Canada's Federal Skilled Worker visa program is filling up fast - Apply now!

Canada's Federal Skilled Worker visa program is filling up fast. Those looking to emigrate should consider the Canada immigration Federal Skilled Worker program. This skilled immigration program is for people in a range of different occupations; If you have skills and experience in occupations listed on the Priority Occupation List under the Canadian skilled worker visa category you will not need sponsorship by an employer.

There is a maximum cap of 500 Federal Skilled Worker applications per eligible occupation and as of 3 January 2012, the following occupation caps have been reached:

• Biologists and Related Scientists
• Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
• Pharmacists
• Registered Nurses

As of 3 January 2012, the following occupations have a limited amount of visas remaining:

• Specialist Physicians - 53 visas left
• General Practitioners and Family Physicians - 33 visas left
• Dentists - 37 visas left
• Architects - 191 visas left
• Social Workers - 196 visas left

There are also spaces available for:

• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
• Cooks
• Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic or Carpentry Trades
• Physiotherapists
• Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
• Plumbers & Electricians
• Construction Workers
  

If you come under one of these occupations and gain enough points under the skilled worker visa category you should be able to emigrate to Canada. You can still apply under the Federal Skilled Worker visa even if your occupation is not on the list so long as your employer can prove that they cannot find a citizen or permanent resident in Canada to do the job.

Canadian Immigration uses a Priority Occupation List which is a list of occupations deemed in demand by the Canadian Government; There is an ongoing national skills shortage in a number of areas. Skilled workers are people who are selected as permanent residents based on their points score and ability to become economically established in Canada.

Skilled workers who meet the visa program's requirements which includes the requirement that you have at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent part-time paid work experience within the last ten years can apply for a visa under the Federal Skilled Worker program. Applicants also need to pass the official language proficiency test in order to apply.

If your occupation is listed on the Priority Occupation List, you are eligible for skilled migration to Canada without needing to have a job offer from a Canadian employer. In addition, processing times are quite quick; You may be able to gain entry to Canada within months of beginning the application process.

Once your application is submitted to Canadian Immigration and Citizenship, it will be processed according to the six selection factors in the skilled worker points grid, which are:

• your education
• your abilities in English and/or French
• your work experience
• your age
• whether you have arranged employment in Canada, and
• your adaptability

For the complete list of occupations on the Priority Occupation list please visit our information page.

There are many ways to immigrate to Canada. If you don't meet the criteria to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you may qualify under another category. If you would like to apply for Canada's Federal Skilled Worker program WorkPermit.com can help. WorkPermit.com is a specialist visa consultancy with over twenty years of experience dealing with visa applications. We can help with a wide range of visa applications to your country of choice. Please feel free to contact us for further details.