The Federal Skilled Trades Program is another route for Canada immigration managed by Express Entry. This program is designed for skilled workers who want to work and live in the country. 

Eligibility criteria for FSTP

• Must have 2 years of work experience within the last 5 years. Their occupation must be aligned under the National Occupation Classification (NOC).

• Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) code categorizes skilled trades into the following groups of occupations:

• Demonstrate your language proficiency in either English or French with Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in speaking and listening, and CLB 4 in reading and writing.
  

Individuals need to have a job offer  and must possess one of the following documents:

• A Canadian province- or territory-issued certificate of qualification in their occupation.
  
• A full-time job offer from a Canadian employer for one year.
  

Other additional documents include the Educational Credential Assessment that ensures your foreign education is equivalent to a Canadian one.

How to apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program?

The process to apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program under Express Entry involves several key steps:

1. Confirm your NOC Code
   
2. Your job profile and title must be matched and categorized under the National Occupation Classification (NOC). 
   
3. 
   
4. Take a language exam
   
5. It is important to prove your language ability. For that, you need to appear for the exams, such as IELTS, and need to gain a 7+ band score.
   
6. 
   
7. Secure a job offer
   
8. You must have a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification of at least one year.
   
9. 
   
10. Create an Express Entry
    
11. Once you've done all the above steps, create your Express Entry profile.
    
12. 
    
13. Enter the pool
    
14. Submit your Express Entry profile to the pool, where your profile gets ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
    
15. 
    
16. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
    
17. After entering the pool, you need to wait for IRCC to conduct the Express Entry draw, and candidates with the highest CRS scores get an ITA. 
    

Submit your PR application

Once you obtain an ITA, you have 60 days to submit your application.

Settlement funds for FSTP

FSTP Application Processing Time

The duration for processing FSTP applications differs from one application to another; nonetheless, the majority of applications are processed within a six-month timeframe.

CRS scores for FSTP

When applying FSTP, skilled trade workers are required to meet the CRS score threshold. Each section is allocated points, and your eligibility allows you to earn some or all of these points.

For applicants without a dependent spouse or common-law partner, the maximum points allotted are:

• 500 points for core human capital factors
  
• 100 points for skill transferability factors
  
• 600 points for other factors – such as a job offer, educational experience, siblings residing in Canada who are citizens or permanent residents, proficiency in French, etc.

Applicants with a dependent spouse or common-law partner can score:

• 460 points for the core human capital factors of the principal applicant
  
• 40 points for the core human capital factors of a dependent spouse or partner
  
• 100 points for skill transferability factors
  
• 600 points for additional factors

Only the highest-ranked candidates in the Express Entry pool receive invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Prior to commencing your application, it is advisable to enhance your chances of receiving an invitation by improving in areas where enhancement is possible, such as your English or French language skills and educational qualifications.

Summary

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) serves as an immigration pathway within the Express Entry system. Express Entry is among the most sought-after methods for foreign nationals in the economic class to immigrate to Canada, with hundreds of thousands of applications submitted annually.

Through the Federal Skilled Trades Program, eligible skilled trades workers who apply may receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence within a six-month period.

Upon obtaining permanent residence, you may apply for Canadian citizenship after five years, provided you have resided in Canada with permanent residence status for a minimum of 1,095 days within the five years preceding the citizenship application.