Tomorrow's Canada Gazette details the proposed new FSW program and creation of a new Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC).. I have summarized some highlights below:
Source: http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2012/2012-08-18/html/reg2-eng.html.
*** 3 Federal Programs Workers: FSWC, FSTC, and CEC Programs will exist ***
Under the proposed plan, skilled workers could apply under one of 3 federal classes depending on their work experience and whether it was acquired in Canada:
- FSWC (Foreign Skilled Worker Class): for managerial, professional or technical occupations
- FSTC (Foreign Skilled Trades Class): for skilled tradespersons with an offer of employment in Canada or a certificate of qualification from a provincial authority
- CEC (Canadian Experience Class): for skilled workers already employed in Canada
*** FSWC (Federal Skilled Worker Class) ***
The FSWC program will continue to use points to assess eligibility and the pass mark will remain 67 points. There will be changes to how points are awarded and to the requirements:
* Language proficiency [up to 24 points for first language and up to 4 points for the second official language]
- CIC proposes "(1) requiring minimum language abilities in order to qualify for the program; and (2) significantly increasing the maximum points awarded for fluency in one official language from 16 points to 24 points."
- "The number of points for the second official language would be reduced from 8 points to 4 points"
- Eligibility and points:
* First official language
° Minimum threshold in all abilities initially set at CLB/NCLC 7 - this would also grant 4 points per ability
° CLB/NCLC 8: 5 points per ability
° CLB/NCLC 9: 6 points per ability
* Second official language
° Maximum of 4 points awarded for at least CLB/NCLC 5 in all abilities
NOTE: You can estimate the number of points you'll get from your IELTS following the table in my post here
* Age [up to 12 points]
- "The revised selection grid would favour younger immigrants by awarding a maximum of 12 points for applicants aged 18 to 35, compared to applicants aged 21 to 49 who receive maximum points for age under the current grid, with diminishing points awarded until age 46. With the proposed changes, no age points would be awarded after age 46; however, workers aged 47 or older would continue to be eligible for the program."
- Points would be awarded based on age:
18 through 35 years old: 12 points
36 years old: 11 points
37 years old: 10 points
For each additional year of age, subtract one point so: | 38 yo -> 9pts | 39 yo -> 8pts | 40 yo -> 7pts | 41 yo -> 6pts | 42 yo -> 5pts | 43 yo -> 4pts | 44 yo -> 3pts | 45 yo -> 2pts and
46 years old: 1 point
47 and over: 0 points"
* Work experience [up to 15 points]
- "CIC is proposing to reduce the total number of points for work experience from 21 to 15, and increase the years of experience required to achieve full points, from four years to six."
- Points would be awarded for:
1 year of work experience: 9 points
2-3 years of work experience: 11 points
4-5 years of work experience: 13 points
6+ years of work experience: 15 points
* Education [up to 25 points]
- The new FSWC program would require a foreign educational credential assessment. "Currently, education points are based on having a credential and the number of years required to obtain it. Organizations with expertise in authentication and assessment of foreign educational credentials and professional bodies recognized by provincial regulatory bodies will be eligible to apply for designation by CIC to provide credential assessment and authentication for FSWC purposes. Designated organizations would work on a case-by-case basis to authenticate credentials obtained in foreign jurisdictions and determine their equivalent value in Canada. This measure would allow CIC to benefit from a better assessment of the quality of a foreign educational credential. Applicants whose credentials do not exist in Canada as well as those who do not have a credential equivalent to a completed Canadian credential would not be eligible for the FSWC.
Education points would be awarded based on the equivalent Canadian educational credential and points would be redistributed in recognition of the credential's relevance in the Canadian labour market.
In the case of applicants who have listed a regulated occupation in their application, where a professional body has been designated by CIC to conduct such assessments, the applicant must submit that professional body's foreign educational credential assessment establishing that the foreign educational credential is equivalent to the Canadian educational credential required to practice that occupation.
Furthermore, should the assessment of an applicant's credential by a professional body not demonstrate that the credential is equivalent to the Canadian credential required for the occupation listed in the application, the applicant will not be eligible to apply in the Federal Skilled Worker Class under that occupation.
All other applicants must submit a foreign educational credential assessment provided by a designated organization to demonstrate that their educational credential is equivalent to a Canadian educational credential."
- Points would be awarded based on the Canadian equivalent with the following distribution:
Doctoral level: 25 points
Master's level or professional degree: 23 points
Two or more post-secondary credentials, one of which is a three-year or longer post-secondary credential: 22 points
Three-year or longer post-secondary credential: 21 points
Two-year post-secondary credential: 19 points
One-year post-secondary credential: 15 points
Secondary school: 5 points
*Arranged Employment [up to 15 points]
- The Arranged Employment Option would be replaced with the LMO. "Employers would be required to apply for a labour market opinion (LMO) to HRSDC, whether it is in support of a temporary work permit application and/or a permanent residence application. Eliminating the arranged employment opinion (AEO) and replacing it with the LMO is intended to reduce the burden on employers in the event the worker seeks to apply for permanent residence concurrently with a temporary work permit application."
"FSWC applicants with a positive or neutral LMO from HRSDC could be awarded up to 15 points on the selection grid."
"Some exceptions to the requirement for an LMO would apply with respect to labour mobility provisions under international agreements such as NAFTA and GATS. In these instances, employers would need to demonstrate to CIC that they are making a qualifying job offer (i.e. non-seasonal and indeterminate)."
*Adaptability [up to 10 points]
- Up to 10 adaptability points would continue to be awarded, with changes to how they are accrued:
- "The maximum number of points (10) would be awarded if the principal applicant (PA) has qualifying previous work experience in Canada.
- Spousal education would be replaced "with spousal basic language proficiency to improve the likelihood of a family's successful integration and to reduce spousal vulnerability"
- To get 5 points for previous study in Canada for either the applicant or accompanying spouse, "the applicant or accompanying spouse would need to have obtained, studying full time in a program of at least a two-year duration, the necessary credits to successfully complete two years of study. For the purposes of adaptability, secondary school will be accepted as an eligible program of study."
- Points would continue to be awarded for a relative in Canada, but "CIC would be introducing minimum age criteria to increase the likelihood that the relative will be able to play a role in facilitating the economic and social integration of the applicant.
- "Adaptability points will not be awarded for spouses who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Canada, as they can sponsor applicants through the Family Class."
- "Currently all applicants with qualifying offers of arranged employment in Canada are exempt from providing proof of settlement funds, whether they are working in Canada or not. The proposed regulations would amend the exemption so that it would no longer apply points to recipients of arranged employment who are not working or authorized to work in Canada. All other applicants would be required to provide proof of settlement funds."
- Thus, a maximum of 10 adaptability points will be awarded based on 4 elements:
1) Previous study in Canada (studying full-time for at least 2 academic years in a program of at least 2 years duration. For the purposes of adaptability, secondary school will be accepted as an eligible program of study.)
° Principal Applicant: 5 points
° Accompanying spouse/partner: 5 points
2) Prior full-time work experience in Canada "under a work permit or under section 186 of at least one year in Canada by the skilled worker in an occupation that is listed in Skill Type 0 Management Occupations or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification matrix"
° Principal Applicant: 10 points
° Accompanying spouse/partner: 5 points
3) Relative in Canada (18 or older): 5 points
4) Language skills - accompanying spouse/partner - at (CLB/NCLC 4): 5 points
Pass mark would remain 67
*** FSTC (Federal Skilled Trades Class) ***
There would be a new FSTC (Federal Skilled Trades Class) Program.
Skilled tradespersons with experience in one the following NOC B occupational areas would be eligible to apply:
- Industrial, Electrical and Construction Trades (NOC Major Group 72)
- Maintenance and Equipment Operation Trades (NOC Major Group 73)
- Supervisors and Technical Occupations in Natural Resources, Agriculture and Related Production (NOC Major Group 82)
- Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities Supervisors and Central Control Operators (NOC Major Group 92)
- Chefs and Cooks (NOC Minor Group 632)
- Bakers And Butchers (NOC Minor Group 633)
Note: you can see each of the specific NOC codes in here or, alternatively, you can click on the links above and then click on an NOC code within the listed major/minor to see if you would qualify based on that 4 digit NOC code (under the eligible major or minor group).
Applicants to the proposed program would be required to meet four minimum requirements:
[1] A qualifying offer of employment from up to two employers in Canada of at least one year duration (see footnote 14) or a Certificate of Qualification from a provincial or territorial Apprenticeship Authority;
[2] Language proficiency, as evidenced by a test from a designated language testing organization that demonstrates the applicant's abilities in the requisite skill areas meet the threshold set by the Minister in all four language abilities (speaking, reading, writing, oral comprehension); [Initially, the threshold is anticipated to be set at CLB/NCLC 5 for all four abilities (speaking, oral comprehension, reading and writing).]
[3] Twenty-four months of work experience (after qualification/certification in the country where the work was performed, where applicable) in the same skilled trade in the last five years; and
[4] Qualifications that satisfy employment requirements as described by the NOC, except for certification and licensing requirements, which are difficult to obtain outside Canada."
"As with the FSWC, the Regulations would also enable officers to substitute their evaluation if they determine that the applicant's ability to meet or not the minimum requirements of the class is not a sufficient indicator of whether the skilled worker may become economically established in Canada."
*** CEC (Canadian Experience Class) ***
- The Canadian work experience requirement would be reduced from 24 months to 12 in the preceding 36 months, to allow faster transition for those who have already proven their employability in Canada's labour market. Accumulating 12 months of authorized work within the preceding 36 is more flexible for applicants working in Canada under international agreements (e.g. International Experience Canada).
- Only applicants with NOC 0, A or B work experience would continue to qualify for the CEC.
- Minimum language abilities would be required in each of the four abilities (reading, writing, oral comprehension and speaking) for applicants to the CEC.
"As with the FSWC, the proposed Regulations would grant the Minister the authority to set the language threshold. Initially, it is anticipated that the threshold would be set at CLB/NCLC 7, which corresponds to having “adequate intermediate proficiency” in speaking, oral comprehension, reading and writing for NOC 0 and A applicants and CLB/NCLC 5, or “initial intermediate” proficiency in each ability for NOC B applicants."
*** Additional details ***
You can see the additional details in:
* Canada Gazette (August 18, 2012 version): http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2012/2012-08-18/html/reg2-eng.html
* CIC website: News Release — Revised Federal Skilled Worker Program Unveiled: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2012/2012-08-17.asp
* Foreign Credentials Referrals Office: http://www.credentials-competences.gc.ca
[CIC will be issuing a Call for Service Proposals on August 20, 2012, inviting submissions from organizations with expertise in foreign credential assessment to conduct the reviews.]
