For many years now, Canada has been facing a significant shortage of skilled tradespeople. More and more Canadian youth are pursuing higher education, but the focus has been toward college and university rather than encouraging them to pursue careers in the trades.

Also with Canada’s ageing population many of our experienced tradespeople are now retiring and a considerable shortage of tradespeople has developed. 

In order to address Canada’s current and impending shortage in the skilled trades, on January 2, 2013, Canada’s Minister of Immigration introduced the new Federal Skilled Trades Class.

Not all trades are eligible for an application under this new Federal Skilled Trades category.

In order facilitate speedy processing times, the Skilled Trades Class will accept no more than 3,000 applications in its first year of operation from January 2, 2013, to January 1, 2014.

In order to be considered a member of the Federal Skilled Trades Class, you must:

• Satisfy the language proficiency requirements.

• Show that you have acquired at least two years of full-time work experience (or equivalent part-time work experience), within the past five years.

• Meet the specified employer requirements of your skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification description.

• Have an offer of employment from a Canadian employer for at least one year of full-time work in your skilled trade or have a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade from a Canadian provincial or territorial apprenticeship body

If you do not meet these specific requirements, your application will be refused. You want to be very careful in evaluating your language ability and work experience in order to ensure you meet and will pass the test for acceptance in the Federal Skilled Trades Class. 

Canada Countdown is written by Nick Noorani and Catherine Sas QC. It is available for download online from www.canadacountdown.ca.