How to Prepare for New Canadian Immigration Rules

New Canadians taking the Citizenship Oath. The Federal Skilled Worker Program will resume in January 2013 with new rules, and you can take steps now to increase chances of being eligible.

A guide provided by Jim Metcalfe of Pace Immigration provides tips on what hopeful Canadian immigrants can do to prepare for changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program:

Now that the Minister of Immigration  has signalled his intention to change the selection criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker program, it is a good idea to plan ahead if you want to apply.

The guide advises that would-be applicants take steps now to prepare to apply rather than waiting until the new occupation list is released, as it could be too late by then. It cites past openings of the Federal Skilled Worker Program to new applications which saw the quotas for some listed occupations fill up over night.

The specific steps suggested by the guide are:

  1. You and your spouse doing an English or French language test, (the IELTS test and TEF test, respectively), as the new FSW assessment rules will award points for language proficiency for both the principal applicant and the spouse, rather than only the principal applicant as is the case now.
  2. Prepare a resume, and ensure the experience listed matches the description of duties and responsibilities in the NOC (National Occupation Classification) for the occupation you are applying under. Also look through the NOC to see if you qualify for other occupations.
  3. Prepare your “education documents, transcripts and course descriptions” as the new FSW program will require that you to get an assessment of the foreign credential’s equivalent value in Canada.
  4. Prepare “biographical documents and proof of funds”.
  5. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, make sure they make the same preparations in case your spouse’s occupation is on the list.
  6. If you need further assistance, consult with a qualified professional.

CICS Immigration Consulting recommends considering these additional steps as well:

  1. Improve your English and/or French language skills. Language will play a bigger role under the new FSW assessment rules.
  2. Look for a job in Canada: temporary foreign workers in skilled occupations (defined as as skill type 0, A or B in the NOC) will only require one year of full-time Canadian work experience to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class under coming changes, rather than 24 months of work experience required now. The new Federal Skilled Worker Program will also award more points for Canadian work experience than foreign work experience.
  3. If you have a long time horizon for immigrating to Canada and are willing to enter a new line of work to do so, consider starting a career in a skilled trade, like welder, heavy duty equipment mechanic and millwright, as they are in high demand in Canada and will offer a new route to immigration through a newly created Federal Skilled Trades Program.

48 comments

  • My FSW application got legislated away but those CIC farkers have not given me a refund yet. Bunch of thieves!

  • كحخ ىللال اغالا بر ؤؤيؤءئيءبؤلبىاومزخمتىة ةتى ربق يؤءاىلا ت ىاى ربر ءئ شئ ت ى ثي سءئ ءئ س رءسئشض ةتة ى لا لا ى ىا مزونةىت الا ب رؤ سق لب ا اىلار ل لار بل ب ؤر لر ر برر ءس كزم ون ر ؤ

  • Is it mandatory for spouse to write ielts and wht is the requirement

  • I’m working as a mechanical engineer ina utomotive industry in U.S and has 5 yrs of experience. Will there be any list for FSWC or there will be no list, do you think I qualify occupation wise.

  • I have done my post graduation from UK and lived there for three years. Do I need ielts for living in Canada ?

    • Yes, all applicants for permanent residence need to prove they meet minimum language proficiency requirements.

  • How much minimum IELTS score required for primary applicant under FSW.
    please confirm for secondary also if its different from primary.

  • Is there any possibility to change Ielts rules for Academic or General? Will we able to use Academic IELTS also in New FSW?

  • i want to know about some new rules for candian imigration system that it shoud be given the exam of i.e.l.t.s. or franch for both mean spouse or no

  • I have studied for a 4 year bachelors degree in Cairo University, Egypt. I found the market needs better skills and a qualifications from English speaking institutes. So, I lift university in the fourth year and completed a Business Admin certificate (1 year) from American University in Cairo. I have completed other courses and qualifications from international institutes including, London Business School, IBM, Chartered Institute of marketing UK (Chartered Marketer, the highest status in the marketing world) etc.

    Now, I have been accepted to start my Executive MBA in Manchester Business School in June 2013. As I have 15 years of work experience within a multinational company in senior roles having not completed my Bachelors degree was not a problem. Will the lack of the bachelors degree though of my other studies be if I apply to immigrate to Canada?

    Would highly appreciate your kind feedback. Thank you!

    • The exact rules that will be used to assess education credentials for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) have not been announced. All of the details for the new FSWP are expected to be released by early 2013, possibly in January.

  • please can u tell me wat i should score in ielts for immigration in canada . i work here as a cook and i heve already 5.5 band in ielts , is it sufficient ?

  • My name is Sukhwinder kaur. I am married and mother of a baby.
    I have done B Sc (nursing) and I am staff nurse from last 5 years.
    my IELTS band is Reading: 5.5, Writing 5.5, Listening 5.0, Speaking 4.5
    Me and my husband have done French up to level A2 with 60 marks.
    my husband has done B Sc in information technology and has work experience of 2 years. His IELTS score is 6.5 overall. do we qualify under FSW and is there anything else that we should do to increase our chances of a successful case. Please advice.

    Would appreciate your kind feedback. Thank you!

  • I am Hardeep kaur my qulification GNM and 4 year experies pl tell me can i apply in new rules

  • Hi, please can you advice if it will be possible to use landed property as proof of funds. I own a piece of land (I have all the necessary documents) and would like to know if I can add the value to my proof of funds. I know it will be easier to sell it but I don’t want to do that right away without being sure I’ll get the PR. Please, anyone, kindly advice.

  • My ielts overall band is 6.0. In reading 5.5, Listening 5.5, Speaking 5.5, Writing 6.5.
    Now i want to go to Canada for my further study. I m graduate student of BCA.
    Please tell me which courses are relevant for me, which have more scope in Canada.
    With which i can easily get job.

  • hi, i have done Master degree MCA . now i am currently working with real estate under sales and marketing from last 1.5 yr. Is am eligible for canada PR. Plz help me as i am lil bit confused.

  • i want to know more about the point 3 , does that mean i have to get my educational documents assessed before or after applying ?
    please answer me i need to know more about this point

    • Yes you will need to get your educational documents assessed before applying for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The exact rules and procedure for getting an assessment has not been announced by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) yet.

  • what is the minimum ielts requirement for Canada skilled worker

  • IELTS brand score 6 is alright for FSWP or individual 6 in each module speaking, writing, reading and listening is required for primary applicant.

  • my job title is different from the list of subtitles on the qualified NOC however most of my job scope or duties are the same on some of the job tittles under subcategories. Am I qualified fir FSW?

  • I am a chemical engineer with 3.5 years of experience. Learning French will add any benefits to my application in FSWP?, Can I still apply under FSWP if there is no requirement of Chemical Engineers? Another thing is that my wife is not graduate and she has not any working experience, how can she add any points to my application.

    Reply will be appropriated. Thanks in advance.

    • Yes, learning French can improve your FSWP application. If there is an occupation list for the new FSWP, and Chemical Engineers are not on it, then you will not be qualified.

      -CICS News Team

  • My name is Priyesh Lakhani and I have completed MSc in International Business from Coventry University, UK. I completed MSc degree in 2010 and was on Post-Study Work (PSW) visa in the UK. I have attained various job experiences like HR Co-ordinator and HR Assistant. I am working as a HR Assistant at Coventry University from past 7-9 months. I have IELTS score of 6.5 overall. I answered IELTS in 2009. Is that still valid? I mean I have UK degree, so do I still need to answer IELTS? I also have 4.5 years of work experience in the Human Resource field. Please someone answer if I am eligible to apply for FSW (Federal Skilled Worker) visa or PR (Permanent Residency) visa in Canada? I am looking forward to make an application as early as possible. Please advise.

  • Hi,

    I plan to graduate of the master program in Architecture by the end of April 2013, as same as my spouse condition.

    we are in temporary residence of Italy as students and there is not an active consult or embassy of Canada in my origin country so, can we apply through Canadian consults in Italy?

    We seated for IELTS in 2009, academic version, is the applicable or we must seat for a recent one ?

    How we can get the official news of starting process in 2013?

    Your feed backs would be highly appreciated

  • Aslam O Alekam
    Sir or Madam Please mujhy ye bta de k canada mein mera bara bhai hay with family to main waha kesy ja sakta ho please help me 03418932509 from mirpur azad kashmir

  • Hi,

    My wife and me are reading a lot on immigration to Canada. I am Indian, she is from Europe ( mixed race couple). Our marriage is registered. Every day we communicate in English, also she studied French for 4 years in secondary school. Both of us are preparing to give IELTS, and we hope that we can get a good score. I worked for more than 7 years in British company based in India, as a customer service executive ( every day I used to talk to native speakers, and my accent is almost same). Also I have 2 year experience as a cook, as I completed one year post secondary course for a cook. I’ll be a main applicant so we are thinking are we qualified enough to apply for immigration, will visa officer except my education and work experience, and what about our marriage is it a minus or a plus when we are not same race.
    Thankful to you for your time and respond.

  • Hey im jasmeet kaur ..im apply to working visa for canada 6 month ago.nplz tell me how much time to get visa……

  • Hi ,

    Can you please let me know if there is any new occupational list that will be published or would it be the same old one which is one on the cic website ?

  • please contact you brother.he will be the best person to guide you.

  • hi all, can anybody answer my querry that I am a married woman but aia want to apply for canada immigration alone as we are fallind short of funds . can I apply without my spouse

  • I am interested if CIC have announced the list of the institutions that will be eligible to do Educational Credentials Assessment?
    Thank you.

    • Hi, no CIC has not released a list of institutions that will be eligible to do Educational Credential Assessments yet.

      -CICS News Team

  • Hi
    I have done MBA Marketing Regular and doing Regular Job in FMCG from Last 5 years.

    Kindly help me how to apply for PR and How i can get job in canada??

  • Hi please tell me how much funds do l need to show for fswp canada For applying without my husband. And I have ielts academic written last year , listening 7 , reading 8 speaking 7.5, writing 6.5.will it work.

  • My ielts score is:
    Listening : 6.0
    Reading : 7.5
    Writing : 7.0
    Speaking : 6.0
    How much points will I be getting for this score?

  • Hello, i have over 6 years experience as a Senior Software Engineer and i have ielts band score 6.0. can i apply for PR?

  • I have 2 yrs work experience in Canada, unfortunately my ielts score is not valid for NOC A, Can I apply on NOC B skill based on the ielts which is valid for applying for permanent residence?

  • Youset Fernandez

    Good afternoon, I would like to know information about the new laws for professionals Cubans to go work to Canada. I appreciated in advanced! Thank you!

  • CHRISTAKIS MICHAEL

    I am 23 years HGV driver, across europe and international transport,
    how can I get a temporary work permit to work in Canada ?

  • I have assessed my points for FSWP; any one please help me to know the below Question marked? Thank-Sami

    Age : 29 yrs =12
    English skills : (R=8, Listening=7.0, S=6,R=6)= (6+4+4+4)=18
    Experiences : 6 years =15
    Education : 4 years B.Sc Engineering =22(21?)
    —————————————————————————————–
    Total = 67 (66?)

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