Who can apply as a Federal Skilled Worker: Six selection factors

It’s very important to be able to communicate in 1 or both of Canada’s official languages. Knowing English, French or both helps you in the Canadian job market.

You can get up to 28 points for your language skills in English and French. We’ll give you points based on your ability to:

Language testing

You must take an approved language test to prove your language levels.

To measure your English or French levels, we use:

• Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English
• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for French

You must get a minimum level of CLB 7 or NCLC 7 for 1 official language in all 4 language areas. To get points for the second official language, you must meet the minimum level of CLB 5 or NCLC 5 in all 4 language areas.

Once you take the language test, you can use it to see exactly how many points we’ll give you for the language selection factor.

Find out more about language testing and how to get tested.

Calculate your language points

First official language (maximum 24 points)

Check the table below and add the points that match your skill level:

Second official language (maximum 4 points)

You can get 4 points only if you have a score of at least CLB 5 in each of the 4 language abilities.

Education (maximum 25 points)

If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:

• secondary institution (high school) or
• post-secondary institution

If you have foreign education, you must have:

• an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for immigration purposes from a designated organization showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
  • secondary institution (high school) or
  • post-secondary institution

  You must include your Canadian credential or your foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment report when you apply.

  • How to read your report and calculate your points for education

  Work experience (maximum 15 points)

  You can get points for the number of years you’ve spent doing full-time paid work (at least 30 hours per week, or an equal amount of part-time [15 hours per week for 24 months]) in a skilled occupation listed in Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC).

  To get selection factor points, your work experience will count if it was:

  • in Canada or abroad
  • while you were studying
  • while being self-employed

  Finding your National Occupational Classification

  The NOC is a list of all the occupations in the Canadian labour market and is used to classify jobs in the Canadian economy. It describes duties, skills, talents and work settings for different jobs.

  You will need to identify the “NOC code” for each job that you want to include in your Express Entry profile. Find your NOC to find the information that best matches each of your past jobs.

  You’ll need this information again, so make sure to save it.

  If the description and list of main duties match what you did at your job(s), you can count this experience for points.

  Use this chart to find the number of points based on your number of years of experience.

  Experience	Maximum 15 points
  1 year	9
  2-3 years	11
  4-5 years	13
  6 or more years	15

  Age (maximum 12 points)

  You’ll get points based on your age on the day we get your application.

  Age	Points
  Under 18	0
  18-35	12
  36	11
  37	10
  38	9
  39	8
  40	7
  41	6
  42	5
  43	4
  44	3
  45	2
  46	1
  47 and older	0

  Arranged employment in Canada (maximum 10 points)

  You can get points if you have a job offer of at least 1 year from a Canadian employer. You must get the job offer before you apply to come to Canada as a Federal Skilled Worker.

  • for continuous, paid, full-time work (minimum of 30 hours/week) that is:
    • not seasonal
    • for at least 1 year

    We must be convinced that:

    • you’re able to do the job offered to you
    • you’ll be able to become licensed or certified when in Canada (if the occupation is regulated in Canada)

    To get 10 points for a valid job offer, 1 of these situations must also apply.

    Situation 1

    You currently work in Canada on a work permit and you meet all of the following conditions:

    • Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued (or you’re allowed to work in Canada without a work permit when your visa is issued).
    • We issued your work permit based on a positive labour market impact assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada in an occupation listed in TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the NOC.
    • You’re working for an employer named on your work permit.
    • That employer has made a valid job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

    Situation 2

    You currently work in Canada in a job that is exempt from the LMIA requirement because of 1 of the following:

    • an international agreement (such as, the North American Free Trade Agreement) or
    • significant benefit to Canadian interests or
    • a federal-provincial agreement

    You must also meet all of the following conditions:

    • Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued (or you’re allowed to work in Canada without a permit when your permanent resident visa is issued).
    • Your current employer has made a valid job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker.
    • You are currently working for the employer specified on your work permit.
    • You have been working for that employer for at least 1 year, continuous full-time or part-time equivalent.

    Situation 3

    You must meet all of the following conditions:

    • You currently don’t have a work permit, or don’t plan to work in Canada before you get a permanent resident visa.
    • An employer has a LMIA.
    • That employer has made you a valid job offer based on that LMIA and on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

    Situation 4

    You must meet all of the following conditions:

    • You have a valid work permit or are allowed to work in Canada without a work permit.
    • You’re currently working in Canada in a job that is exempt from a LMIA, but it is not under an international, federal-provincial agreement or because of significant benefit to Canadian interests.
    • An employer other than the one you are currently working for:
      • has a LMIA
      • has made you a valid job offer based on that LMIA and on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

      LMIAs and valid job offers

      • You can’t get a LMIA (your employer must do this for you).
      • Employment and Social Development Canada will only confirm valid job offers for occupations listed in TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the NOC.

      Adaptability (maximum 10 points)

      You and your spouse or common-law partner who will immigrate with you to Canada can earn points for adaptability.

      You and your spouse can earn a maximum of 10 points by combining any of the elements below. These elements assess how well you and your spouse are likely to settle in Canada.

      Your spouse or common-law partner has a language level in either English or French at CLB 4 level or higher in all 4 language abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

      To get these points, you must submit your spouse or common-law partner’s test results from an approved agency when you apply. The language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.

      You completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada.

      Full-time study means at least 15 hours of classes per week. You must have stayed in good academic standing (as set out by the school) during that time.

      Your spouse or common-law partner completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada.

      Full-time study means at least 15 hours of classes per week, and your spouse or partner must have stayed in good academic standing (as set out by the school) during that time.

      You did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada:

      1. In a job listed in TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the NOC
      2. And, with a valid work permit, or while authorized to work in Canada

      Your spouse or partner did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada on a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada.

      You earned points for having arranged employment.

      You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have a relative who is:

      • living in Canada
      • 18 years or older and
      • a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

      This relative must be a:

      • parent
      • grandparent
      • child
      • grandchild
      • your or your spouse’s sibling (child of your or your spouse’s parent)
      • your or your spouse’s aunt or uncle (by blood or marriage)
      • your or your spouse’s niece or nephew (grandchild of your or your spouse’s parent)