Overview
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is one of the three federal programs managed through Express Entry. It is different from the Trade occupations category used in category-based rounds: FSTP is a program you qualify for; the category is a type of invitation round.
You can be eligible for FSTP, for the Trade occupations category, for both, or for neither. A candidate in the trade category still has to meet one of the three programs (FSTP, CEC or FSWP).
Work experience
2 years, or 3,120 hours, in one eligible trade.
Time period
Within the 5 years before you apply.
Language
CLB / NCLC 5 speaking and listening; 4 reading and writing.
Job offer or certificate
You need one of the two.
Eligibility rules
- Work experience: at least 2 years of full-time paid work (3,120 hours), or the same amount part-time, in one eligible skilled trade, in the 5 years before you apply.
- Same NOC: all of the qualifying work must be in one five-digit NOC from an eligible trade group.
- Duties and requirements: you must show you performed the lead statement and most of the main duties of the NOC, and that you met its employment requirements.
- Qualified to practise: you must have been qualified to practise the trade in the country where you did the work.
- Job offer or certificate: a valid full-time job offer for at least 1 year, or a certificate of qualification in your trade from a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
- Language: CLB / NCLC 5 in speaking and listening, and 4 in reading and writing.
- Proof of funds: required, unless you are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer.
- Admissibility and settlement: you must be admissible to Canada and plan to live outside Quebec.
Which trades qualify
Your NOC must fall into one of these NOC 2021 groups. The group name is only a starting point: IRCC checks the exact NOC, its lead statement and main duties, and its employment requirements.
| NOC 2021 group | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Major Group 72, except Sub-Major Group 726 | Technical trades; transportation officers and controllers (726) are excluded |
| Major Group 73 | General trades |
| Major Group 82 | Supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production |
| Major Group 83 | Occupations in natural resources and related production |
| Major Group 92 | Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors, operators and controllers |
| Major Group 93, except Sub-Major Group 932 | Central control and process operators; aircraft assemblers and inspectors (932) are excluded |
| Minor Group 6320 | Cooks, butchers and bakers |
| Unit Group 62200 | Chefs |
Search by code, title or duties with our NOC finder, then compare the official lead statement and main duties with the work you actually did.
Work experience and the 3,120-hour rule
Full-time
30 hours a week for 24 months = 3,120 hours.
Part-time
Part-time hours can add up, and several part-time jobs can be combined.
More than one job
Full-time work at more than one job is allowed, if all of it is in the same eligible NOC.
Maximum counted
Hours above 30 a week are not counted, so overtime cannot shorten the two years.
Every period of work must pass these tests
- It was paid (wages or commission). Volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count.
- You performed the lead statement and most of the main duties of the NOC, and met its employment requirements.
- You were qualified to practise the trade in the country where you worked.
- It was not gained while you were studying. Student work does not count for FSTP.
Work in more than one country
Experience from several countries counts only where you were qualified to practise. If you were qualified in one country but worked in another with different rules, you must also have met that country's requirements.
Job offer or certificate of qualification
In addition to the work experience, you need one of these two.
A. A valid job offer
Full-time, paid work for a total of at least 1 year, in an eligible FSTP occupation. Up to two employers can make the offer: for example, two employers each offering 16 hours a week together make a valid offer, while a single 25-hour offer is not full-time. The offer must be in writing, recent, and set out the pay, deductions, duties, hours and conditions. An open work permit is not a job offer.
B. A Canadian certificate of qualification
Issued by a provincial or territorial trades authority, or a federal authority, after it assesses your training, experience and skills and you pass a certification exam. A foreign licence or trade card is not a Canadian certificate of qualification. The authority may require an in-person assessment, or Canadian experience and training through an employer.
If the province or territory where you plan to live does not issue certificates for your trade, you need a valid job offer.
Job offers: rules today, and from November 3, 2026
Rules in force until November 2, 2026: in most cases the employer must obtain a positive LMIA for the offer. For example, a new LMIA is needed if you have no work permit, are on an open work permit, or the offer is from an employer not named on your permit. If you are already working for your employer on an LMIA-based permit, the offer must be in the same three-digit NOC group as your current job. Exceptions exist for certain LMIA-exempt permit holders who have worked for the employer for at least a year.
Announced, takes effect November 3, 2026: a temporary public policy exempts candidates invited on or after November 3, 2026 from the LMIA and LMIA-exemption requirements for a job offer used for FSTP eligibility, if they meet the policy's conditions. The job offer itself is still required for FSTP eligibility (unless you hold a certificate), and an officer will assess whether it is genuine. The offer does not have to be in a high-wage occupation to count for FSTP eligibility; high-wage status matters only for CRS points.
Trades certification authorities
The authority in the province or territory where you plan to live decides trade assessment and certification, not IRCC.
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
For federally regulated trades (for example, aircraft maintenance), IRCC refers candidates to the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) to find the regulator.
Language requirements
All four abilities must meet their own minimum, on an approved test taken less than 2 years before you create the profile and before you apply. These are the lowest scores that meet CLB / NCLC 5 for speaking and listening and 4 for reading and writing:
| Approved test | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CELPIP-General | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| IELTS General Training | 5.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| PTE Core | 51 | 39 | 33 | 41 |
| TEF Canada | 226 | 181 | 121 | 181 |
| TCF Canada | 6 | 369 | 342 | 4 |
For TEF Canada, use only the "Équivalence ancien score" column. Convert other levels with our language score converter.
Education and CRS
FSTP has no education requirement and no 67-point grid. Education still adds CRS points: a Canadian credential, or a completed foreign credential with an educational credential assessment (ECA). A Canadian certificate of qualification also earns skill-transferability points (25 with CLB 5 or higher in all abilities, 50 with CLB 7 or higher in all four).
Proof of funds
You must show enough money to settle, unless you are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer.
| Family members | Minimum funds (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $15,263 |
| 2 | $19,001 |
| 3 | $23,360 |
| 4 | $28,362 |
| 5 | $32,168 |
| 6 | $36,280 |
| 7 | $40,392 |
| Each additional member | $4,112 |
The IRCC table is marked "Updated July 7, 2025" and was still current on October 18, 2026. Count yourself, your spouse or partner and all dependent children, even if they are not coming or are Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Borrowed money and property equity do not count. The bank letter must show each account's number, opening date, current balance and 6-month average balance, plus your debts.
Admissibility and where you settle
Admissibility
You and your family members must pass medical, criminal and security checks, separately from program eligibility.
Outside Quebec
Quebec selects its own skilled workers. Work in Quebec counts, but you must show you plan to live elsewhere.
Provincial nominees
If you are nominated, you must plan to live in the nominating province or territory.
Family members
Your spouse and dependent children must be declared, and may need a medical exam even if they are not coming.
How it works
- Confirm the eligible trade NOCMatch your real duties and confirm that all qualifying work is in the same eligible NOC.
- Secure the job offer or certificateGet a qualifying offer, or complete assessment and certification with the Canadian trades authority.
- Take the language test and create the profileMeet the four minimums, prepare the evidence and enter accurate information.
- Prove everything after the invitationWithin 60 days, submit your work evidence, qualification, offer or certificate, funds and the rest of the checklist.
Documents and evidence
- Reference letters showing the same trade NOC, exact dates, weekly hours, pay and duties, supported by contracts, pay or tax records where appropriate
- Proof that you were qualified to practise the trade in each country where you worked
- For the job-offer route: the written offer and the supporting LMIA or work-permit evidence that applies to your situation (or, for invitations on or after November 3, 2026, evidence meeting the temporary public policy)
- For the certificate route: the Canadian certificate of qualification
- Valid language test results
- Bank letters, or an exemption letter with proof of work authorization and the job offer
- Passport, civil-status documents, police certificates, medical exam and the other items in your personalized checklist
Important cautions
- A foreign trade licence is not a Canadian certificate of qualification.
- Work done while studying does not count.
- Hours above 30 a week do not shorten the two-year minimum.
- FSTP and the Trade occupations category are different. From February 20 to October 16, 2026, trade category rounds invited 3,000 to 3,500 candidates each, with cut-offs of 476 to 477; there were no FSTP-only rounds in that period.
Frequently asked questions
Is a job offer always required?
No. A Canadian certificate of qualification can replace it. Without a certificate, you need a valid job offer.
Is a foreign trade certificate enough?
No. It may help the Canadian authority assess you, but it is not the Canadian certificate FSTP requires.
Can I use my current job on an open work permit as the offer?
Until November 2, 2026, usually not without a new positive LMIA. For candidates invited on or after November 3, 2026, the temporary public policy removes the LMIA requirement, but the offer must still be valid and genuine.
Can I combine different trade NOCs?
No. The two years must all be in the same NOC.
Is education required?
No, but documented education adds CRS points.
Does meeting FSTP guarantee an invitation?
No. It lets you enter the pool. Invitations depend on your CRS score and the rounds IRCC holds.
Official sources
- IRCC: Federal Skilled Trades Program eligibility
- IRCC: Valid job offer
- IRCC backgrounder: Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations
- IRCC: Changes to Express Entry (November 3, 2026)
- IRCC: Language test results
- IRCC: Proof of funds
- IRCC: CRS criteria
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.