Canada resumes the Federal Skilled Worker Program to invite applicants

Indeed, it is exciting news for many of the potential Canadian immigrants across the world; after a 4-month suspension, the federal department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) resumed issuing Express Entry invitations to the candidates under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Over the past few months, the federal government had to halt some of its operational activities, including immigration activities being one of the most impacted, to curb the spread of coronavirus. Also Read: How to apply for Canadian Express Entry without a Job Offer. As a result of this global pandemic, the federal government had to implement specific restrictive policies, which led to the suspension of a few immigration programs and slowed down the immigration process. For instance, between March and the second month of July, the Express Entry invitations to apply for permanent residence were only issued to the applicants under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). However, as the restrictions have started getting lifted in the country, the federal government has resumed inviting applicants under the very popular immigration program of the Express Entry system, the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Introduced in 1967, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is one of the three economic immigration programs under the Express Entry system. The FSWP is the flagship immigration program, and it accounts for almost half of the invitations to apply (ITAs) that are issued annually through the Express Entry. As per the stats shown under the 2019 year-end report of the Express Entry, the FSWP applicants accounted for the maximum number of admissions, that is, out of total 109,595 candidates who were granted Canadian permanent residence (PR), 58,173 belonged to the FSWP.

Role of the FSWP in the Immigration Policy of Canada

When the Federal Skilled Worker Program was first launched, at that time, Canada’s immigration system was predominantly restricted to grant PR to “white” Europeans and Americans. The fundamental regulatory changes were set up in 1962 in Canada, intending to defy and change the Canadian immigration policy’s discriminatory facets. Moreover, in 1967, another notable change was made in the country’s immigration policy, with the launch of the world’s first point-based system to rank potential immigrants. This system was designed considering various factors such as language ability, education level, and professional skills. During that time, the preference was given to the educated, working-aged Francophones and Anglophones with family connections to Canada. Also Read: How to Get a Job in Canada? The Ultimate Guide However, the points-based system allowed Canada to target potential immigrants worldwide with human capital traits in the interest of the economy. Nevertheless, it took nearly a decade for Canada to become a favorable immigration destination across the world, with the introduction of the 1976 Immigration Act. The reason for the success of the law was its focus on three admission criteria, which includes a points-assessment of candidates based on:

Education level
Professional qualifications
Language ability

The 1976 Act replaced the selection criteria from nationality and ethnic origin with the above three factors. This Act was formulated in a way that it put more focus on cultural goals, diversity, and humanitarian aspects than the country’s economic interests. In the mid-1990s, skilled workers accounted for the largest proportion of the total immigrants to the country. In current times, Canada welcomes around 60 percent of the immigrants under the economic class as the country needs more skilled workers to back the economy. The Federal Skilled Worker Program is considered the most efficient immigration program to select immigrants who can boost Canada’s economic growth.

Eligibility under the FSWP

To qualify for the FSWP, the applicant must:

Have minimum relevant work experience of one year in a skilled occupation falling under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes 0, A, and B
Have a language ability equivalent to or above the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 in English or French in all the four abilities (Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening)
Have an eligible Canadian educational credential or an equivalent foreign educational credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report

Candidates in the FSWP are assessed on a points grid based on various human capital factors, these are:

Age
Work experience
Education
Arranged employment
Language ability
Adaptability

The candidates with maximum points and highest ranks in the Express Entry pool are invited to apply for permanent residency in Canada. Fortunately, now the Federal Skilled Worker Program is all set to welcomes new immigrants to Canada. If you, too, have a Canadian dream, consider applying under the FSWP if you meet the eligibility criteria.