# Difference



## harrisjamil (Jul 1, 2015)

Can someone explain the difference between FSWP & FSTP? What are their individual benefits and vice versa?


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Have you done an Internet search on the pros and cons?

Again, Google is your friend.


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## harrisjamil (Jul 1, 2015)

Yes - I did. Didn't quite get a concrete explanation anywhere :-/


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

You mean this page was of no help?

I found that page after a simple Google search.


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## harrisjamil (Jul 1, 2015)

I've gone through this quite a few times. I'm sorry this didn't help much. The only major difference which I noted is that one needs a job offer and the other doesn't apart from other minute differences. It doesn't elaborate the conditions/grounds on which one can decide which one to opt for and why. 

Anyways thanks for the help.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Did you even read the "definitions" of the FSTP and the FSW program?

They have _major_ differences that go far beyond the need of a job. There is a major difference in the language requirement and the types of jobs that are acceptable for each program.

I'd consider those things to be deal breakers as far as choosing which program to enter.


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## harrisjamil (Jul 1, 2015)

Yes had a look at that and having the appropriate language score - I chose to look over that information. Also for the type of job - I cannot make out the difference apart from the time spent in each. Is there anything else which I need to know. Can you please guide me?


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Unfortunately, no, I cannot guide you.

What is there to guide? I am happy to help answer questions, but am unwilling and unable to take you by the hand and do the work for you, especially as all of the information that you need is listed on the CIC website. 

Clearly you _have *not*_ read either page carefully or completely or else you would have seen this:



> Skilled work experience
> 
> Skilled Trades currently eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these major and minor groups of the NOC:
> 
> ...


Basically, if you don't meet these conditions, you _*can not*_ apply for FSTP and FSWP is the only stream that you can apply for... if it doe meet the conditions, then you can apply for either stream.


How difficult was it to figure that out?


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## harrisjamil (Jul 1, 2015)

You mention - if it does meet the condition then you can apply for either stream. - Based on what??

However I don't appreciate your tone. If you can help please do so else please refrain. The first rules of the forum says the below

Expatforum.com is an interactive site. Please treat others here the way you wish to be treated, with respect, and without insult or personal attack. 

I'm sure you wouldn't like it if someone told you the same when you were new here. I'm here to learn and understand and expect to be treated with respect - we do make mistakes and tend to overlook on certain information. It shouldn't be treated derogatorily. Thanks.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

If your occupation is in the trades that are listed on the CIC website, as indicated above, you can apply for either stream. FSWP or FSTP.... if you cannot show proof that your work experience meets the job description in the trade, then you are _ineligible_ to apply for FSTP and can only apply for FSWP

Again, it's pretty clear, in the passage that I quoted, what the criteria are for applying for FSTP and either you meet the criteria or you do not.

If you cannot show relevant work experience, then FSTP is not an option for you and you must qualify under a different stream - the CIC even says as much in that they won't accept your application if you cannot prove that your experience meets the job description. 

I should think that FSWP is more suitable for your situation - while the English language requirement is higher than the FSTP, the list of qualifying occupations is a lot broader,l which, in turn, means that the competition for the limited numbers of ITA is tougher. 

In regards to my "tone," you claim that you've done lots of reading on FSTP and FSWP, yet you "Didn't quite get a concrete explanation anywhere." (your words) yet a simple perusal of the CIC website establishes, quite definitively, what they require for each stream without having to start an application...that, in turn, would lead one to believe that you have _not_ done much reading on the two streams or have only read what you wanted to read and are possibly looking for others to do the work for you. The information that I found is on the same page as the need for a job/no job required and "minute differences" (again, your words) that you found. 

We are happy to answer your questions as the come up, if things are ambiguous, but we are not here to "guide" you through each step.


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## harrisjamil (Jul 1, 2015)

I genuinely feel this subject is ambiguous and therefore needed clarification.

If you cannot show relevant work experience, then FSTP is not an option for you .... - what if I can show relevant work experience as well? Why then should I choose FSTP over FSWP - apart from the competition factor as you mentioned?


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

I disagree with you about the ambiguity.

First off, does your employment even qualify for the Federal Skilled Trade program? It's a _very_ restrictive stream to qualify for, and you can only apply if your experience falls in the following categories.

Industrial, electrical and construction trades,
Maintenance and equipment operation trades,
Supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production,
Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators,
Chefs and cooks
Butchers and bakers.

If your job does fit into any of the above occupations _*and*_ you can provide proof _in the form of an employment letter_ that you did the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC, including all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed, then you're on your way to qualifying to apply via FSTP stream.

If your work experience doesn't fall into any of the above-noted occupations, then you are not eligible to apply for FSTP and the presumed ambiguity is moot, as you can only apply for FSWP.

O.k., so your job falls into one of the above-noted occupations. Next hurdle to cross is proving that your experience qualifies you to appply.

This is where many people stumble. They consider themselves to have experience in an eligible occupation, but since their work experience letter(s) don't show that their experience _exactly_ matches what the CIC has specified, they are unable to apply under FSTP, and must apply through FSWP.

Conversely, if you know that you qualify for both application streams (your work experience is on the FSTP list _and_ your work experience letter(s) _exactly_ match what the CIC has specified) but you struggle with English and can only score CBLT 5 on the exam (you need to convert your IELTS score into a CBLT score), then FSTP is your only option.


So, assuming that you meet all of the criteria for FSTP (occupation and work experience letter etc), the main reason why I would choose FSTP over FSWP is that the language requirement is lower in the FSTP.

.


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