Important notice: There will be a maximum of 25,500 applications that can be accepted for new federal skilled worker class between May 1st, 2014- January, 2015 (Launching of Express Entry). Within the 25,500 applications, there will also be a cap of 500 applications from PhD students, a overall cap of 1,000 for each priority occupation within the 25,000 applications. There is no cap for applicants with a qualifying job offer. The applications that do NOT include the necessary Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) or do NOT meet the minimum language threshold requirements will be returned by CIC.

Federal skilled workers are successful candidates of permanent residency based on their ability to settle in Canada and take part in the economy. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

  1. Be a skilled employee who has gained at least 1 year of experience in 1 or 50 qualifying applications within the last 10 years; or
  2. Have an offer for an assigned occupation; or
  3. Be a PhD international student residing in Canada who has completed at least 2 years of study in a PhD program or an international PhD student who has graduated within the last 12 months and does not hold a condition requiring the applicant to return to his/her home country

There are a limited number of applications that may be accepted each year. Please find below the application cap for each eligible occupation.

Group1.Eligible occupations:

Before submitting the application, please double check to make sure that the cap has not been reached for your chosen occupation(s):

FSWP-Eligible   Occupations
  1.   Senior managers – financial,   communications and other business services
  2.   Senior managers – trade, broadcasting   and other services, n.e.c.
  3.   Financial managers
  4.   Human resources managers
  5.   Purchasing managers
  6.   Insurance, real estate and financial   brokerage managers
  7.   Managers in health care
  8.   Construction managers
  9.   Home building and renovation managers
  10.   Managers in natural resources   production and fishing
  11.   Manufacturing managers
  12.   Financial auditors and accountants
  13.   Financial and investment analysts
  14.   Securities agents, investment dealers   and brokers
  15.   Other financial officers
  16.   Professional occupations in   advertising, marketing and public relations
  17.   Supervisors, finance and insurance   office workers
  18.   Property administrators
  19.   Geoscientists and oceanographers
  20.   Civil engineers
  21.   Mechanical engineers
  22.   Electrical and electronics engineers
  23.   Petroleum engineers
  24.   Information systems analysts and   consultants
  25.   Database analysts and data   administrators
  26.   Software engineers and designers
  27.   Computer programmers and interactive   media developers
  28.   Mechanical engineering technologists   and technicians
  29.   Construction estimators
  30.   Electrical and electronics engineering   technologists and technicians
  31.   Industrial instrument technicians and   mechanics
  32.   Inspectors in public and environmental   health and occupational health and safety
  33.   Computer network technicians
  34.   Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
  35.   Registered nurses and registered   psychiatric nurses
  36.   Specialist physicians
  37.   General practitioners and family physicians
  38.   Dietitians and nutritionists
  39.   Audiologists and speech-language   pathologists
  40.   Physiotherapists
  41.   Occupational therapists
  42.   Respiratory therapists, clinical   perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
  43.   Medical radiation technologists
  44.   Medical sonographers
  45.   Licensed practical nurses
  46.   Paramedical occupations
  47.   University profssors and lecturers
  48.   Psychologists
  49.   Early childhood educators and   assistants
  50.   Translators, terminologists and   interpreters

Group 2: Arranged Employment: There is no cap for applicants with Arranged Employment.

Group 3: PhD students: There is a cap of 500 applications in this stream during the time frame of May 1, 2014 to Jan, 2015.

In addition, you must be able to obtain at minimum of 67 points based on the six selection factors in the skilled worker points grid below:

Selection   Factor

Points
Education Maximum 25 points
Ability in English and/or French Maximum 28 points
Experience Maximum 15 points
Age Maximum 12 points
Arranged employment in Canada Maximum 10 points
Adaptability Maximum 10 points

Total

Maximum   100 points

Pass   mark

67   points

Regardless of the points awarded, Canadian Immigration Visa Officers have the right to accept or reject an application based on a substituted evaluation.

In addition to meeting the specified conditions, applicants are required to demonstrate that they have the adequate settlement funds necessary to support themselves and their dependants upon arrival in Canada. Please also note that all applicants, as well as their dependants, are required to submit to medical examinations and security clearances as part of the Canadian immigration application process.