# Federal Skilled Worker visa



## maddladd (Jan 20, 2012)

Hi all, Myself and my family are planning to make the move from Ireland to Canada under the FSW visa programme. We have a few questions we hope the good folks here can help us with!

1. I will be the Principal Applicant and intend to apply as I am an electrician with over 10 years experience, I think code 7241. I am presently in college studying electrical engineering and want to work as an engineer if I get the visa. I have been told this is ok and I do not have to work as an electrician after I gain the visa, I hope this is correct? 
I assume my wife, who is a Primary school teacher can work also if we get residence?

2. Regarding the visa application, is it only the Principal Applicant that has to do the IELTS test ?

3. We are doing all the paperwork ourselves for the visa, have other people had help or paid immigration lawyers etc.? Which is better?

4. How long have people waited for their visa to be approved/processed and how long after do you have to activate it ?

5. Any other advice/help would be greatly appreciated and help/tips on jobs, thinking of heading for Vancouver, is there much work in Engineering there?


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

maddladd said:


> Hi all, Myself and my family are planning to make the move from Ireland to Canada under the FSW visa programme. We have a few questions we hope the good folks here can help us with!
> 
> 1. I will be the Principal Applicant and intend to apply as I am an electrician with over 10 years experience, I think code 7241. I am presently in college studying electrical engineering and want to work as an engineer if I get the visa. I have been told this is ok and I do not have to work as an electrician after I gain the visa, I hope this is correct?
> 
> ...


Vancouver and its environs should provide you with many job options


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Your wife has to go to Teachers College to get some extra training, they don't accept foreign educational credentials for the full 100% . See Ontario Immigration - Working as a Teacher in Ontario


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

EVHB said:


> Your wife has to go to Teachers College to get some extra training, they don't accept foreign educational credentials for the full 100% . See Ontario Immigration - Working as a Teacher in Ontario


Why would they look at Ontario Immigration when they want to go to British Columbia (Vancouver)?


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

maddladd said:


> 1. I will be the Principal Applicant and intend to apply as I am an electrician with over 10 years experience, I think code 7241. I am presently in college studying electrical engineering and want to work as an engineer if I get the visa. I have been told this is ok and I do not have to work as an electrician after I gain the visa, I hope this is correct?


Are you working as an electrician while you are at college studying? I believe the skilled worker criteria specifies that you have to be employed in said job for the 12 months preceding your application.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

For BC: Teaching In BC | Ask the Expert Blog


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## maddladd (Jan 20, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies, G-mo looked it up there it said you have to have at least one years work experience in chosen field in last 10 years so hopefully should be ok. 
I went through the wizard again and it looks like the cap has been reached until July 2012 for Federal Skilled Worker but Skilled Worker was still open, is there a difference in them and if so what is it, also would a job offer first be an easier route to go down?

Does anyone know if it would be a problem to get a work permit as a Graduate Electrical Engineer, might this be an easier route and how long on average do the permits last for ?


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

maddladd said:


> Thanks for all the replies, G-mo looked it up there it said you have to have at least one years work experience in chosen field in last 10 years so hopefully should be ok.


Hmmm... Must be LMO/TWP or NZ PR I'm thinking of! On your way...


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## Lianth2009 (May 9, 2011)

Im not sure what you are referring to with the CAP been reached, is this for your trade? Electrician is not capped

Total complete applications received since July 1, 2011


You as the prinicipal applicant have to sit the IELTS exam, your wife does not.

We did all the paperwork ourselves, and it is easy to do, rather than pay someone £1500 plus to do it. Any queries you can always ask on here, or check the CIC website, which is pretty self explanatory. Thats what we did.

Time line varies, check the CIC website for processing times

Hope this helps


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## maddladd (Jan 20, 2012)

Thanks for the link checked it out doesn't look like it's capped alright. I did the coming to Canada wizard and it told me cap was reached but maybe I did something wrong!


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