Thousands of skilled professionals are needed to work in Canada in various occupations requiring post-secondary education (such as a university degree).

Still, many employers cannot find enough qualified Canadian workers to fill job openings.
Many of these skilled professions are in management, information technology (IT), engineering, financial services, healthcare and education.

Therefore, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) was created to grant Canadian permanent residency to qualified foreign professionals and their eligible family members so they will move to Canada to live, work and contribute to the country’s economy and multicultural society.

The FSWP is a points-based Canadian immigration program in which points are given for six selection factors:
(1) English and French language skills;
(2) education;
(3) relevant work experience;
(4) age;
(5) arranged employment in Canada; and
(6) adaptability.

A minimum of 67 out of 100 points is required, and other criteria must be satisfied.

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 major revision updates the structural framework of the classification, rendering it more consistent, accurate, and flexible. To this effect, the first major change is the replacement of skill levels with the Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories. This new terminology is more precise, as the NOC assesses not the level of skills but the level of training, of formal education, of experience required to gain entry into each occupation, and the responsibilities associated to it..

In addition to meeting these requirements, the principal applicant must possess adequate language abilities in English or French (the two official languages of Canada) as demonstrated by a satisfactory score on an approved language evaluation test, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam for English or the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) for French (test scores must be less than two years old).

Furthermore, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an approved assessing agency is required for the FSWP to determine to what extent the education received by the principal applicant outside of Canada is comparable to an education received inside Canada.

Other requirements for immigration to Canada through the FSWP include meeting the excellent health and character criteria.

“Proof of Funds” may also be requested to demonstrate that an applicant has adequate financial resources to support their family after moving to Canada.