Backgrounder - Minimum requirements for temporary foreign workers

Temporary foreign workers must meet the following minimum requirements:

• two years of skilled, professional or technical work experience;
• language abilities appropriate to occupational skill level.

Requirements are based on a pass/fail model. In other words, if the minimum requirements are met, the applicant is eligible. There is no point system as with the federal Skilled Worker Program.

Work experience

Applicants are required to accumulate, in the three years prior to an application, at least two years of work experience at Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Levels A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Language abilities in English or French

Applicants with managerial or professional experience (Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A) must demonstrate they meet the requirements for Canadian Language Benchmark 7. If the work experience is classified at Skill Level B, applicants must demonstrate they meet the requirements for Canadian Language Benchmark 5.

Who does not qualify

Applicants do not meet the minimum requirements if:

• their work experience in Canada is not classified as 0, A or B under the NOC list;
• they do not have at least two years of Canadian work experience;
• they have not demonstrated the necessary language skills, depending on skill level.