Canada Skilled Worker Visa

The Canada Immigration Points System for Skilled Workers

The Skilled Worker Visa for Canada is the most popular way of applying for migration to Canada. The Canada Skilled Worker Visa points selection system requires a pass mark of 67 out of 100 points and is assessed on six main factors including age, education, work experience, language ability and adaptability.

Advantages of the Canada Skilled Worker Visa are:

The Canadian Skilled Worker Visa allows migration to Canada as a Permanent Resident, without the need for an employer or sponsor, to seek employment and apply for jobs following the exact same process as a resident skilled worker. Canada is keen to have skilled workers and this Canada migration points system is designed to encourage Canadian immigration by skilled workers.

You are able to accept a job and join a new employer without you and that employer needing to go through the work permit process.

The Canada Skilled Worker Visa gives you the right to apply for Citizenship after 3 years, providing that you follow the necessary requirements to apply, thus making this visa a very attractive and popular method of Canadian immigration for skilled workers.

Canada Skilled Worker Application: Frequently Asked Questions:

What does Canadian permanent resident status confer?

Pursuant to the provisions of Canada's constitutional laws, the holder of a Canadian permanent resident visa and his/her accompanying dependants are permitted to permanently reside in Canada and earn a livelihood in any one of the ten provinces or three territories within Canada. In addition, individuals with Canadian permanent residence may attend primary and secondary education institutions in the various provincially administered public school systems, tuition exempt. Permanent residents also qualify for provincially administered universal health care coverage.

How long does it take to obtain a permanent resident visa?

Depending upon the time of year, the immigration office in question and other factors, the processing time for an application for permanent residence filed under the economic class can vary from between 6 months and 40 months. This is the time generally needed to demonstrate compliance under one of the applicable categories; a clean bill of health for the applicant and accompanying dependants; sufficient assets to successfully establish the family in Canada; and a confirmation of no criminal inadmissibility’s for the applicant and the overage accompanying dependants. (The immigration offices in New Delhi, Islamabad, Singapore and Beijing currently attract the most applications and therefore have the longest processing times).

Who is included in the application for permanent residence?

The application for permanent residence generally includes the applicant, spouse or common-law partner or conjugal partner 16 years of age or older and any unmarried children under the age of 22 years. Children over the age of 22 may in prescribed circumstances, be included as accompanying family members.

What supporting documents must I submit?

Supporting documentation generally encompasses evidence of employment, education, assets, civil status, and an absence of criminal convictions. Each visa office has its own specific requirements for supporting documentation. It is advisable to seek expert guidance or get instructions from the particular visa office, which will process your application.

Am I required to have a certain amount of assets?

Skilled Worker applicants will generally be required to prove that they have settlement funds sufficient for themselves and any accompanying dependents. They are expected to be able to support the landed family (the principal applicant and all accompanying dependents) until employment is obtained.

Will my application benefit if I have a close relative in Canada?

Skilled Worker applicants will be awarded bonus points if the close relative is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and over the age of 19 years. The applicant is then referred to as an "assisted relative". To qualify as a close relative, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident must be the applicant's uncle, aunt, brother, sister, parent, nephew or niece.

Is work experience a requirement?

Work experience is a critical requirement for a Skilled Worker immigrant. Applicants must be able to demonstrate at least one year's work experience in an occupation appearing on the General Occupations List. Applicants with arranged employment in Canada are exempt from the work experience requirement.

Must the experience have been accumulated on a full-time basis? Must it have been accumulated continuously?

Part-time work experience is acceptable. It is assessed in proportion to a standard full-time working week. For example, a two-year part-time position requiring approximately 20 hours of work each week, will be counted as one year of full-time experience. Non-consecutive work experience in positions involving the same duties may also be counted, if the total work experience meets the minimum experience requirements.

How is experience in a previous or current occupation evaluated when that occupation differs from the applicant's education?

Under the present selection criteria, such experience is fully counted towards the assessment of the applicant's work experience.

Is credit given for experience gained during post-secondary studies?

Yes, as long as the experience gained at that time is consistent with the definition of an occupation appearing on the General Occupations List, it can be counted in the assessment of work experience.

Must I have a Canadian offer of employment to qualify as a Skilled Worker?

You are not required to obtain an offer of an employment to qualify as a Skilled Worker.

Can I apply if I do not yet have the required minimum work experience?

Applicants without one year of work experience in an "open" occupation (6 months for applicants destined to Quebec or Manitoba) are required to demonstrate arranged employment.

What are the applicable processing fees to process an application for permanent residence?

Applications for permanent residence must include the appropriate non-refundable processing fees for applicants and their accompanying dependants. For applicants applying under the skilled worker program the application fee is currently set at $550 CAD for each applicant as well as each family member of the principle applicant who is 22 years of age or older. A fee of $150 shall apply to each family member under the age of 22 years. As well, a Right Of Permanent Residence Fee of $975 CAD is levied, prior to visa issuance, for each person who is at least 22 years of age applying for permanent residence.

Processing fees must be filed with the application. Right Of Permanent Residence fees are submitted upon request by the visa office, prior to visa issuance. Applicants are encouraged to verify with local missions for applicable immigration office specific payment procedures.