Canada Skilled Worker Selection Factors


The Canada Skilled Worker selection factors have a total of 100 points and in order to qualify the applicants need minimum 67 points.

The Canada Skilled Worker Selection Factors are summarized as follows:

1. Education

Applicants are awarded up to 25 points.  Education points will be awarded based on an assessment of educational credentials by a designated Canadian organization. This assessment will indicate the foreign credential’s equivalent in Canada.

Up to 25 points are awarded under the Education Factor on the following basis:

Level of Education  Points (25 max)
University Degrees
Doctoral level25 points
Master`s level or professional degree23 points
Two or more post-secondary credentials, one of which is a three-year or longer post-secondary credential22 points
Three-year or longer post-secondary credential21 points
Two-year post-secondary credential19 points
One-year post-seondary credential15 points
Secondary school 5 points

2. Language Skills

 Applicants are awarded up to 28 total points (24-first official language, 4-second official language). All Skilled Worker (Professional) applicants must include language test results from one of the organizations approved by CIC such as Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC)for French or The International English language testing system (IELTS) with their application so that points for the language section may be awarded. No other method of indicating linguistic abilities will be accepted.

Through their chosen exam, applicants must prove that they meet or exceed a minimum threshold in all four language abilities (listening, reading, speaking, writing). For the English language requirement, CLB 7 is the minimum threshold which is equivalent to scoring 6 on the IELTS General Module.  Applicants who score below the CLB threshold are not eligible to apply to the Federal Skilled Worker program.

Credits for Language Skills are awarded on the following basis:

 First Official Language Band ScorePoints (24 + 4 max)
Speaking/Listening/Reading/WritingIntermediate
IELTS 6.0/6.0/6.0/6.0
4 pts/ability
Speaking/Listening/Reading/WritingHigh intermediateIELTS 6.5/7.5/6.5/6.55 pts/ability
Speaking/Listening/Reading/WritingAdvanced
IELTS 7.0/8.0/7.0/7.0
6 pts/ability
 Speaking/Listening/Reading/Writing Spouse/partner’s official language (CLB 4) IELTS 4.0/4.5/3.5/4.0 5 pts/ability
Maximum24 points
Second Official Language
Speaking/Listening/Reading/WritingCLB/NCLC 5 in all abilities
IELTS 5.0/5.0/4.0/5.0
4 points
Maximum4 points

3. Work Experience

 Applicants are awarded up to 15 points for paid skilled work experience acquired in the last 10 years. A minimum of 9 points are required. The Experience Factor is one of the six factors for which points are awarded by Canadian Immigration Officers in determining whether a Skilled Worker / Professional applicant will be accepted or refused. Note: zero points under the Experience Factor will likely result in an automatic refusal.

Up to 15 points are awarded under the Experience Factor based upon the number of years (maximum: 6 years, minimum: 1 year) of experience. This work experience must be acquired in an occupation with an 0, A or B NOC code.

Points are awarded on the following basis:

Work ExperiencePoints (15 max)
1 year (Minimum threshold)9
2-3 years11
4-5 years13
6 years or more15

4. Age

 Applicants are awarded up to 12 points. The Age Factor is one of the six factors for which points are awarded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada Officers in determining whether a Skilled Worker applicant will be accepted or refused.

Up to 12 points are awarded under the Age Factor on the following basis:

Age of ApplicantPoints (12 max)
Under 180
18 to 3512
3611
3710
389
398
407
416
425
434
443
452
461
47 and older0

5. Arranged Employment

 Applicants are awarded up to 10 points. Arranged Employment is one of the fast-track options under the Federal Skilled Worker Category of immigration.

You are considered to have an Arranged Employment when a Canadian employer extends an offer of full-time permanent employment in Canada to a foreign skilled worker for minimum up to 1 year. However, this full-time permanent job offer must be approved by Service Canada. In addition to that, the foreign skilled worker’s Canadian Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa will be expedited. The rational behind this is to support the foreign worker to come to Canada and start working for the Canadian employer quickly.

Arranged Employment is one of ways to qualify for a Canada Permanent Resident Visa through the Federal Skilled Worker category of immigration.  It also provides the Federal Skilled Worker applicant with up to an additional 10 points towards IRCC’s selection factors requirement of 67 points.

These points are awarded under the Arranged Employment Factor as follows:

Arranged EmploymentPoints (10 max)
LMIA (or not if exemption) + indeterminate full-time job offer10

6. Adaptability

 Applicants are awarded up to 10 points. The Adaptability Factor is one of the six factors for which points are awarded by Canadian Immigration Officers in determining whether a Skilled Worker / Professional applicant will be accepted or refused.

A maximum of 10 points can be received in this category. These 10 points can either come from full-time work in Canada, or a combination of 6 other possible adaptability factors.

Points are awarded on the Adaptability Factor on the basis of factors which are expected to improve an applicant’s ability to become economically established in Canada as follows:

Adaptability FactorsPoints (10 max)
PA previous work in Canada (min 1 year in NOC 0, A, B)10
Previous study in Canada5
Previous study in Canada – accompanying spouse/partner5
Previous work in Canada – accompanying spouse/partner5
Arranged employment in Canada5
Relative in Canada – 18 years or older, living in Canada and be your parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, you or your spouse’s sibling, aunt/uncle or niece/nephew5
Language ability CLB 4 or above – accompanying spouse/partner (IELTS 4.0/4.5/3.5/4.0)5

The applicants become eligible as a Skilled Worker if they score 67 points from the above mentioned Canada Skilled Worker Selection Factors.

In addition to fulfilling eligibility and points requirements, applicants must show that they have sufficient settlement funds to support themselves and their dependants after arrival in Canada. Moreover, applicants and their dependants must also undergo medical examinations and security clearance as part of the Canadian immigration process.

Please Contact Us for more information or fill out our Online assessment Questionnaire and we would get back to you with your eligibility. We would also send your total points assessment for Canada Federal Skilled Worker and your total score for Canada Express Entry.