Emigrate from the US to Canada As a Skilled Worker or Professional

Skilled workers are selected as permanent residents based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, and other criteria that have been shown to help them become economically established in Canada.

This section will help you to find guides, information and the forms you need to apply as a federal skilled worker. Please note: the Federal Skilled Worker Program is for people coming to any part of Canada except Quebec. The province of Quebec is responsible for selecting its own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, see Quebec-selected skilled workers for more information.

The rules for applying as a federal skilled worker can change from time to time, so make sure you visit this site regularly if you are considering immigrating to Canada as a federal skilled worker.

Before you apply, make sure you refer to the updated selection criteria under Who can apply below, and are familiar with the current application procedures. After you apply, make sure you return to this Web page to find out about the steps that follow.

Steps

  1. Skilled workers and professionals: Who can apply
  2. Skilled workers are people who are selected as permanent residents based on their ability to become economically established in Canada.
  3. Federal skilled worker applications received on or after February 27, 2008 are now assessed for eligibility according to a set of instructions issued by the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.
  4. You can find out more about the instructions in the Learn about section at the bottom of this page.
  5. Your application will be reviewed in three steps.
  6. According to the Minister’s instructions, your application is eligible for processing if:
    • you have an offer of arranged employment, OR
    • you are a foreign national who has been living legally in Canada for one year as a temporary foreign worker or an international student, OR
    • you are a skilled worker who has at least one year of experience in one or more of the occupations listed here.
  7. If your application is eligible for processing, you must also meet the following minimum requirements to qualify as a skilled worker:
    • you have at least one year of continuous full-time paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time continuous employment, AND
    • your work experience must be Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification list, AND
    • you must have had this experience within the last 10 years.
  8. If you meet these minimum requirements, your application will then be processed according to the six selection factors in the skilled worker points grid. The six selection factors are:
    • your education
    • your abilities in English and/or French, Canada’s two official languages
    • your work experience
    • your age
    • whether you have arranged employment in Canada, and
    • your adaptability.
  9. You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada.
  10. If you are not sure if you should apply as a skilled worker, you can:

Tips

  • Age Maximum 10 points
  • Experience Maximum 21 points
  • Arranged employment in Canada Maximum 10 points
  • Selection Factor Points
  • Will you qualify?
  • Principal applicant
  • If you are married or living with a common-law partner, either you or your spouse can apply as the principal applicant. Use the self-assessment test to help you determine which person is likely to earn the most points. The person who would earn the most points should apply as the principal applicant. The other person would be considered as a dependent in the applications.
  • If you are eligible to apply as a skilled worker, you will be assessed on six selection factors and a point system. Learn more about each factor by clicking on it.
  • Education Maximum 25 points
  • Adaptability Maximum 10 points
  • Pass mark 67 points
  • Total Maximum 100 points
  • Ability in English and/or French Maximum 24 points
  • Note: A common-law partner is a person who has lived with you in a conjugal relationship for at least one year. Common-law partner refers to both opposite-sex and same-sex couples.
  • If your score is lower than the pass mark, you are not likely to qualify to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. We recommend that you do not apply at this time.
  • If your score is the same or higher than the pass mark, then you may qualify to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. Review the information about immigrating to Canada as a skilled worker and decide if you want to apply.
  • However, you can still apply if you believe other factors would show that you are able to establish yourself in Canada and support your dependents. Send a detailed letter with your application explaining why you think you are able to become economically established in Canada. Include any documents that support your claim.
  • You can assess your qualifications using the skilled worker self-assessment test from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
  • Skilled workers and professionals: Who can apply—Six selection factors and pass mark

Things You'll Need

  • Instructions on which skilled worker applications are eligible for processing
  • Under changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, federal skilled worker applications are assessed for eligibility according to the eligibility criteria listed below. Note: This does not apply to applicants intending to live in the province of Quebec.
  • These criteria affect you only if you applied on or after February 27, 2008. If you applied before February 27, 2008, your application will be processed according to the rules that were in effect at that time.
  • Is my application eligible for processing?
  • In order for your application to be eligible for processing, you must either:
    • have an offer of arranged employment, OR
    • be a foreign national living legally in Canada for one year as a temporary foreign worker or an international student, OR
    • be a skilled worker who has at least one year of experience in one or more of the following occupations:
  • 0111: Financial Managers
  • 0213: Computer and Information Systems Managers
  • 0311: Managers in Health Care
  • 0631: Restaurant and Food Service Managers
  • 0711: Construction Managers
  • 1111: Financial Auditors and Accountants
  • 2113: Geologists, Geochemists and Geophysicists
  • 2143: Mining Engineers
  • 2144: Geological Engineers
  • 2145: Petroleum Engineers
  • 3111: Specialist Physicians
  • 3112: General Practitioners and Family Physicians
  • 3141: Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists
  • 3143: Occupational Therapists
  • 3142: Physiotherapists
  • 3151: Head Nurses and Supervisors
  • 3152: Registered Nurses
  • 3215: Medical Radiation Technologists
  • 3233: Licensed Practical Nurses
  • 4121: University Professors
  • 4131: College and Other Vocational Instructors
  • 6241: Chefs
  • 6242: Cooks
  • 7213: Contractors and Supervisors, Pipe-fitting Trades
  • 7215: Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
  • 7217: Contractors and Supervisors, Heavy Construction Equipment Crews
  • 7241: Electricians (Except Industrial and Power System)
  • 7242: Industrial Electricians
  • 7251: Plumbers
  • 7252: Steamfitters, Pipe fitters and Sprinkler System Installers
  • 7265: Welders and Related Machine Operators
  • 7312: Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
  • 7371: Crane Operators
  • 7372: Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction
  • 8221: Supervisors, Mining and Quarrying
  • 8222: Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
  • 9212: Supervisors, Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Processing and Utilities
  • NOTE: the occupations above are all Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification list.
  • If you are not sure if you should apply as a skilled worker, you can use the eligibility tool to get an idea of whether your application would be eligible for processing.
  • Federal skilled worker applicants who do not meet the above criteria will be informed of this and will have their processing fee refunded.

Related Articles

  • Write Selection Criteria

References

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