Professions / Construction and building trades / Canada
Construction and building trades
to Canada.
Construction is one of the sectors the skilled trades program covers.
What the official sources say
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Skilled trades sectors under the Federal Skilled Trades Program include construction, transportation, manufacturing and industrial, and natural resources and agriculture. You will need an apprenticeship for most trades.
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You need at least 2 years (3,120 hours) of paid full-time work in the trade within the last 5 years, and either a valid job offer of at least a year or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
Checked against the official pages on 8 November 2026. Rules change, so JO confirms the current position before you rely on it.
What this page does not tell you
Which occupation code your job maps to, whether it is currently eligible, and how many points or what score you would need. Those depend on your exact duties and on lists and thresholds that change, so JO confirms them for your case rather than guessing here.
The usual steps
- 01
Document your trade history
Employer letters, payslips, certificates and photos of work build your case.
- 02
Get your trade recognised
Each country has a trade-assessment route, and some trades also need a licence.
- 03
Prove your English
The level needed is often lower for trades, but the test is still required.
- 04
Choose the pathway
Trade-specific routes exist. JO shows which suit your trade.
Next step
Find out where
you stand.
The readiness check is free and takes about eight minutes.