Skilled Worker Immigration

Of the thousands of new immigrants who enter Canada every year, the majority are Skilled Workers and their families. These immigrants are selected because they have work skills that Canada needs in its labour force. Through filling vacancies in the labour market, Skilled Workers directly contribute to the Canadian economy and to Canadian society.

The Point System

The preliminary requirement for applicants under the Skilled Worker category is that they must pass a point system test designed to assess whether they are likely to become successfully established in Canada. The point system measures six factors related to the applicant and assigns a score to each factor. If the applicant’s total score meets the pass mark then they potentially qualify under the Skilled Worker category. A total of 100 points are available and the pass mark is currently set at 67. The factors measured under the point system are:

1. age (10 points)

2. education (25 points)

3. work experience (24 points)

4. language skills (English and French) (21 points)

5. arranged employment (10 points)

6. adaptability (10 points)

The rules for determining what scores will be awarded under the above categories are complicated and depend on various factors. If you would like our office to calculate whether you meet the pass mark under the point system and are otherwise qualified as a Skilled Worker, please click on the Free Assessment link at the bottom of the page.

Other Requirements

In addition to meeting the point system pass mark of 67 points, in order to qualify as a Skilled Worker an applicant must also meet one of the two following criteria:

1. Have an Arranged Employment Offer (AEO) in Canada. Where the Skilled Worker applicant is already working in Canada with a work permit or is able to get an approved job offer in a skilled occupation, this will qualify an applicant even if the applicant’s occupation does not appear on the list of in-demand occupations, assuming they also obtain 67 points in assessment.

Note that our firm does not find jobs for skilled worker applicants, but where an applicant is able to independently obtain a job offer our firm can assist in having that offer approved by the Human Resources Department.

2. Have worked for at least one year in a listed In-demand Occupation. The current list of In-demand Occupations was released on June 25, 2011, and may be subject to change based on any future review of Canada’s labour market needs. Applicants who have at least one year of full time experience within the last 10 years in any of the occupations on the list will qualify under the Skilled Worker category assuming they also obtain 67 points in assessment.

The list of 29 in-demand occupations is as follows:

0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
2151 Architects
3111 Specialist Physicians
3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
3113 Dentists
3131 Pharmacists
3142 Physiotherapists
3152 Registered Nurses
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social Workers
6241 Chefs
6242 Cooks
7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
7242 Industrial Electricians
7251 Plumbers
7265 Welders and Related Machine Operators
7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
]7371 Crane Operators
7372 Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction
8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service

Skilled Worker applications received by the immigration authorities after June 25, 2011 that do not meet the eligibility criteria outlined above will not be processed, and the application fee will be fully refunded.

There is an annual cap on Skilled Worker applications of 10,000, and within this number each occupation is capped at 500. After the cap is reached no further applications will be accepted that year. The annual cycle begins on July 1st. It is therefore important for those qualified under the Skilled Worker category to act quickly to file their application before the annual cap is reached. Note, however, that the cap only applies to those who are applying on the basis that their occupation is on the list of In-demand Occupations, it does not apply to those who have an Offer of Arranged Employment.

Further Requirements and things to note

Apart from meeting the above criteria in order to qualify as a Skilled Worker, as with any other category of permanent residence application, all applicants and their immediate family members will have to show that they are not inadmissible to Canada, including that they do not have any criminal record and that they are in good health. Skilled Worker applications will be processed through the visa section of the Canadian embassy or consulate that serves the applicant’s country of nationality or residence. There may be an interview by a visa officer. Processing times vary but are currently approximately one year between the time of the initial application and the issuing of the immigrant visas.

IMPORTANT NEWS: Skilled Worker Applications Returned. All skilled worker applications filed before Feb 27, 2008 to be returned with refund

The law firm of Matthew Jeffery, Barrister & Solicitor, has years of experience assisting Skilled Workers to immigrate to Canada. If you are interested in having our firm perform a FREE ASSESSMENT to determine if you qualify under the Skilled Worker program, Please Click Here.

If you would like to ask a FREE QUESTION about applying under the Skilled Worker category, Please Click Here.

Disclaimer: the information on this website is intended to be of a general nature and does not constitute legal advice.