Skilled Worker Immigration to Canada: A Brief Summary

By Ezra Silverton

Of the thousands of new immigrants who enter Canada every year, the majority are Skilled Workers and their families. These immigrants are selected because they have work skills that Canada needs in its labour force. Through filling vacancies in the labour market, Skilled Workers directly contribute to Canadian society through their work, spending, and taxes.

Skilled Work Experience To qualify as a Skilled Worker, an applicant must have at least one year of skilled work experience. All types of skilled work are treated equally under the selection system allowing qualified applicants from a wide range of occupations to immigrate to Canada. To determine whether or not a person’s occupation can be considered “skilled”, the Canadian immigration authorities rely on the National Occupation Classification (NOC), a document prepared by the federal human resources department, which describes in detail hundreds of different types of occupations. The NOC assigns each occupation a skill level based primarily on the education level necessary to work in that occupation. Generally speaking, if an occupation usually requires some type of post-secondary education in order to be able to work in that field, then it is considered skilled.

The Point System Applicants under the Skilled Worker category must pass a point system test designed to assess whether the applicant is likely to become successfully established in Canada. The point system is a test that measures six factors related to the applicant and assigns a score to each factor. The most important factors are education, English or French language ability, and work experience. In this regard, most people who have a three year college diploma or bachelor degree, fluent English or French, and at least four years of skilled work experience, can qualify under the Skilled Worker category.

The Application Process Applications for permanent residence under the Skilled Worker category are made from outside Canada through the Canadian embassy or consulate that serves the applicant’s country of nationality or residence. Applicants must complete forms and provide supporting documents to prove their qualifications. The Canadian immigration authorities will assess the application and may require a personal interview before making a decision. If the application is approved then permanent resident visas will be issued to the applicant and his or her family dependents including any spouse and children included in the application. Learn more about the Canadian immigration process application.

Being Landed After receiving their immigrant visas, a Skilled Worker and his or her family must use them before they expire. Such visas are usually issued with a maximum validity of one year. Once the Skilled Worker arrives in Canada the visa will be processed and the person “landed” as a permanent resident of Canada. As a permanent resident the new immigrant has the right to work, study, and live in Canada permanently. They may live in any part of Canada and enjoy most of the rights and freedoms of a Canadian citizen.

Matthew Jeffery is a Canadian Immigration and Refugee Lawyer based in Toronto, Canada. Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended to be of a general nature and does not constitute legal advice. http://www.matthewjeffery.com