Federal skilled worker

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 Canada uses the Express Entry application management system for three skilled worker programs including the FSWP. If you have not lived in Canada before and are not a skilled trades professional, the FSWP will be your best Express Entry option. First, you need to see if you are eligible under the FSWP's criteria. Then, you submit an Express Entry profile. You will receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on factors such as your age, education, language skills, and work experience. Usually every two weeks, the Canadian government holds Express Entry draws inviting the candidates with the highest CRS scores to apply for permanent residence. After submitting your completed application, you can expect to receive your permanent residence status within six months and then move to Canada. 

In order to be eligible to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, potential candidates must meet the minimum requirements for work, language ability, education and obtain at least 67 points under the program's 100-point grid.

 The minimum requirements are:

• One year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation classified under the  National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A or B; 
• Validated language ability equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French across all abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking); and
• Canadian educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) or foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report. 
• Get at least 67 out of 100 points on the FSWP grid. The program's grid assesses candidates based on factors that include age, education, work experience, arranged employment, language ability, and adaptability.
• Meet the settlement funds criteria (if applicable). Candidates may need to demonstrate they have a certain amount of savings to support themselves financially upon arriving to Canada.

How to Improve your CRS Score

• Language
• Language is an area where you can often improve your score. This is because you can gain points for having language abilities above the minimum requirements. For example, the Federal Skilled Worker program requires only CLB 7 (all abilities) but it is possible to get more points for successively increasing the score for each ability, up to CLB 10. 
• Education
•  You can improve your initial education score by obtaining additional credentials, for example completing another degree, or by obtaining additional Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) for existing degrees. 
• Spouse/Partner as a Principal Applicant
•  Sometimes a main applicant’s CRS score may, in fact, be lower than that of their accompanying partner. In such cases, it may be advisable for a spouse or common-law partner to be the principal applicant. 
• Work Experience
•  Obtaining additional work experience or better documenting current work experience may both help increase a candidate’s CRS score. 
• Proactively Prepare for an ITA or Provincial Nomination
•  You might only have a CRS score of 299, but a provincial nomination could suddenly increase your score by 600 points, making an ITA in the next Express Entry invitation round all but guaranteed.