Canadian Work Visas: Applying from the UK

To obtain a work permit, you must have financial resources, be in good health, not have engaged in criminal activity, and are not coming to Canada to work for an employer listed in the ineligible list.

You can apply from the UK or a Canadian port of entry, though it’s better to apply from the UK and get a decision notice before travelling to Canada. If you are applying from the UK, you should have an employment offer from an employer in Canada and meet the requirements of that job offer.

If you wish to apply for a work permit from a port of entry, you should be eligible to enter Canada with a simple Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). This is open to British citizens.  Also, you should have met the requirements before going to the port of entry; for example, open work permit applicants must have a job offer first.

This is a program under International Experience Canada (IEC). It allows a temporary foreign worker who wants to travel in Canada to get temporary employment that can last up to 24 months. Young professionals applying for IEC can only apply once. Please note that only British citizens including those from the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey can apply for this route. Other agreements are available for other nations, but it’s recommended that you confirm what applies.

The Working Holiday Visas are temporary work permits that apply to British citizens between 18 and 35 who have a minimum of CAD$2,500 and health insurance covering them for CAD$100,000 throughout their stay in Canada.

Applicants must have a valid passport that covers the length of their intended time in Canada, a round trip or departure ticket or funds to cover the departure ticket, and not be accompanied by dependents.

Each eligible country has an annual quota, and the IRCC releases the dates for the first and final rounds of invitation to apply. For assistance with a Working Holiday Visa, get in touch with us by calling +44 (0) 333 305 9375. We can help you with gathering supporting documentation, making an application and checking documents.

To work in Canada after you graduate, you should get a Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP). International Students from the UK who graduated from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) after studying in an eligible program can apply for this Canada Work Visa.

A PGWP work permit holder can work with any employer in Canada full time or part-time. You can only apply for a PGWP within 180 days after getting your degree, diploma, transcript, or school official letter.

Applicants should have been full-time students at a DLI for at least 8 months. Also, their course of study must qualify; those who studied English or French as a second language or took general interest or self-improvement courses do not qualify.

For more information on the requirements and application process for those in the UK, visit this page. Also, we can help you acquire this work permit. Call us on +1 844 312 4979 today.

Meeting the Initial Programme Requirements (Skilled Workers)

Before your Express Entry ranking score becomes relevant, you must meet an eligible programme’s requirements. Criteria can include work experience, language ability, education and, in some cases, a qualifying job offer or trade certification.

• The Federal Skilled Worker Program uses a 67-point eligibility threshold.
• The Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades Program have their own requirements and do not use this scoring grid.

Federal Skilled Worker Points: The Eligibility Test

The Federal Skilled Worker selection test awards up to 100 points across six factors. You need at least 67 points, as well as meeting the programme’s minimum requirements.

These are eligibility points for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Job offers no longer earn additional points under the separate Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

Examples of How to Reach the Eligibility Threshold for Federal Skilled Worker Programme

An applicant aged 30 with an assessed bachelor’s degree, four years of qualifying experience and CLB 9 in all four first-language abilities could score 70 points (3 points above the eligibility threshold). This means you would meet the points requirement, provided you also meet the programme’s other requirements. Your score would be calculated as:

• 12 points for age + 21 points for education + 13 points for experience + 24 points for language = 70

If you are an applicant aged 22 with an assessed bachelor’s degree, have CLB 9 in all four first-language abilities but have just one year of qualifying work experience, you would score 66. You would need to make up the shortfall of 1 point to meet the eligibility threshold.

• 12 points for age + 21 points for education + 9 points for experience + 24 points for language = 66

To reach the threshold, you could have a qualifying second official language (+4 points), obtain a qualifying Canadian job offer (+10 points for arranged employment and a further +5 adaptability points, subject to the 10-point adaptability cap), or earn other adaptability points. In this example, a qualifying job offer would increase your total from 66 to 81.

For example, an accompanying spouse or common-law partner with approved language-test results equivalent to at least CLB 4 in all four abilities could earn you 5 adaptability points. Qualifying previous study or work in Canada, or an eligible relative living in Canada, may also earn adaptability points.

If you cannot meet the score through these routes, you could gain further qualifying experience or qualifications. In this example, reaching two years of qualifying work experience would increase your total to 68, while an assessed master’s degree would also increase it to 68. Improving your first-language results beyond CLB 9 would not increase your score under this eligibility test, as you already have the maximum 24 points for that factor.

Stronger language results, additional qualifying experience, higher assessed qualifications or eligible employment and adaptability factors may increase your score, up to each factor’s maximum. An approved language test is required even if English is your first language.

Reaching 67 points does not mean you have enough points to receive an invitation. It means you meet the Federal Skilled Worker points threshold. Once eligible, you are assessed under the separate Express Entry ranking system.

If you have worked in Canada before or currently work in Canada, you may be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class immigration route. Like the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Immigration Class (CEC) is one of the immigration programs that the Canadian government manages through the Express Entry system. Through the CEC, skilled workers with Canadian work experience can obtain permanent residence and work in Canada without restrictions.

Canadian Experience Class: The Eligibility Requirements

The Canadian Experience Class does not use the 67-point eligibility test. Instead, you must meet requirements including:

• Canadian work experience: At least one year of paid, authorised skilled work in Canada within the three years before you apply, or the equivalent in part-time work. Your experience must be in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation and match the relevant job duties. Work gained while studying full-time and most self-employment do not count.
• Language ability: Approved English or French test results equivalent to at least CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 occupations, or CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 occupations, in all four abilities.
• Other requirements: You must be admissible to Canada and plan to live outside Quebec.

You do not need a job offer or a minimum educational qualification, although qualifying education can improve your Express Entry ranking score.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is another immigration route managed under the Express Entry platform. Through this route, foreign skilled workers in the UK who are qualified in eligible skilled trades may become Canadian permanent residents. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada requires applicants to meet the minimum requirements for language ability, work experience, job, education, and funds to be granted permanent residence through this program.

Unlike some other Canadian immigration programs, applicants must have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a certificate of qualification in their skilled trade from a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority to be eligible for the FSTP.

Federal Skilled Trades Program: The Eligibility Requirements

You must meet requirements including:

• Skilled trade experience: At least two years of paid, full-time experience, or the equivalent in part-time work, within the five years before you apply. This must be in an eligible skilled trade, gained where you were qualified to practise, and meet the relevant occupational requirements.
• Job offer or certification: Either a qualifying Canadian job offer of full-time employment for at least one year, or a certificate of qualification in your trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
• Language ability: Approved English or French test results equivalent to at least CLB 5 for speaking and listening, and CLB 4 for reading and writing.
• Other requirements: You must be admissible to Canada, plan to live outside Quebec and show sufficient settlement funds unless exempt.

There is no minimum education requirement. Meeting these requirements allows you to qualify for the programme, but receiving an invitation still depends on the separate Express Entry selection process. You may also need to visit the province you plan to settle in to be assessed for your trade. You can read more on the requirements and application process for those in the UK on our Federal Skilled Trades Program page.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program allows applicants under these NOC groups to work in Canada:

• Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades
• Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades
• Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
• Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
• Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks
• Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers

Although there is no education requirement, candidates can improve their rank in the Express Entry pool if they have a diploma, certificate, or degree from a Canadian institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution based on an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Those applying from the UK must prove that they have enough money to support themselves and their accompanying family members.

If you are looking to acquire a Canadian work permit, this is a great route because it doesn’t only grant work authorisation but also permanent residency, which in a few years can enable you to obtain Canadian citizenship. For assistance with applying for this program, call 0333 305 9375.

Example Point Calculations for CRS (Express Entry)

Different point values apply when you have an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, whose qualifications may also contribute to your score. For example, an applicant aged 29 with no accompanying partner, an assessed bachelor’s degree, three years of qualifying foreign work experience and CLB 9 in all four English abilities could score 429 CRS points, assuming no other points:

• 110 for age + 120 for education + 124 for language + 75 for skill transferability = 429.

With an assessed master’s degree instead, the same applicant could score 469 points, because both their education and skill-transferability points increase. These are illustrative calculations, rather than invitation thresholds.

What Score Do You Need for an Invitation?

There is no single CRS score that guarantees selection. Each round has its own cut-off, based on the candidates eligible for that round and the number of invitations issued.

• General rounds consider candidates eligible for any of the three Express Entry programmes.
• Programme-specific rounds consider only candidates eligible for the specified programme, such as the Canadian Experience Class.
• Category-based rounds consider candidates who also meet the selected category’s requirements, such as particular language skills or occupational experience. A trades-category round is not necessarily restricted to Federal Skilled Trades Program applicants.

For context, the Canadian Experience Class round on 29 September 2026 had a cut-off of 518 points. This shows why meeting the programme’s minimum requirements—or scoring over 400—may still leave you below an invitation threshold. Other round types can have substantially different cut-offs.

An eligible Express Entry provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points. Job offers no longer receive additional CRS points, although they can still matter for programme eligibility. Neither a CRS score nor an invitation gives you permission to start working. You need separate work authorisation until you become a permanent resident.

Our advisers can assess both your programme eligibility and your position in the Express Entry pool, helping you understand whether temporary work or a direct permanent residence application better fits your plans.

If you have a province in mind, you may want to explore the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). With PNP, provinces and territories of Canada can nominate applicants for permanent residence. If you are nominated, you may be invited to apply for permanent residence.

Each province and territory has its own immigration programs. They are called streams, and they target certain groups. For example, a province may target business people in a program stream and students in another.

Most provinces have streams for skilled workers, semi-skilled workers, and business people. We have explained the streams and requirements for the different provinces and territories on our Provincial Nominee Program page.

Note that the Provincial Nominee Program is different from Quebec’s immigration programs. Unlike the other provinces, Quebec manages its immigration systems, and it has its own programs.

For assistance with a Provincial Nominee Program, call us on +1 844 312 4979 or contact us online.

As the name implies, the Self-Employed Persons Program is for those who intend to come to Canada to establish a business that will, at minimum, create employment for themselves. This route isn’t for anyone.

The Canadian government specifically designed the Self-Employed Persons Program for those in the cultural and athletics sectors. Applicants must have self-employment experience of about two one-year periods doing cultural activities or athletics locally or performing them at a world-class level.

Applicants must also intend to contribute significantly to Canada’s cultural or athletic life. In addition, you must earn enough points in the Self-Employed Persons Program selection criteria, which awards points for education, proficiency in English or French, work experience, age and adaptability factors.

Also, you must have enough money to support yourself and your family upon arrival in Canada. See our Self Employed Persons Program page for more information on the requirements for applicants in the UK.

If you want to work in Canada using this program, give us a call 0333 305 9375. We can help you.

When applying for any of the Federal Canadian visas, you must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. If you plan to live in Quebec, you can’t obtain a work permit or permanent residence through a federal program; rather, you must apply for a Quebec immigration program.

Quebec has a skilled worker program that allows foreign workers to immigrate to Canada to settle in Quebec. To apply, you must hold a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec – CSQ). The Government of Quebec provides that to show that its holder has been accepted as an immigrant by Quebec.

You are to apply to the Government of Quebec to obtain a Selection Certificate. If the province of Quebec gives you a CSQ, you can then apply to the IRCC for permanent residence.

The application process for permanent residence through the Quebec-selected Skilled Workers program is about the same as the Express Entry Programs. You get the application package, fill the forms, pay the application fees, obtain police certificates and a medical exam, and submit the forms, receipts and documents via mail or the online portal.

Quebec also has a Self-Employed Program. Applicants must have at least two years of experience in their occupation (not limited to athletic or cultural activities), have a minimum net worth of $100,000, and meet the other requirements.

For assistance with the Quebec-selected skilled worker or self-employed program, call 0333 305 9375 today.