• plan to live outside the province of Quebec (Note: The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, see Quebec-selected skilled workers for more information),
• 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 the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC), except for needing a certificate of qualification, 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 Canadian provincial or territorial authority
• you must be admissible to Canada.
• you must plan to live outside the province of Quebec.

Skilled Trades currently eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these major and minor groups of the NOC:

• Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades,
• Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades,
• Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture, and related production,
• Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utility supervisors and central control operators,
• Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks, and
• Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers.

These major NOC groups are subdivided into different occupations. (All are NOC skill type B.)

You must show that you did the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC, including all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.

If you do not show that your experience meets the description in the NOC, we will not accept your application.

Federal Skilled Trades Program applications must be made based on the 2016 version of the NOC. However, if the application includes a Labour Market Impact Assessment (previously Labour Market Opinion or LMO) from Employment and Social Development Canada based on the 2011 version of the NOC, It will be accepted as long as your occupation corresponds to a 2016 NOC code that is eligible for the program.

There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. But, if you want to earn points for your education under Express Entry, you either need:

• a Canadian post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree

OR

• a completed foreign credential, and
• an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from an agency approved by CIC. [The report must show your foreign education is equal to a completed Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree.]

Note: You will only benefit from getting an ECA if your foreign education is equal to a completed Canadian high school diploma or greater.

You may qualify for a provincial or territorial nomination as part of Express Entry.

Provinces and territories are able to nominate candidates who meet their regional labour market needs. Some provinces and territories search in the pool for candidates, while others require you to apply directly. Check their immigration website for your intended province of destination for more information on their requirements and to learn how to be considered for a nomination.

If you are nominated through a Provincial Nominee Program, you will be invited to apply for Permanent Residency

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you arrive in Canada unless you:

• are currently able to legally work in Canada
• have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada

You must:

• meet the minimum language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, and Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 for reading and writing, and
• take a language test approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) that shows you meet the level of speaking, listening, reading and writing.

You must show that you meet the requirements in English or French by including the test results when you complete your Express Entry profile. Your test results must not be more than two years old on the day you apply for permanent residence.

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you arrive in Canada unless you:

• are currently able to legally work in Canada
• have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada

If you are married or live with a common-law partner who also meets the above conditions, you can decide which one of you will apply under Express Entry as the principal (main) applicant.

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.

Check to see which one of you is most likely to be found eligible. That person should apply as the principal applicant.