Headline

What To Know About Canada’s New Federal Skilled Trades Program Offering Permanent Residency

Published

9 months ago

March 14, 2025

Canada has introduced new eligibility requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), an immigration pathway under the Express Entry system.

The updated criteria outline essential conditions that skilled trades workers must meet to qualify for permanent residency in Canada.

Overview of Canada’s Federal Skilled Trades Program
The FSTP is designed to attract skilled trades professionals from around the world to fill labor shortages in various industries.

This immigration stream allows tradespeople to apply for permanent residency based on their experience in eligible sectors.

Updated Eligibility Criteria for 2025

Starting in March 2025, applicants must meet the following eight eligibility requirements:

1. Eligible Skilled Trade Sectors
Candidates must have work experience in one of the following sectors:

Construction (e.g., electricians, plumbers, welders, carpenters)
Transportation (e.g., truck drivers, mechanics)
Manufacturing & Industrial Trades (e.g., machine operators, tool and die makers)
Natural Resources & Agriculture (e.g., forestry, oil and gas trades)

2. Skilled Trades Work Experience
Applicants must:

Have at least two years of full-time work experience (or 3,120 hours in total) in a skilled trade within the last five years.
Perform duties listed under the National Occupational Classification (NOC), specifically Major Groups 72, 73, 82, 83, 92, or 93 (excluding Sub-Major Groups 726 and 932), Minor Group 6320, and Unit Group 62200.
Meet all job requirements specified under the NOC.
Have been paid for their work (unpaid or volunteer experience is not considered).
Be qualified to practice in the country where they gained their experience.

3. Job Offer or Certificate of Qualification
Applicants must provide one of the following:

A valid, full-time job offer (for at least one year) from a Canadian employer, or
A certificate of qualification issued by a provincial, territorial, or federal authority in Canada.
Note: Certification requirements vary by province and territory. Some applicants may need to travel to Canada for assessment or secure an employer for additional training. It is advisable to check trade certification details on the governing body’s website of the intended province or territory.

4. Language Proficiency
Candidates must take an approved language test in English or French and meet the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) scores in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

5. Education Requirements
While no formal education is required to apply for FSTP, having an educational credential can improve an applicant’s ranking in the Express Entry pool.

6. Proof of Funds
Applicants must demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to settle in Canada unless:

They are already legally working in Canada, or
They have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.

7. Admissibility Criteria
Applicants must meet Canadian immigration laws, ensuring they:

Do not have a criminal record or pose security risks.
Do not have medical conditions that could render them ineligible.

8. Residency Requirement
Applicants must intend to live outside Quebec, as the province of Quebec selects its skilled workers through a separate immigration program.

Headline

12 Die, 30 Missing In Peru Landslide

Published

15 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

At least 12 people, including three children, died in a landslide at a river port in central Peru on Monday, and 30 were reported missing, officials said.

The landslide submerged a boat with about 50 passengers on board, and another with none, as they were docked at the port of Iparia in the Amazon jungle region of Ucayali, according to a police report cited by the Andina news agency.

Six people were injured, it added, and a search and rescue operation was underway at the start of the Peruvian rainy season.

Without giving a toll, Peru’s COEN national emergency operations centre said on X that tragedy struck at dawn due to “erosion” of the bank of the Ucayali river.

It said the navy has been called in to help.

AFP

Headline

Nigeria Grants Asylum To Guinea-Bissau Opposition Candidate

Published

15 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian embassy in Guinea-Bissau has granted asylum to Fernando Dias da Costa, the country’s opposition presidential candidate, following alleged threats to his life after last week’s military coup, The Cable Reports.

The coup was announced by military officers on Wednesday, just days after Guinea-Bissau’s presidential election in which both incumbent President Umaro Embaló and his main challenger, da Costa, claimed victory before official results were released.

Nigeria condemned the takeover and urged an immediate return to constitutional order.

In a letter to the President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Omar Touray, dated November 30, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said President Bola Tinubu had approved asylum and protection for da Costa inside the Nigerian embassy in Bissau.

Tuggar wrote that the decision was made “in response to threats made against da Costa’s life.”

“In this regard, it would be appreciated if you would kindly mandate the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau to provide him protection and security while in the premises of the Nigerian embassy,” the letter stated.

The foreign affairs minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, confirmed the letter’s authenticity to The Cable on Monday.

He said, “The decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to grant asylum and provide protection to Fernando Dia Da Costa falls squarely within Nigeria’s sovereign responsibility and longstanding commitment to regional peace, stability, and democratic governance.”

He added that Nigeria acted “in the broader interest of de-escalation,” saying the government had exercised its discretion “to prevent further deterioration of tensions and to promote social cohesion in Guinea-Bissau and the wider West African sub-region.”

According to Abdulkadir, the intervention aligns with ECOWAS principles and reflects Nigeria’s role as a stabilising force in West Africa.

Following the coup, ECOWAS held an emergency virtual summit of heads of state and subsequently suspended Guinea-Bissau from the regional bloc until constitutional order is restored.

Headline

Trump To Attend FIFA World Cup Finals Draw On Friday

Published

15 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The White House on Monday confirmed US President Donald Trump would attend the draw for the FIFA World Cup finals in Washington later this week.

The United States will co-host the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.

“On Friday, President Trump will attend the FIFA World Cup final draw at the Kennedy Centre,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Trump has made the World Cup a centrepiece event of both his second presidency and the 250th anniversary of US independence next year.

But the giant sporting extravaganza has not escaped the political turmoil caused by Trump’s hardline stance on a host of issues.

Trump, a Republican, has raised the possibility of moving games from some US host cities amid a crackdown on what he says is crime and illegal migration in some Democratic-run areas.

AFP