Federal Skilled Worker Program
This Express Entry program is for skilled workers, in Canada or abroad, whose experience is in higher-skilled occupations and who want to settle outside Quebec. Candidates must first clear the program's own minimum requirements and a 67-point selection grid, then create an Express Entry profile. Profiles are ranked against each other with the Comprehensive Ranking System, and the highest-ranked candidates receive invitations to apply for permanent residence.
Open
Status
Job offer
How you apply
Key requirements
| Age | No minimum age; age is scored in the selection grid and in the CRS |
| Education | At least secondary (high school) education; foreign credentials need an Educational Credential Assessment |
| Language | English or French at CLB/NCLC 7 in all 4 abilities on an approved test (minimum CLB 7) |
| Work experience | At least 1 year of continuous skilled work experience within the last 10 years |
| Job offer | Not required |
| Where you must live | Must plan to live outside Quebec |
| How you apply | Through the federal Express Entry pool |
| Points system | Federal Skilled Worker selection grid (100 points, pass mark 67) and Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) |
| Money — funds, net worth, investment | Proof of settlement funds required, unless authorized to work in Canada and holding a valid job offer |
Summary only — requirements change and details decide real cases. Always confirm the full criteria on the official program page before applying: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/federal-skilled-workers.html (this record was verified against that source on 23 Oct 2026). This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
Tools for this program
CRS Calculator
Express Entry candidates are ranked by CRS — calculate yours on the current IRCC grid.
Draw archive
Every Express Entry round since 2015, with cut-offs for this program's category.
Improve your score
See exactly which factors are costing you points and what each improvement is worth.
Guides for this program
Guide: Express Entry: the federal skilled-worker system
Skilled workers who may qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and who want to be invited to apply for permanent residence.
Not sure this is your program?
Answer a few questions and get a free eligibility assessment from a licensed consultant.
How long will it take?
Current IRCC processing-time estimates, recorded daily.