Find visa optionsFind visas
Menu

Canada · Processing time

Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST): how long does it take?

By · Last checked:

IRCC — Check processing times does not publish one fixed, route-wide end-to-end processing time that can be stated responsibly for this application route.

How long does the Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST) take to process in Canada?

IRCC — Check processing times does not publish a central processing time for this route. Use the current IRCC — Check processing times service for the responsible mission, service centre, authority or live processing-time tool before applying.

Source checked against IRCC — Check processing times on 10 September 2026.

Typical wait

Not centrally published

from complete application

Government fees

CAD 1,590 principal applicant including RPRF, plus CAD 85 biometrics; spouse/partner CAD 1,590 and dependent child CAD 270.

Last checked

10 September 2026

Reality vs official timing

Official clock
No central processing clock
Delay trigger
No fixed delay point - use route guidance
Source checked
10 September 2026

IRCC — Check processing times does not publish a central processing time. Use the current IRCC — Check processing times service for the responsible mission, service centre, authority or live processing-time tool before applying.

What is the Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST)?

Permanent residence for qualified tradespeople with a Canadian job offer or provincial certification.

The Federal Skilled Trades (FST) stream serves tradespeople in specific TEER 2-3 skilled-trades occupations. IRCC lists the eligible trade groups as Major Groups 72 (excluding 726), 73, 82, 83, 92, and 93 (excluding 932), plus Minor Group 6320 and Unit Group 62200. Applicants need 2 years of qualifying paid trade experience in the 5 years before applying, lower language scores than FSW, and either a valid full-time Canadian job offer for at least 1 year or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.

  • Sponsorship: No job offer or employer sponsor is required.
  • Settlement: This route can lead to permanent residence.
  • Typical permit length: Permanent residence.
  • Indicative government fees: CAD 1,590 principal applicant including RPRF, plus CAD 85 biometrics; spouse/partner CAD 1,590 and dependent child CAD 270.

Priority and fast-track options

The earlier range was removed after an official-source review because it was an editorial estimate, depended on a live/local queue, or combined separate appointment and decision stages.

Official source

IRCC — Check processing times

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html

Cite or reuse this dataset

This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.

Suggested citation

Visa Atlas, "Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST) processing time dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/canada/express-entry-fst. Last checked 10 September 2026.

Page
https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/canada/express-entry-fst
JSON endpoint
https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times

Primary source (1)

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST) take to process?+

IRCC — Check processing times does not publish a central processing time for this route. Use the current IRCC — Check processing times service for the responsible mission, service centre, authority or live processing-time tool before applying.

When does the Not centrally published clock start?+

Because no central processing time is published, there is no fixed start point. Contact the relevant authority once your application is submitted.

Is there a way to speed up the decision?+

The earlier range was removed after an official-source review because it was an editorial estimate, depended on a live/local queue, or combined separate appointment and decision stages.

What makes an application take longer than expected?+

The most common reasons for delays beyond the published window are: missing or incorrect documents, a request for more information (which pauses the clock until you reply), background or medical checks, and consular appointment backlogs in your country. Submitting a complete, well-organised application on day one is the single biggest thing you can do to stay inside the published window.

When should I treat my Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST) application as delayed?+

Because no central processing time is published for this route, there is no fixed point at which it counts as late. If your wait runs well beyond comparable cases, a single polite status enquiry through the official channel is reasonable. Duplicate chasing tends to slow a case rather than speed it up.

Next steps

Reviewed by , Editor and lead researcher.