As part of applying for a Canadian Skilled Worker Visa, you must score at least 67 points on the Canadian points system. This points system is split into six sections, Education, Language Proficiency, Work Experience, Age, Pre-arranged Employment and Adaptability. Each section has a maximum number of points that are awarded depending on the answers given.

Education – Points are given based on your level of education and how many years you have studied or been in full-time education for. This section will award between 5 and 25 points based on your education, with secondary school education being awarded 5 points and 25 points being given for those with a Masters Degree or PhD.

Language Proficiency – This section will award points for language skills in both English and French and consists of four key areas, speaking, listening, reading and writing. A maximum of 16 points will be awarded for the individuals first chosen language and a maximum of 8 points for the second. The candidate must select whether their proficiency is high, moderate, basic or none for each subcategory. Individuals who were not born in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand or Ireland will be required to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.

Work Experience – Points will be given for the number of years the individual has been in full-time paid work for. The type of work must be listed on the Canadian NOC (National Occupational Classification) list and be classified as skill type 0 or skill level A/B. There is a maximum of 21 points in this section.

Age – Applicants are awarded points for their age; a maximum of 10 points are awarded for those who are between 21 and 49, with two points being deducted for each year outside this range. Applicants under the age of 17 and older than 53 will score no points.

Pre-arranged Employment – It is not required to have a specific job offer in Canada, but an applicant will gain an extra 10 points if a job offer is in place.

Adaptability – As a part of the Skilled Worker Visa application form, the individual will be awarded additional points for a range of factors linked to them and their family’s ability to adapt to living in Canada. A spouse will be awarded extra points for their education and work experience skills and a further 5 points will be given if they have a relative who is a Canadian Citizen or has permanent residence in Canada.