Federal Skilled Workers Selection Factors

To be qualified as a skilled worker, you will be assessed on six selection factors and a point system. You must obtain at least 67 points according to the following six selection factors in the skilled worker points grid.

You can earn selection points for your degrees or diplomas and the number of years you spent in full-time or full-time equivalent study.

If you studied less than the number of years listed with your highest degree or diploma, you must award yourself the points that match your years of study.

Example 1: If you have a master's degree but have completed only 15 years of full-time study, award yourself 22 points.
Example 2: If you have a three- or four-year bachelor's degree, and at least 14 years of education, award yourself 20 points.

Points are awarded under the Language Skills Factor based upon your ability to speak Canada's two official languages. You may indicate either the English or French language as the first or second language for the purpose of being assessed under the Language Skills Factor.

Credits for Language Skills are awarded on the following basis:

Once you have taken a language test from a designated testing agency (IELTS for English and/or TEF for French), you can determine how many points you will be awarded for language proficiency.

Use the following tables to determine how many points you will be awarded for your test scores with the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test d'evaluation de Francais (TEF):

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Test d'evaluation de Francais (TEF)

You will earn points for the number of years you have spent in full-time (37.5 hours per week) or equivalent paid work during the last 10 years in skilled and management occupation (Skill levels A, B and O of National Occupational Classification). You must have at least one year experience to considered as a skilled worker.

Points are awarded on the following basis:

Age (Maximum 10 Points)

You will be awarded selection points based on your age at the time when the visa office receives your application according to the following table:

Arranged Employment is a genuine job offer by a Canadian employer that is approved (validated) by Human Resources & Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

Arranged Employment provides the Federal Skilled Worker applicant with up to an additional 10 points towards Citizenship and Immigration Canada's (CIC) selection factor requirement.

These points are awarded under the Arranged Employment Factor as follows:

An additional 5 points may also be awarded under the Adaptability Factor.

You will earn points on the Adaptability on the basis of factors which are expected to improve your ability to become economically established in Canada as follows: