Determine your eligibility–Skilled workers and professionals

Skilled workers are people who are selected as permanent residents based on their ability to become economically established in Canada.

Federal skilled worker (FSW) applications are assessed for eligibility according to the criteria set out below.

Basic eligibility


For your application to be eligible for processing, you must:

  • have a valid offer of arranged employment, OR

  • be an international student enrolled in a PhD program in Canada (or graduated from a Canadian PhD program within the past 12 months) and meet certain criteria.

Note: As of July 1, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has temporarily stopped accepting applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). This temporary pause does not apply to those with a qualifying job offer or applying under the PhD stream. We will likely start accepting applications again when the revised FSWP selection criteria take effect. Proposed FSWP changes should come into force in 2013.

Work experience minimum requirements


If your application is eligible for processing, it will then be assessed against minimum requirements.
Your work experience must be:

  • at least one year, continuous, and paid (full-time or the equivalent in part-time); AND

  • a skill type 0 (managerial occupations) or skill level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) list.
(The NOC is a system for classifying jobs in Canada.)

Six selection factors



If you meet the above minimum requirements, your application will be processed according to the six selection factors in the skilled worker points grid*, which are:

  • your education; (Maximum of 25 points)

  • your abilities in English and/or French, Canada's two official languages; (Maximum of 24 points)

  • your work experience; (Maximum of 10 points)

  • your age; (Maximum of 10 points)

  • whether you have arranged employment in Canada; and (Maximum of 10 points)

  • your adaptability. (Maximum of 10 points)
Total of 67 points to quality for immigration.

To see if you qualify, take the self-assessment test. This will help you know if you should apply. (You can also read about the selection factors if you are not able to use the test.)

*Please note that CIC will be proposing regulatory changes to the FSWP selection criteria shortly. Details will be available by the end of 2012, with the new rules expected to take effect in early 2013.

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