Who's eligible
You must:
- meet the minimum rules for an Express Entry program (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker or Federal Skilled Trades)
- have at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) within the past 3 years
- in a single occupation from the list below, in Canada or abroad
- meet any other requirements in the instructions for that round
The experience doesn't need to be continuous.
Eligible trade occupations
| Occupation | NOC | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Construction estimators | 22303 | 2 |
| Construction managers | 70010 | 0 |
| Home building and renovation managers | 70011 | 0 |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 | 2 |
| Sheet metal workers | 72102 | 2 |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 | 2 |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 | 2 |
| Industrial electricians | 72201 | 2 |
| Plumbers | 72300 | 2 |
| Gas fitters | 72302 | 2 |
| Carpenters | 72310 | 2 |
| Cabinetmakers | 72311 | 2 |
| Bricklayers | 72320 | 2 |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | 2 |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 | 2 |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | 2 |
| Electrical mechanics | 72422 | 2 |
| Water well drillers | 72501 | 2 |
| Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 | 2 |
| Concrete finishers | 73100 | 3 |
| Roofers and shinglers | 73110 | 3 |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 73112 | 3 |
| Floor covering installers | 73113 | 3 |
| Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 | 2 |
| Butchers - retail and wholesale | 63201 | 3 |
Category draws vs the Federal Skilled Trades Program
They're different things:
- The trades category is a way IRCC chooses who to invite. You can be in it through any Express Entry program.
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program is one of the programs. It needs 2 years of trade experience in the last 5 years and a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification.
Many trades workers already in Canada qualify through the Canadian Experience Class instead.
Trades workers in BC
BC also invites construction trades workers through the BC PNP Skilled Worker stream in its "Build" draws. See recent rounds on our BC PNP draws page.