Federal Skilled Trades Express Entry Draws - Full History & CRS Cut-Offs

A Federal Skilled Trades round invites candidates who are eligible under the Federal Skilled Trades Program specifically. It is a program-specific round, not a category-based one, and it is separate from the trade-occupation category rounds.

The difference matters. The trades category filters the existing pool by occupation; the Federal Skilled Trades Program is one of the three federal programs that put you in the pool to begin with. This page counts the program rounds only.

Since these rounds began, IRCC has held 7 Federal Skilled Trades draws, issuing 3,055 invitations in total.

All Federal Skilled Trades draw results

When is the next Federal Skilled Trades draw?

IRCC has not run one of these rounds since August 6, 2020, about 2,236 days ago. On the pattern before that they came far more often, so this round type looks paused rather than delayed against a schedule IRCC never published.

Projection from past rounds, not an IRCC dateWhile these rounds were running, the gap between them averaged about 202 days across the last 6 rounds (Nov 1, 2017 – Aug 6, 2020). IRCC has shifted the balance between round types more than once, and it neither announces rounds in advance nor confirms when a round type has ended, so no meaningful next date can be projected from this history.

Federal Skilled Trades draw history by year

Rounds held, invitations issued, and the range of CRS cut-offs within each year.

What changed for Federal Skilled Trades draws

Is a Federal Skilled Trades draw your route?

Who qualifies for Federal Skilled Trades draws?

IRCC has run these rounds rarely. The program has a narrow eligibility test: in particular the job offer or certificate of qualification requirement, so the pool of candidates who actually qualify stays small, and there is usually little reason to run a round dedicated to them.

• At least 2 years of full-time work experience, or 3,120 hours in total, in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply.
• Either a valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year, or a certificate of qualification in your skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
• Experience in one of these NOC groups: Major Groups 72 (excluding 726), 73, 82, 83, 92 or 93 (excluding 932), Minor Group 6320, or Unit Group 62200.
• Minimum language scores of CLB 5 in speaking and listening, and CLB 4 in reading and writing, from an approved English or French test.

There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, though education still earns CRS points. The job offer or certificate of qualification is the requirement most candidates find hardest to meet.

How to be considered in a Federal Skilled Trades draw

1. 1

   Count your trade experience

   You need at least 2 years of full-time work, or 3,120 hours in total, in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply.

2. 2

   Line up a job offer or a certificate of qualification

   This is the requirement that stops most people. You need either a full-time job offer covering at least a year, or a certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.

3. 3

   Check that your trade is in an eligible NOC group

   The program covers specific NOC groups rather than any trade, so confirm yours is included before building a plan around it.

4. 4

   Meet the language minimums and create your profile

   Take an approved test and reach at least CLB 5 in speaking and listening, and CLB 4 in reading and writing. Then create your Express Entry profile so you are in the pool when a round runs.

Every Express Entry draw type we track

IRCC runs several different kinds of round. Each one below has its own cut-off history, its own rhythm, and its own rules about who is even in the running.

• HC Healthcare-category draws Category-based round
• FR French-language draws Category-based round
• CEC Canadian Experience Class draws Program-specific round
• PNP PNP draws Program-specific round
• ST STEM-category draws Category-based round
• TR Trades-category draws Category-based round
• EE General (all-program) draws All-program round
• MD Physician-category draws Category-based round
• SM Senior-manager draws Category-based round
• RS Researcher-category draws Category-based round
• CAF Skilled-military-recruit draws Category-based round
• ED Education-category draws Category-based round
• TP Transport-category draws Category-based round
• AG Agriculture and agri-food draws Category-based round
• ALL Full draw history (every round) Every Express Entry round since 2015