Federal skilled worker visa

The Canadian Federal Skilled Worker visa is designed for individuals who have the qualifications, skills or experiences to fill Canada's skill shortages and contribute to the Canadian economy.

Applicants to the Federal Skilled Worker visa demonstrate that they meet the minimum visa requirements including having work experience in a designated occupation, a Canadian job offer, or be a foreign worker or student currently living in Canada. In addition, applicants must meet the pass mark on a points-based assessment. Successful applicants will obtain Canadian permanent residence, which will entitle them to live and work in Canada with few restrictions. Canadian permanent residents may also be eligible for Canadian citizenship.

To qualify for skilled migration, applicants must be able to satisfy the basic visa requirements related to an applicant's health and character. In addition, to qualify for a Federal Skilled Worker visa, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Possess an offer of arranged employment in Canada; OR
• Be living legally in Canada as a foreign worker or student; OR
• Have at least 1 year's work experience in a designated high-demand occupation.

In addition to meeting the basic visa requirements, applicants must also pass a points-based assessment. Points can be claimed in areas related to an applicant's age, English or French language ability, work experience, qualifications and ability to adapt to life in Canada. The current pass mark for the Federal Skilled Worker visa is 67 points.

Quebec-selected skilled workers

For people selected by the Quebec government to settle and work in Quebec

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration, Quebec establishes its own immigration requirements and selects immigrants who will adapt well to living in Quebec.

If you want to go to Quebec as a skilled worker, you must first follow a separate selection process before your application is finalized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

This is an excellent opportunity for potential applicants not meeting the requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker visa to apply to settle in the picturesque province of Quebec.

The Quebec Skilled Worker visa allows applicants with at least 6 months of work experience to file an application. Candidates must also meet additional requirements, including a points-based assessment, and basic requirements including health and character. This program allows migrants to live and work in any capacity in the province of Quebec and are free to travel anywhere in Canada, and to take employment as they see fit. Migrants may be eligible for Canadian citizenship after the required duration of permanent residence in Canada.

QUEBEC SKILLED WORKER VISA BASIC REQUIREMENTS
To be selected as an immigrant worker under the Quebec Skilled Worker visa, applicants must:

• Hold at least one diploma that corresponds to a Secondary School Diploma in Quebec;
• Possess at least 6 months of eligible work experience;
• Have acquired training and occupational skills that will facilitate the applicant's insertion into the job market; and
• Have adequate knowledge of French. Knowledge of English is also an asset not to be overlooked.

Applicants must also satisfy basic visa requirements relating to the applicant's health and character. In addition to the above, a points-based assessment is conducted where points can be claimed for the applicant's schooling, work experience, age, having a valid offer of employment, knowledge of French and English, stays in Quebec, relationships with a Canadian citizen or a permanent Quebec resident, characteristics regarding their accompanying spouse or common-law spouse and dependent children, capacity for financial self-sufficiency and adaptability. The current pass mark is set at 55 points for single applicants and 63 points for applicants with accompanying partners/spouses.

Canadian Experience Class

For people who have recent Canadian work experience or have graduated and recently worked in Canada. If you are a temporary foreign worker or a foreign student who graduated in Canada, you often have the qualities to make a successful transition from temporary to permanent residence. You are familiar with Canadian society and can contribute to the Canadian economy. You should have knowledge of English or French and qualifying work experience.

Eligible study permit and work permit holders who have either graduated from an eligible program of study in Canada or have gained the required Canadian work experience are deemed to have the qualities needed to make a successful transition from temporary to permanent residence. Applicants also enjoy priority processing of their applications for permanent residence by Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC). This is a relatively new category that has been created to offer temporary residents in Canada an excellent opportunity to remain in Canada.

There are two main components of the Canadian Experience Class; foreign workers and foreign students.

Under the Foreign Worker component, applicants must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in Canada in an eligible occupation and have gained the experience with the proper work or study permit. In addition, successful candidates will be required to satisfy language proficiency requirements (for English or French) and apply while working in Canada or within one year of leaving their job in Canada.

As for the Foreign Student component, graduates of a Canadian post-secondary educational institution must have one year of full-time (or equivalent) work experience in Canada, in an eligible occupation after their graduation. The work experience must be gained within the two years preceding the submission of the application under the Canadian Experience Class. In addition, graduates must have completed either a full-time Canadian post-secondary educational program of at least two years or a one-year Master's program and an additional year of education in Canada, within a private or public post-secondary educational institution such as a college or a university that is provincially recognized, or Private CEGEPs.

Provincial nominees

One of Canada’s provinces or territories can nominate you to settle and work there. Persons who immigrate to Canada under the Provincial Nominee Program have the skills, education and work experience needed to make an immediate economic contribution to the province or territory that nominates them. They are ready to establish themselves successfully as permanent residents in Canada.

To apply under the Provincial Nominee Program, applicants must be nominated by a Canadian province or territory.

Following provincial visa options are available:

• Alberta provincial Nominee visa
• New Brunswick provincial Nominee visa
• Manitoba provincial Nominee visa
• SASKATCHEWAN IMMIGRANT Nominee program visa
• Ontario Provincial nominee visa
• NewFoundland provincial Nominee visa
• British Columbia provincial Nominee visa
• Nova Scotia provincial Nominee visa
• Prince Edward Island provincial Nominee visa
• Yukon Nominee provincial Nominee visa
• Quebec Experience visa provincial Nominee visa