, processing, manufacturing and utilities, plus certain food-preparation trades (cooks, butchers, bakers, and chefs).

To confirm eligibility, find your NOC with IRCC's NOC tool, then check that you perform the actions in the lead statement and most of the main duties listed for that occupation.

03 Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, you must generally:

have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount in part-time hours, totalling 3,120 hours) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply
have gained that experience in an eligible NOC trade group, with all experience under the same NOC
have performed the lead-statement actions and most of the main duties of that NOC
have been paid for the work (volunteer work, unpaid internships, and experience gained while studying do not count)
hold either a valid job offer of full-time work for at least 1 year, or a Canadian certificate of qualification in your trade
meet the minimum language levels in English or French in all four abilities
show enough settlement funds (unless exempt), and be admissible to Canada
plan to live outside Quebec, which selects its own skilled workers

For part-time work, IRCC counts the hours that add up to the same total — and does not count any hours worked above 30 per week, even across multiple jobs. Requirements can change; confirm the current rules on the official IRCC page before applying.

04 Job Offer or Certificate of Qualification

A defining feature of the FSTP is that you must hold one of two things to be eligible. You do not need both — either route can establish that you are qualified to practise your trade in Canada.

A valid job offer

A valid offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year in your skilled trade. Depending on the situation, the offer may need to be supported by an LMIA or fall under an LMIA exemption — confirm current requirements.

A certificate of qualification

A certificate of qualification in your trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial, or federal authority. It proves you passed a certification exam and meet the requirements to practise your trade in that province or territory.

Each province and territory has its own certification process, and you may need to be assessed there in person or gain experience with a Canadian employer first. If your province does not issue a certificate in your trade, you'll typically need a qualifying job offer instead. Trades that are not provincially regulated may be federally regulated (for example, certain aircraft mechanics).

05 Language, Education and Proof of Funds

Beyond your trade experience, the program sets minimum thresholds for language, and rules for education and settlement funds.

As of June 2026, the minimum language requirement for the FSTP is CLB/NCLC 5 for speaking and listening and CLB/NCLC 4 for reading and writing, proven with an IRCC-approved English or French test. These thresholds are set by IRCC and can change — confirm the current minimums on the official IRCC language page before booking your test.

Language. You must meet the minimum score in all four abilities — speaking, listening, reading, and writing — using results from an IRCC-approved test that meets current validity rules.

Education. There is no education requirement for the FSTP. However, if you have foreign education, you can earn additional points in the Express Entry pool by obtaining an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an IRCC-designated organization. An ECA is optional but may improve your ranking.

Proof of funds. You must show that you have enough money to settle yourself and your family in Canada. You do not need proof of funds if you are currently able to legally work in Canada and have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.

The required settlement-fund amount is set by IRCC, depends on your family size, and is updated over time. Confirm the current figure on the official IRCC proof-of-funds page before you apply rather than relying on an older number.

06 How to Apply Through Express Entry

The FSTP is managed through the Express Entry system. In general terms, the process works like this:

Confirm your NOC and eligibility

Find your occupation in the NOC tool, confirm it falls within an eligible trade group, and check that you meet the work-experience, language, and job-offer or certificate requirements.

Take an approved language test

Sit an IRCC-approved English or French test and obtain results that meet the minimum levels and are valid at the time you apply.

Gather your documents

Prepare proof of trade experience, your job offer or certificate of qualification, language results, identity and (if applicable) proof of funds and an ECA.

Create your Express Entry profile

Submit an online Express Entry profile. If you qualify, you enter the pool and receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

IRCC invites top-ranked candidates through periodic rounds of invitations. An invitation is not guaranteed and depends on the draws held while you are in the pool.

Submit your application for permanent residence

If invited, you submit a complete permanent-residence application with supporting documents and biometrics within the deadline set in your invitation.

Express Entry draw frequency, cut-off scores, deadlines, and any category-based selection change regularly. Confirm the current timelines and any active categories on the official IRCC Express Entry pages.

07 Express Entry and the CRS

Meeting the FSTP minimum requirements lets you enter the Express Entry pool — it does not by itself guarantee an invitation. Once in the pool, candidates are ranked against one another using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a points-based score.

The CRS awards points across factors such as:

age
level of education
official-language ability in English and/or French
Canadian and foreign skilled work experience
additional factors such as a valid job offer, a provincial nomination, French-language skills, or a sibling in Canada (where applicable)

IRCC holds periodic rounds of invitations and sets a cut-off score for each draw. Some draws are category-based, targeting specific groups such as certain trades occupations — these categories and their eligibility are set by IRCC and can change throughout the year.

CRS cut-offs, the points assigned to each factor, and active category-based draws change frequently. We do not quote a target score here because it varies from draw to draw — check the latest rounds of invitations on the official IRCC page.

08 Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a job offer to qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program?+

Not necessarily. You need either a valid full-time job offer of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in your trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial, or federal authority. If you hold a Canadian certificate of qualification, you do not also need a job offer.

How much work experience do I need, and does part-time count?+

You generally need at least two years of full-time skilled-trade experience — or the equivalent in part-time hours, totalling 3,120 hours — within the five years before you apply. The work must be paid; volunteer work, unpaid internships, and experience gained while studying do not count. IRCC does not count hours worked above 30 per week.

How do I know if my trade is eligible?+

Eligibility is based on your occupation's National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, not your job title. Your NOC must fall within one of the eligible trade groups (as of June 2026: Major Groups 72 excluding 726, 73, 82, 83, 92, and 93 excluding 932, plus Minor Group 6320 and Unit Group 62200). Use IRCC's NOC tool to confirm your code and check the current eligible groups before applying.

What language scores do I need?+

As of June 2026, the minimum is CLB/NCLC 5 for speaking and listening and CLB/NCLC 4 for reading and writing, in either English or French, proven through an IRCC-approved test. You must meet the minimum in every ability. These thresholds are set by IRCC and can change, so confirm them before booking your test.

Is the Federal Skilled Trades Program available in Quebec?+

No. To use the FSTP you must plan to live outside Quebec, because Quebec selects its own skilled workers through its provincial system. You can still count work experience gained while living in Quebec, as long as you can show you do not plan to settle there.

Does meeting the requirements guarantee permanent residence?+

No. Meeting the minimum requirements lets you enter the Express Entry pool, where candidates are ranked by their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Invitations are issued to higher-ranked candidates in periodic draws, and no program guarantees an invitation, a processing time, or approval.

This page is general information, not legal advice, and no outcome is guaranteed. Immigration rules, figures, and program requirements change — always confirm the current details on the official IRCC website or with a licensed professional before acting. BroadGate's advisors are licensed immigration consultants (RCICs regulated by the CICC).

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