The Federal Skilled Trades Program [FSTP] is a Canada immigration pathway for skilled foreign workers that intend taking up permanent residence in Canada based on being qualified in a skilled trade. 

The FSTP is 1 of the 3 economic immigration programs – along with the Federal Skilled Worker Program [FSWP] and the Canadian Experience Class [CEC] – managed by the federal government of Canada through the Express Entry system. 

Express Entry is an online system used for managing applications for Canada PR from skilled workers. 

Applying to and securing a Canada permanent visa through the Express Entry system is a 4-step process –  establishing eligibility, getting the documentation ready, submission of profile, followed by receiving an invitation and applying for Canada PR. 

Applying for Canadian permanent residence is by invitation-only. Invitations are issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [IRCC]. 

While there is a common pool of all Express Entry profiles, each of the individuals must be eligible for any 1 of the 3 programs.

The specific eligibility requirements vary from program to program. 

To be eligible for the FSTP of the Express Entry, an individual would be required to fulfill each of the minimum requirements for the same. 

These are the requirements of – language, work experience, job requirements for that particular trade, and either a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification in that particular skilled trade issued by a provincial, territorial or federal authority in Canada. 

The FSTP language requirement has to be fulfilled through any of the designated standardized language tests for English or French – ILETS or CELPIP for English, TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. 

Comparatively, the language requirement for the FSTP is on the lower side as against that for the CEC or the FSWP. The FSTP requires a Canadian Language Benchmarks [CLB] Level 5 for the abilities of listening and speaking, along with a CLB Level 4 for writing and reading. 

The FSWP, on the other hand, has a CLB requirement of CLB 7. 

The language test results will have to be entered into the Express Entry profile. 

The language tests are generally valid for 2 years from the date of the test result. The language test appeared for, and supplied results of thereafter, must be valid the day of applying for Canadian permanent residence. 

An individual will be required to have a minimum of 2 years of full-time work experience – or an equivalent of part-time work experience – in a skilled trade. This work experience should have been got within the 5 years before applying. 

It must be noted that the work experience requirement for the FSTP will be calculated only after that individual qualified to practice that specific occupation independently and on their own. 

The skilled work experience can be in either of the following occupation groups, as per the National Occupational Classification [NOC] matrix – butchers/bakers, chefs/cooks, construction, industrial or electrical trades, supervisors and technical jobs etc. 

Many different jobs come under each of the occupation groups. 

The work experience of the candidate must exactly match the list of duties laid down in the lead statement of the description of that occupation as per the NOC. 

Those failing to demonstrate the required work experience, will have their application refused by IRCC. 

While there is no education requirement for the FSTP as such, education – secured overseas and verified by an Educational Credential Assessment [ECA] for immigration purposes or got in Canada – can be utilized for securing points. 

Proof of funds, for supporting the principal applicant as well as family that comes to Canada for settling as PR, will generally be required. Nevertheless, there are 2 situations that do not call for a demonstration of ready funds. 

Those presently authorized to legally work in Canada as well as those with a valid job offer from a Canadian employer will not be required to show that they have the funds for settlement in Canada. 

A skilled worker migrating to Canada through the FTSP cannot settle in Quebec. 
With more autonomy over immigrant selection and as per the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec has its own immigration program.  

While Quebec is not applicable for a FSTP candidate, so to speak, the route to Canada PR through any of the other provinces comes with certain strings attached. 

While guaranteeing an invitation to apply by IRCC, the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP] require a clear intention of settling within the nominating province or territory after being granted Canada PR. 

There are almost 80 different Canada immigration pathways or ‘streams’ – many of them linked with the federal Express Entry system – that come under the PNP. 

With the imposition of COVID-19 special measures on March 18, 2020, the federal government of Canada has been focusing more on candidates that are more likely to already be within Canada at the time of their IRCC invitation. 

Candidates, that is, with either previous Canadian experience [making them eligible for the CEC], or provincial nominees [under the PNP]. 

IRCC held a rare FSTP-only draw on August 6, 2020, wherein 250 ITAs were issued by IRCC. 

Hence, for a FSTP candidate to ensure an IRCC invitation, the recommended course of action would be that of first securing a PNP nomination and then take that inroad into Canada. 

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