Federal Skilled Worker Program: the continuous year and the 67-point grid

The Federal Skilled Worker Program: the continuous year and the 67-point grid are two separate checks for people considering Express Entry. The FSW is the Express Entry route for skilled workers whose experience was gained abroad or in Canada, as long as it forms one continuous year in one occupation. It is also where most “almost eligible” profiles stop: a 67-point grid sits in front of the pool. If you live in Québec or plan to settle there, first confirm that the federal program fits your intended destination. Based on the Regulations and IRCC’s pages reviewed on October 17, 2026.

Key takeaways

• Intended destination matters: FSW applicants must intend to live outside Québec. Québec has its own skilled-worker selection.
• Continuity matters as well as hours: the experience must be paid, skilled work in the primary occupation, in one continuous year.
• Cap the weekly calculation: hours above 30 a week are not counted, even with long shifts or overlapping jobs.
• Choose the occupation by duties: compare your real responsibilities with the NOC, not your job title.
• Separate eligibility from ranking: the 67-point grid is not the CRS score used to rank Express Entry candidates.
• Check the other requirements too: language, education, proof of funds and admissibility.

Start with the Québec question: where do you intend to live?

The FSW is a federal program managed through Express Entry, for people who intend to settle outside Québec (Regulations, s. 75(1)). People planning to settle in Québec should look at the province’s own selection instead: the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ), where candidates declare interest through Arrima and Québec invites some to apply in one of four streams.

The FSW grid and the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) do different jobs. The grid measures whether you reach the program’s eligibility threshold; the CRS ranks eligible candidates in the pool for rounds of invitations. Meeting the grid does not mean you will be invited. Think of it in sequence: meet the minimum requirements and the grid, then assess your CRS ranking, then, if invited, complete the application within 60 days.

The minimum requirements

Requirement	What it means
Work experience	At least 1 year of continuous full-time work (or the part-time equivalent) in your primary occupation, within the last 10 years, in Canada or abroad (Regulations, s. 75(2)(a))
Occupation	NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, matching the lead statement and the main duties
Hours	Hours above 30 a week are not counted (s. 80(4))
Language	CLB/NCLC 7 in all four abilities
Education	A Canadian credential, or a foreign one with an educational credential assessment (ECA) less than 5 years old
Funds	Proof of settlement funds, unless you are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer
Where you’ll live	Outside Québec (s. 75(1))

Source: IRCC’s Federal Skilled Worker Program page and the Regulations.

What makes a year of work continuous and eligible?

IRCC states that skilled work experience must be at least one year of continuous work or 1,560 hours total, at 30 hours per week. Reaching the same number of hours in scattered periods does not satisfy the continuity condition. Two jobs of 7 months and 4 months, separated by a year without work, add up to 11 months but are not one continuous year. That is the main difference with the Canadian Experience Class, where separate periods can be added together; see how IRCC counts CEC hours.

Check that the work was paid, in the primary occupation, and that the duties meet the NOC: IRCC assesses the actual work against the occupation’s lead statement and main duties, not the title on a contract. Unpaid leave, gaps between contracts, seasonal breaks and major changes in duties can affect whether a period qualifies, so map the dates and the work rather than relying on an annual total.

• Mark the start and end dates of each job.
• Record paid hours by week and identify any breaks.
• Note the occupation and main duties for each period.
• Test whether the whole period meets the continuous-work rule.

Calculate full-time-equivalent hours without double-counting

Hours above 30 in a week don’t increase the total. A steady part-time schedule can reach the full-time equivalent over a longer period: IRCC’s example of 15 hours a week for 24 months equals one year. The period must still be continuous and in the right occupation.

For a fluctuating schedule, apply the cap week by week: 20 hours one week count as 20, 40 hours the next count as 30, and a busy week cannot repair a break in continuity. For overlapping jobs, add eligible hours only up to the weekly cap and never count the same hour twice.

Keep the minimum-work test separate from the grid’s experience factor: the continuous year decides whether you meet the minimum; the grid then awards points for your qualifying years of experience under its own rules.

Match your real duties to the NOC and build a coherent record

Choose a NOC by comparing its lead statement and main duties with the work you actually did. A job title can cover very different responsibilities. If you were promoted or your duties changed, analyze the periods separately: the work may still fit the same NOC if the main duties stayed aligned.

Your evidence should tell one consistent story about dates, hours, pay, duties and continuity:

• employer letters for each job, with dates, hours, salary and duties that match the NOC you claim;
• pay records that agree with the letters;
• an ECA for each foreign credential that should count;
• a language test less than 2 years old when you create the profile and when you apply;
• bank letters for your proof of funds.

Calculate the 67-point grid factor by factor

The grid is scored out of 100, and the threshold is 67.

Factor	Maximum	How points are given
Language	28	First language: 4, 5 or 6 points per ability at CLB 7, 8 or 9+. Second language: 4 points with at least CLB 5 in all four
Education	25	Secondary 5; one-year program 15; two-year 19; three-year or more 21; two credentials, one of 3+ years, 22; master’s or licensed professional degree 23; doctorate 25 (Regulations, s. 78)
Experience	15	1 year 9; 2–3 years 11; 4–5 years 13; 6+ years 15
Age	12	12 from 18 to 35, then one point less per year, 0 at 47
Arranged employment	10	A valid job offer of at least 1 year, full time, TEER 0–3
Adaptability	10	For example: 1 year of skilled work in Canada (10); past studies in Canada, spouse’s language, studies or work, relatives in Canada (5 each)

Example 1: age 30 (12), a three-year bachelor’s degree (21), three years of experience (11) and CLB 9 in all four abilities (24) gives 68. With CLB 8 instead, language drops to 20 and the total falls to 64.

Example 2: age 38 (9), a bachelor’s degree with an ECA (21), 4 years of experience (13), CLB 8 in all four abilities (20) and an aunt in Canada (5) gives 68. Drop the aunt and the total falls to 63, below the threshold. Small factors decide close cases.

Example 3, the second language: take Example 1 with CLB 8 (64 points). If the same person adds a French test at NCLC 5 or more in all four abilities, the second official language adds 4 points: 68, above the threshold, without retaking the English test. For a French speaker in the same situation, it works the other way round with an English test.

These examples are illustrations, not assessments; use the official grid and your verified test results. The points only decide eligibility: once you are in the pool, you are ranked by your CRS score.

Check the other minimum requirements separately

67 points don’t replace the minimum requirements. Language must reach CLB/NCLC 7 in each ability, on an accepted test; that threshold is not the same as the points the grid awards. Education completed abroad needs an ECA to count. Proof of funds applies unless you are authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer, and the amounts change, so use IRCC’s current table. Admissibility and a complete application are separate questions again.

As of November 3, 2026, IRCC has changed how points are awarded for Canadian work experience and valid job offers in the CRS, and removed LMIA requirements for Express Entry job offers. An officer still assesses whether an offer is genuine when you apply for permanent residence.

After the calculation: compare the right next step

If you intend to live outside Québec and appear to meet the FSW requirements, assess your Express Entry profile and CRS ranking; our Express Entry page describes how we help. If you plan to settle in Québec, look at the PSTQ rather than treating the FSW grid as Québec’s test, and see our comparison of Express Entry and Québec selection.

Keep a worksheet with the continuous period, capped hours by week, the NOC comparison, the supporting records and each grid factor, and update it if your situation or the rules change. You can also describe your situation or book a consultation; we check the grid against your documents.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a job offer to reach 67 points?

No. Many candidates reach 67 with language, education, experience and age alone.

Does my experience have to be in the occupation I list as primary?

Yes. The continuous year must be in your primary occupation, and your duties must match its NOC description.

Can foreign work experience qualify?

Yes, if it meets the same rules for paid skilled work, occupation, duties, duration and continuity.

Can I count both English and French?

Yes. Your first official language gives up to 24 points; the second adds 4 if you have at least CLB 5 in all four abilities.

Is 67 points enough for Express Entry?

It meets the FSW grid, but it doesn’t guarantee an invitation. You must meet the other requirements, and your CRS score decides your ranking in the pool.

What if my schedule included unpaid leave or a seasonal break?

Identify the exact dates. If the break means a period is no longer continuous, look for another qualifying period rather than relying on the annual total.

Conclusion

The FSW requires two distinct calculations: whether your paid skilled work forms one continuous year, and whether your selection factors reach 67. Then check language, education, funds, admissibility and your intended destination, and keep the grid separate from your CRS ranking. For Québec residents, the place where you intend to settle is the first decision.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on November 4, 2026:

• IRCC — Federal Skilled Worker Program
• RIPR, article 75 (travailleurs qualifiés)
• RIPR, article 78 (études)