Express Entry, step by step

Federal Skilled Worker requirements for the French route

If you're outside Canada, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) is almost certainly your way into Express Entry. French makes you competitive, but FSW decides whether you can enter the pool at all. Check this list before you plan a year of study.

Updated November 2026 · 3 min read

The short answer

FSW needs one year of continuous, paid, skilled work (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) in the last ten years, in one occupation.
You need CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills of your first official language, a post-secondary or secondary credential (foreign ones need an ECA), and 67 points on the FSW grid.
Unless you have valid Canadian work authorisation and a qualifying offer, you must show proof of funds: CAD 15,263 for one person in the 2025 table.
French can be your first official language: if your French reaches NCLC 7 before your English reaches CLB 7, you can still qualify.

1The six minimum requirements

Requirement	Minimum
Skilled work	1 year (1,560 hours) continuous, paid, in one TEER 0–3 occupation, within the last 10 years
Language	CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills of your first official language
Education	A Canadian credential, or a foreign one with an Educational Credential Assessment
Selection grid	67 out of 100 points
Proof of funds	Per family size; exempt with a valid job offer and work authorisation in Canada
Admissibility	Medical, security and criminality checks; intent to live outside Quebec

2Work experience: the rules that trip people up

Continuous means without a gap in that job; it can be one employer or several in the same occupation.
Full time is 30 hours a week; part time counts proportionally (for example 15 hours a week for two years).
Paid work only: volunteering and unpaid internships don't count.
Your duties must match the lead statement and most main duties of a TEER 0–3 NOC code. The job title matters less than what you did. See why NOC matching is central.
Experience gained while a full-time student usually doesn't count toward FSW.

3The 67-point FSW grid

Factor	Max points	Typical example
Language (first + second)	28	CLB 9 English = 24; NCLC 5+ French adds 4
Education	25	Bachelor's = 21; master's = 23
Work experience	15	1 year = 9; 6+ years = 15
Age	12	18–35 = 12; minus 1 per year to 0 at 47
Arranged employment	10	Qualifying Canadian offer
Adaptability	10	Spouse's language, Canadian study or work, relatives in Canada

This grid only decides FSW eligibility. Your rank in the pool is decided by the separate CRS score.

A 30-year-old with a bachelor's, two years of experience and CLB 7 English scores 12 + 21 + 11 + 16 = 60, short of 67. Add NCLC 5 French (4 points) and CLB 9 English (+8): 72. French helps here too.

4First official language: English or French

The CLB 7 minimum applies to whichever language you declare first. Most English speakers declare English first and French second. But if your French reaches NCLC 7 in all four skills while your English is weaker, declaring French first lets you qualify, and English at CLB 5+ still earns the full 50-point bonus. See first or second official language.

5Proof of funds

FSW applicants must show settlement funds unless they're authorised to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. In the table IRCC published in July 2025, the minimum was CAD 15,263 for one person and CAD 28,362 for a family of four. Funds must be available, unencumbered and held over time. Details in proof of funds.

6Common eligibility mistakes

Assuming a job title qualifies without checking the NOC duties.
Counting work before your credential when the occupation requires it, or work as a student.
Using an English test that expires before your PR application is submitted.
Forgetting that the ECA must be from a designated organisation and is valid for five years.
Including a non-accompanying spouse's details incorrectly, which can change both the grid and CRS.

Not sure yet? Read check eligibility first, or start French first? before investing in French.

7Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for FSW without a job offer?+

Yes. A job offer isn't required for FSW. It can add up to 10 points on the 67-point grid and exempts you from proof of funds if you're also authorised to work in Canada, but it no longer adds CRS points.

What is the minimum language level for FSW?+

CLB 7 (or NCLC 7 if French is your first official language) in all four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Does FSW require a degree?+

You need at least a secondary credential. Foreign credentials need an ECA. In practice most competitive candidates have a post-secondary credential, because education points count in both the FSW grid and CRS.

Keep reading

Check Express Entry eligibility first, or start French first?A 20-minute self-check, what to fix if you're not eligible yet, and how to run both tracks.Why NOC matching is the core of your applicationHow NOC codes and TEER levels decide whether your experience counts, and how to choose a code.Express Entry proof of funds: amounts and rulesSettlement funds by family size, who's exempt, what counts, and the bank letter IRCC expects.ECA: how early to start and which organisation to chooseWhat an ECA does, WES and the other designated bodies, timing, and mistakes that delay it.

Turn the method into points

Practise with levelled TCF Canada questions and full mock exams built for NCLC 7, with an explanation for every answer.