What is a Skilled Worker Visa?
Categories: Immigration, Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker Visa is the most popular way for people to immigrate to Canada independently. You do not need family sponsorship or a job offer to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa.
Skilled Worker Visas are designed to attract the skilled workers that the Canadian economy needs. While most immigrants still arrive in Ontario, more and more newcomers are calling Alberta home. Alberta offers Skilled Worker Visa applicants more job opportunities than other provinces, making it an ideal choice for immigration.
How do I Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa?
The Skilled Worker Visa program uses a points system to assess applicants. You must score 67 points to apply.
You can earn points from a variety of factors, including education, work experience and suitability to life in Canada. While not necessary to apply, it is possible to score bonus points for having a job offer in Canada, among other factors.
Before you can score 67 points and file an application, you must meet a few minimum requirements:
- You must have at least a full continuous year of paid work experience, or the equivalent of one year in part-time work.
- Your work experience must be in a managerial, professional, technical or skilled field. Low-skilled workers will not be successful.
- Your work experience must have been within the last 10 years.
How much does it cost to apply?
The application fee for a Skilled Worker Visa is CAD $1040 per adult applicant. If you are successful, each adult on the application will have to pay the Right of Permanent Residence fee of CAD $490.
You will also have to pay for your medical tests, police clearance and language tests (if applicable) as part of your application. These fees vary depending on where you live and will be in your local currency.
How long does it take?
Unfortunately, the Skilled Worker Visa can take a long time for Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to process. The processing time ranges anywhere from 6 months to 71 months. Shorter processing times tend to be in North America, South America and the Caribbean. Longer processing times are in the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and Africa. Europe and Asia have processing times between 24 and 48 months.
Where do I apply?
Usually, you must submit your application in the country where you are a legal, habitual resident. This means it may not be possible to submit your application in a country you are visiting, working in temporarily, or in illegally.
Further information can be found in the Skilled Worker Visa application kit.
Where can I find the Skilled Worker Visa Application Kit?
You can find the Skilled Worker Visa application kit online at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website. Here is the Skilled Worker Visa Application Kit from CIC.
You can also find more information on the CIC website under Skilled Workers and Professionals.
10 Responses on “What is a Skilled Worker Visa?”
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I have applied for a PostDoctoral Fellowship programme in Manitoba and I have got Skilled Worker (W-1 Visa) Visa, valid till 31 December 2009. But, unfortunately, I couldn’t use the Visa to enter in to Canada. But, right now I am interested in working in Canada. Kindly let me know whether I can make use of the visa?
Hello Dr Thayumanavan,
You should have a reference number from your previous skilled worker visa grant. You can use this number to enquire about your visa status with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to find out if your visa is still valid for entry to Canada. If your visa is still valid, you should be able to enter Canada. However, it is best to check with CIC.
How to contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada
A Skilled Worker Visa grants permanent residence. With permanent residence you can study and work in Manitoba without limits. (Unless you were sponsored on a Provincial nominee program from another province, in which case you may have limits as to where you can live and work.)
Hi ,My name is Gurwinder Singh ,I m basically From India and now i am studying in New Zealand ,i have done computer engineering from India and In New Zealand i am doing Level6 National Diploma In computing
I would like to know if I could apply for a Canadian permanent residency in .I have worked as a sales professional and an IT Business Analyst with a total of 3yrs experience.
However,I have had a break as I had to further my education.I hold a work permit in one of the EU Countries, and have not worked for the past 8 months since I completed my studies.I would like to relocate to Canada but I need to know what is meant by “You must have at least a full continuous year of paid work experience, or the equivalent of one year in part-time work”.Do I qualify for a permanent residency?
Note:I have studied the point system and seem to have more than the required 67 points but I need you to throw more lights on the above quotation.
I m on work permit working in Canada B.C as a goldsmith i have applied for permanent residence from bufflo on 27th march 2008 but i did not got file number till now i wants to know what i should do
I am a Nepalese Citizen holder Stay in Self finance Student status in Australia Sydney, but i want to apply in canada as a skilled worker category(Permanent Residence), My querri about where and How should i submit my application?
Hi, I ve done my M.Sc. in Geograghy and after that Ive passed LLB here in Pakistan. I am practicing as a Lawyer here at Lahore, Pakistan for more than 5 years now I want to reside in Canada parmanantly. can I apply as a skilled worker and what the scope is for me?
hi
i am gurpreet kaur basically from india but now studying in uk . i applied for skilled visa of canada . i got my file nuber . but now i got my requirement from canadian embassy . i want to know afterthis what gunna to happen
I would like to know if it is true that the canadian embassy in Mexico is no longer processing any skilled worker applications to immigrate to Canada, because thats what someone on the phone told me in the embassy here in Mexico. I am not very clear on that because that is not what the website states.
Also, how much is what the Canadian government considers as sufficient funds to immigrate?
Can anyone help me, please?
Many thanks, in advance.
hi, im working here in alberta for almost a year as 3413 - Health care aide,in NOC….i have 5 years experience only as a registered nurse.am i qualified to aply for permanent resident as skilled worker?