SKILLED WORKERS FAQ
When people apply for immigration to Canada, they are in fact applying for a permanent residence visa. Permanent residence is a status that allows an immigrant to legally reside and earn a living anywhere in Canada. Every year, Canada welcomes thousands of new residents. Upon acceptance as a permanent resident, you will receive your permanent resident card. After three years of proven permanent residence in Canada, you may apply for your Canadian citizenship.
There are a number of categories in which you may apply for Canadian permanent residence. Each category has various assessment requirements and conditions. Federal Skilled Worker category is the most popular category.
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) defines skilled workers as "people who may become permanent residents because they are able to become economically established in Canada"
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To be eligible for a Canadian Permanent Resident Visa under the Skilled Worker category, you must:
- have worked continuously for a period of at least one year, within the last ten years, in a full-time (or part-time equivalent) paid position at a skill level recognized by Canadian Immigration authorities;
- have sufficient funds for settlement in Canada, unless you have arranged employment in Canada;
- earn sufficient points (currently 67) in the six selection factors to meet the pass mark under the Skilled Worker category.
- In addition, all applicants for a Canadian Permanent Resident Visa, under all categories of Canadian Immigration, as well as their accompanying and non-accompanying dependents (unless they are able to opt out), must satisfy Canadian health and security/criminality requirements.
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Complete our FREE Assessment form to determine your eligibility for Canadian Immigration under the Skilled Worker category.
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Currently, the pass mark under the Skilled Worker category is 67 points. Canadian Immigration authorities may raise or lower the pass mark without any advance notice. If you currently score at least 67 points, you would be well advised to submit your application for Permanent Residence in Canada at the earliest.
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The Canadian Immigration law and regulations permit the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to change the pass mark and even to implement the change retroactively. Whether or not Canadian Immigration authorities will impose a pass mark change retroactively is a separate issue. The Federal Court of Canada has signaled its disfavour with the practice of retroactivity in Immigration matters.
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Yes, Canada accepts Skilled Workers based upon their ability to become economically established in Canada. If the Canadian Visa Officer believes that the point total does not accurately reflect your ability to become economically established in Canada, the Visa Officer may use his or her positive discretion (referred to as substituted evaluation and approve your application even though you score less than 67 points. However, at a minimum, you must have worked continuously for a period of at least one year, within the last ten years, in a full-time (or part-time equivalent) paid position at a skill level recognized by Canadian Immigration authorities.
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Yes, Canada accepts Skilled Workers based upon their ability to become economically established in Canada. If the Canadian Visa Officer believes that the point total does not accurately reflect your ability to become economically established in Canada, the Visa Officer may use his or her negative discretion (referred to as substituted evaluation to and refuse your application even though you score at least 67 points.
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You must have the equivalent of at least one year's of full-time employment experience in an occupation appearing on the General Occupations List to qualify for permanent resident status. Applicants destined to the Province of Quebec need only demonstrate six months of relevant work experience.
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Credit will be given for a part-time experience as soon as total amount of it will be equivalent to at least one year of full time employment. In other words, two years of part-time experience will suffice the minimum requirement of one year of full-time experience.
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Your work experience does not have to be related to your education, as long as you are performing or have performed the duties of the occupation for which you are claiming points.
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Yes, as long as you were paid for the work done and the duties performed were in an occupation and at a skill level recognized by Canadian Immigration authorities.
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Yes, you will be awarded points under the Adaptability Factor if you or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner has a close relative who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and who is currently residing in Canada. To qualify as a close relative, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident must a child, mother or father, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew, grandchild or grandparent.
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You are not required to obtain an offer of an employment to qualify as a Skilled Worker. The current Canadian immigration policy provides that if an applicant meets the selection criteria, he/she is likely to become successfully established in Canada. However, "arranged employment" will provide a prospective applicant with an additional 10 units of assessment and is sometimes an important aspect of the selection process.
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Applicants in the Skilled Worker and Family Class categories will be required to submit applications for permanent resident status to the visa office responsible for the jurisdiction in which they have been lawfully admitted. For those residing outside of their home country, this would include the home country in addition to the country of residence as long as they had been lawfully admitted for a period of at least one year.
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Click here for a FREE Assessment of your eligibility to immigrate to Canada in the Skilled Worker Class.
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