Hello and Happy new Year! We are back and also is CIC.
Yesterday the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Mr. Jason Kenney announced that this new program (that we told you about a few days ago) has officially started accepting applications.
That same day, we also found ourselves with many questions about the program. Now that the official information is on the web, we were able to answer most of them.
Let’s go through them together to gain a better understanding of this new immigration program…
Federal Skilled Trades Program: How, who, what and where.
Although we do not have all the answers, we tried to search deep into the official website and other related sites.
What we show you below is a result of this research but please be aware that you must always refer to the official source of information for questions related to the Canada Immigration Process.
- plan to live outside the province of Quebec,
- meet the required levels in English or French for each language ability (speaking, reading, writing, and listening),
- have at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the five years before you apply,
- meet all job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC), and
- have an offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a provincial or territorial body.
Within the 3,000 cap, no more than 100 new applications for each job under Group A below will be considered for processing. There is no sub-cap for jobs under Group B.
Group A includes 17 jobs with a moderate labour market need. Group B includes 26 in-demand jobs. In total, 43 jobs will be eligible to apply under the Federal Skilled Trades program in the first year of the program.
The caps apply whether or not people have a qualifying offer of employment or a certificate of qualification from a provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority.
Applications will be processed in the order CIC receives them.
Group A – Jobs with sub-caps of 100 applications each (and their corresponding 2011 NOC code)
- 7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
- 7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
- 7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
- 7271 Carpenters
- 7301 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
- 7302 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
- 8211 Supervisors, logging and forestry
- 8221 Supervisors, mining and quarrying
- 8222 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling services
- 8241 Logging machinery operators
- 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
- 9211 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing
- 9212 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities
- 9214 Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing
- 9231 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing
- 9241 Power engineers and power systems operators
- 9243 Water and waste treatment plant operators
Group B – no sub-caps (2011 NOC code)
- 7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- 7233 Sheet metal workers
- 7235 Structural metal and plate work fabricators and fitters
- 7236 Ironworkers
- 7237 Welders and related machine operators
- 7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- 7242 Industrial electricians
- 7243 Power system electricians
- 7244 Electrical power line and cable workers
- 7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers
- 7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
- 7251 Plumbers
- 7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
- 7253 Gas fitters
- 7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- 7312 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- 7313 Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
- 7314 Railway carmen/women
- 7315 Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
- 7318 Elevator constructors and mechanics
- 7371 Crane operators
- 7372 Drillers and blasters – surface, mining, quarrying and construction
- 7373 Water well drillers
- 8231 Underground production and development miners
- 8232 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
- 9232 Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators
The CIC website provides two links for you to get information on how to get Certified in your trade. These links are:
- The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO). You can download an interesting workbook from this site also.
- The Red Seal Webiste: My preferred one. It’s a site specific to trades. Use it to start your research on how to obtain your Certificate.
CIC uses the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) and the Niveau de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC). These are the nationally-accepted levels that measure how well an adult who learned English or French as a second language can communicate in that language. You must meet the minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, and CLB 4 for reading and writing.
You must take a language test from an agency approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and include the results when you apply. If you do not, CIC will not process your application and they will return your fees. Language test results must not be more than two years old when CIC receives your application.
You can use your test results to find your CLB level by using this link.
The application package includes the instruction guide and all the forms you need to fill out. Use the guide to help you fill out the forms correctly.
You must include all the forms, information, documents, signatures, language test results, and fees that are asked for. If any are missing, your application is not complete and we will send it back to you without processing it.
You will have to pay:
a) The processing fee for you and your family members
b) The Right of Permanent Residence fee
c) Other fees (your medical exam, a police certificate, if you need one and language testing)
Application and fee must be mailed to the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia (Canada).
What is easier to get? Not sure to be honest. But you can start researching on bot things at the same time.
On one side, start a job hunt. Research on what companies are the ones in your field. Pay attention to local announcements on possible Job Fairs outside of Canada. Use LinkedIn to get in touch with people in your trade that can give you good advice (do not contact people in LinkedIn to ask them for a job, you will not have a good feedback (IMHO!)
On the other side, start researching if it’s possible to certify your trade from abroad. Contact the provincial regulatory bodies and ask.
Do not hesitate, move ahead and do what you have to do! If you don’t… who else will?
That would be all for now. And remember to go to the CIC website for further information. Also, you can always contact a registered immigration consultant.
Khalid Alshami January 3, 2013 at 12:15 pm
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I really hope to get emigration visa to Canada and I’m doing my best
Zhu January 3, 2013 at 5:56 pm
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Sharing the news on Twitter! I am sure a lot of prospective immigrants will be interested
Kunle January 10, 2013 at 8:50 am
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The new FSTC is fanstastic but for the requirements especially trade qualification/employement offer. Most of the provinces do not over this service for overseas applicants. Or does anyone knows one?
Mr.G January 10, 2013 at 9:58 am
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I’m working on it Kunle. And hte more I research the more I realize this is not a great plan for skilled workers abroad. I’ll have more to share soon.
Cheers
Michelle January 21, 2013 at 11:35 am
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Hi Mr. G!
Thank you for getting all the necessary information about FSTP. Do you have any idea about required educational qualification? Can a degree holder (engineering) or a certificate holder (not even a diploma) apply for the same?
Thanks in advance
Mr.G January 21, 2013 at 12:17 pm
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I think that as far as you satisfy the minimum requirements of a program you can apply, right?