Canada Skilled Trade Workers


The Canada Skilled Trade Workers Program under Express Entry System is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.

Minimum Requirements for Canada Skilled Trade Workers

To be eligible, you must

  1. meet the required language levels for each language ability
  2. have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply
  3. meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification, except for needing a certificate of qualification
  4. have a valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
  5. You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada, unless you
  6. are currently able to legally work in Canada and have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada
  7. You must be admissible to Canada.

Skilled occupations for Canada Skilled Trade Workers

Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (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 utilities supervisors and central control operators

Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks

Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers

The major NOC groups are subdivided into different occupations, and they are all skill type B.

Education for Skilled Trade Workers

There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. But, if you want to improve your rank in the Express Entry pool, you have to provide proof of your completed certificate, diploma or degree.

  1. If you went to school in Canada, you can get points for a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian educational institution or
  2. If you have foreign education, you can get points, if you have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for immigration purposes from a designated organization showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian educational institution

Language Ability for Skilled Trade Workers

You must meet the minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for speaking and listening, and Canadian Language Benchmark 4 for reading and writing from an organization approved by IRCC.

Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.

Documents Required for your Express Entry Profile

  1. passport or travel document
  2. language test results
  3. education credential assessment report (ECA) if you want to get points for the education you got outside Canada
  4. provincial nomination (if you have one)
  5. written job offer from an employer in Canada (if you have one)

Eligible Occupation List

The following occupations, all of which are classified as National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level B, are eligible for the Canada Skilled Trades Program.

NOC Skill Type B jobs are skilled trades and technical jobs such as welders, electricians, machinists, cooks, carpenters, mechanics and plumbers who are qualified for immigration to Canada through this program.

6321 Chefs

6322 Cooks

6331 Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale

6332 Bakers

7201 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations

7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations

7203 Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades

7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades

7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers

7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors

7232 Tool and die makers

7233 Sheet metal workers

7234 Boilermakers

7235 Structural metal and platework 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

7247 Cable television service and maintenance technicians

7251 Plumbers

7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers

7253 Gas fitters

7271 Carpenters

7272 Cabinetmakers

7281 Bricklayers

7282 Concrete finishers

7283 Tilesetters

7284 Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers

7291 Roofers and shinglers

7292 Glaziers

7293 Insulators

7294 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)

7295 Floor covering installers

Minor Group 730 – Contractors and supervisors, maintenance trades and heavy equipment and transport operators

7301 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades

7302 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews

7303 Supervisors, printing and related occupations

7304 Supervisors, railway transport operations

7305 Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators

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

7316 Machine fitters

7318 Elevator constructors and mechanics

7321 Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers

7322 Motor vehicle body repairers

7331 Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics

7332 Appliance servicers and repairers

7333 Electrical mechanics

7334 Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics

7335 Other small engine and small equipment repairers

7361 Railway and yard locomotive engineers

7362 Railway conductors and brakemen/women

7371 Crane operators

7372 Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction

7373 Water well drillers

7381 Printing press operators

7384 Other trades and related occupations.

8211 Supervisors, logging and forestry

8221 Supervisors, mining and quarrying

8222 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services

8231 Underground production and development miners

8232 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers

8241 Logging machinery operators

8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers

8255 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services

8261 Fishing masters and officers

8262 Fishermen/women

9211 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing

9212 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities

9213 Supervisors, food, beverage and associated products processing

9214 Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing

9215 Supervisors, forest products processing

9217 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing

9221 Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling

9222 Supervisors, electronics manufacturing

9223 Supervisors, electrical products manufacturing

9224 Supervisors, furniture and fixtures manufacturing

9226 Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing

9227 Supervisors, other products manufacturing and assembly

9231 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing

9232 Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators

9235 Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators

9241 Power engineers and power systems operators

9243 Water and waste treatment plant operators

The only way to apply for Federal Skilled Trades Class (FST) immigration is through the online Canada Express Entry system. The first step is to determine your eligibility under Skilled Trade category.

Please contact us or fill out our online assessment form.