How To Go CANADA

Every year, Canada welcomes thousands of new residents. Coming to Canada as an immigrant is an exciting opportunity, but also a great challenge.

If you are interested in immigrating to Canada, you have a number of options when applying for permanent residence status. Read about these programs and decide which class suits you and your family best.

A Newcomer’s Introduction to Canada can help you plan your move to Canada. The guide includes advice on such things as preparing to enter the Canadian work force, choosing a place to live and learning about life in Canada



Immigrating to Canada as a Skilled Worker

Skilled workers have education, work experience, knowledge of English or French and other abilities that will help them to establish themselves successfully as permanent residents in Canada.

Applying to come to Canada as a skilled worker is not difficult. Consult this section to find all the information and forms you need to make your application.

Refer to this site often. The rules for applying as a skilled worker can change. Before you apply, make sure you are following the current rules. After you apply, check back for information about the steps that follow. You can also check the status of your application.

Canada welcomes skilled worker immigrants, and we hope that this Web site will provide you with helpful information about living and working in the various provinces and regions of Canada.



Will You Qualify as a Skilled Worker?

Skilled workers are people who may become permanent residents because they are able to become economically established in Canada.

To be accepted as a skilled worker, applicants must:

meet the minimum work experience requirements;
prove that they have the funds required for settlement; and
earn enough points in the six selection factors to meet the pass mark.

The following categories will help you determine if you can apply as a skilled worker. You can assess your chances of being accepted. Consult each of the following areas for the current regulations.


Minimum Work Experience Requirements
Skilled workers are people who may become permanent residents because they have the ability to become economically established in Canada.

You must meet the following minimum work experience requirements to be eligible to apply as a skilled worker:

You must have at least one year of full-time work experience. You must have been paid for this work.
Your work experience must be in the category of Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B on the Canadian National Occupational Classification. (See below for instructions.)
You must have had this experience within the last 10 years.
National Occupational Classification (NOC)
The NOC is a classification system for jobs in the Canadian economy. It describes duties, skills, talents and work settings for occupations.

Determine Your NOC Category
Follow these steps to see if your work experience meets the requirements to apply as a skilled worker.

Note: After checking the external Web sites mentioned in each step below, press the back button on your Web browser to return to this Web page.



1 Find the title of any full-time jobs you had in the past 10 years using the National Occupational Classification list. This is a list of all jobs that are in Skill Type 0, and Skill Level A or B on the NOC. Write down the four-digit code located to the left of your job’s title.



2 Go to the NOC Web site and type your four-digit job code in the “Quick Search” box. Make sure you press the “GO” button. A description of your occupation will appear. Make sure the description and “Main Duties” describe what you did at your last jobs.

Note: you do not have to meet the “Employment Requirements” listed in the description.

If the initial description and list of main duties match what you did at your last jobs, you can count this experience when you apply as a skilled worker. You can also earn points in Factor 3 of the selection factors.

If the description does not match your work experience, then you might not have the experience you need to apply as a skilled worker. Look through the NOC list to see if another occupation matches your experience. Check all the jobs you had in the past 10 years to see if you have at least one year of work experience in a job that will qualify you as a skilled worker.


3 Check the list of restricted occupations. If your work experience is in a restricted occupation, then you cannot use it to qualify for the skilled worker category.


You do not meet the minimum requirements if:

none of your work experience is listed in the NOC list;
your experience did not occur in the 10 years before you applied; or
your only work experience is in a restricted occupation.
If you do not meet the minimum work experience requirements, your application as a skilled worker will be refused.


Proof of Funds

The Government of Canada does not provide financial support to new skilled worker immigrants.

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada. You cannot borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use this money to support your family.

You will need to provide proof of your funds when you submit your application for immigration.

The amount of money that you need to have to support your family is determined by the size of your family.

Number of
Family
Members Funds Required
(in Canadian dollars)
1 $10,168
2 $12,659
3 $15,563
4 $18,895
5 $21,431
6 $24,170
7 or more $26,910

You do not have to show that you have these funds if you have arranged employment in Canada.

How Much Money Should You Bring?

Find out how much it costs to live where you are planning to settle in Canada.

Bring as much money as possible to make moving and finding a home in Canada easier.
Disclosure of funds

If you are carrying more than CDN $10,000, tell a Canadian official when you arrive in Canada. If you do not tell an official, you may be fined or put in prison. These funds could be in the form of:

cash;
securities in bearer form (for example: stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills); or
negotiable instruments in bearer form (for example: bankers’ drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques, money orders).



Language Proficiency

The ability to communicate and work in one or both of Canada’s official languages is very important to you, as a skilled worker. Abilities in English, French or both will help you in the Canadian labour market.

Language proficiency is one of the six selection factors for skilled workers. You will be awarded up to 24 points for your basic, moderate or high abilities in English and French. You will be given points based on your ability to:

listen;
speak;
read; and
write.



Six Selection Factors and Pass Mark
These charts show how points are awarded in the six selection factors.

Factor One: Education Maximum 25

You have a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. and at least 17 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. (25 points)

You have two or more university degrees at the bachelor’s level and at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.(22 points)

You have a three-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.(22 points)

You have a university degree of two years or more at the bachelor’s level and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. (20 points)
You have a two-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. (20 points)
You have a one-year university degree at the bachelor’s level and at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.(15 points)

You have a one-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.(15 points)

You have a one-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 12 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.(12 points)
You completed high school. (5 points)


Factor Two: Official Languages Maximum 24 points


1st Official Language

High proficiency (per ability) 4 points

Moderate proficiency (per ability) 2 points

Basic proficiency (per ability) 1 to maximum of 2 points

No proficiency 0 points


Possible maximum (all 4 abilities) 16 points

2nd Official Language

High proficiency (per ability) 2 points

Moderate proficiency (per ability) 2 points

Basic proficiency (per ability) 1 to maximum of 2 points

No proficiency 0 points




Possible maximum (all 4 abilities) 8 points

Factor Three: Experience Maximum 21 points
1 year 15 points
2 years 17 points
3 years 19 points
4 years 21 points


Factor Four: Age Maximum 10 points

21 to 49 years at time of application
Less 2 points for each year over 49 or under 21





Factor Five: Arranged Employment In Canada Maximum 10 points

You have a permanent job offer that has been confirmed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). 10 points

You are applying from within Canada and have a temporary work permit that was:
issued after receipt of a confirmation of your job offer from HRSDC; or
you have a temporary work permit that was exempted from the requirement of a confirmed job offer from HRSDC on the basis of an international agreement (e.g., NAFTA), a significant benefit to Canada (e.g., intra-company transfer) or public policy on Canada’s academic or economic competitiveness (e.g., post-graduate work). 10 points


Factor Six: Adaptability Maximum 10 points

Spouse’s or common-law partner’s education 3 - 5 points

Minimum one year full-time authorized work in Canada 5 points

Minimum two years full-time authorized post-secondary study in Canada 5 points

Have received points under the Arranged Employment in Canada factor 5 points

Family relationship in Canada 5 points


Total Maximum 100 points
Pass Mark 67 points


Will You Qualify?

If your score is the same or higher than the pass mark, then you may qualify to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. After reading the information on our Web site, if you wish to apply for immigration, consult our application instructions.


If your score is less than the pass mark, you are not likely to qualify to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. We recommend that you do not apply at this time.

You may submit a formal application if you believe that there are factors that would show that you are able to become economically established in Canada. Send a detailed letter with your application explaining why you think you are able to become economically established in Canada. Include any documents that support your claim.
Principal Applicant
If you are married or living with a common-law partner, you and your spouse or common-law partner must decide who will be the principal applicant. The other person will be considered the dependant in the applications.

Note: 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.

Use the self-assessment test to help you determine which person would earn the most points. The person who would earn the most points should apply as the principal applicant.

Try the on-line self-assessment to see how many points you would earn in the six selection factors explained above.