In 2025, Carney’s liberals have promised massive infrastructure investments, even as they’ve made cuts to both temporary and permanent residence (PR) programs that would provide skilled workers.

In Budget 2025, the government promised investments in infrastructure, including roads, pipelines, and ports, as well as residential housing.

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Given the ongoing shortage of skilled tradespeople and construction workers, and Canada’s recent decline in population, this raises the question: Where will Canada find the workers to build this housing and infrastructure?

Carney’s building program and Budget 2025 highlight an opportunity for tradespeople and construction workers to gain a foothold in the Canadian labour market.

Foreign nationals looking to build a life in Canada as skilled tradespeople can take advantage of two routes to gain legal work authorization: work permits and PR pathways.

Work permits: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

To obtain a work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), a foreign national must submit an application with a job offer from an employer with a positive or neutral labour market impact assessment (LMIA).

Other than being qualified for the job and obtaining an LMIA-support job offer, a foreign national need only meet Canada’s general admissibility requirements, such as not having a criminal record, burdensome health conditions, or posing a risk to national security or public safety.

As of the time of writing, for an employer to obtain an LMIA, the job must either

Permanent residence

Category-based draws through Express Entry

Foreign nationals eligible for an Express Entry-managed immigration program have an advantage if they meet the work experience requirement for one of the trades eligible for the Trade occupations category-based draw.

The following occupations are eligible for Trade occupation draws:

Occupation2021 NOC code

Bricklayers72320

Cabinetmakers72311

Carpenters72310

Concrete finishers73100

Construction estimators22303

Construction managers70010

Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics72400

Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services82021

Cooks63200

Electrical mechanics72422

Electricians (except industrial and power system)72200

Floor covering installers73113

Gas fitters72302

Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics72402

Heavy-duty equipment mechanics72401

Home building and renovation managers70011

Industrial electricians72201

Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors72100

Other technical trades and related occupations72999

Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)73112

Plumbers72300

Roofers and shinglers73110

Sheet metal workers72102

Water well drillers72501

Welders and related machine operators72106

*Occupations that were added to Canada’s Trades occupations category based selection list in 2025 have been bolded.

Most foreign nationals will qualify for Express Entry by meeting the requirements for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). Some may qualify through the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), which requires either a certificate of qualification, or a valid job offer.

The main requirements consist of meeting the minimums for work experience, education, and official language proficiency. Foreign nationals outside Canada who don’t qualify for the CEC will also need to have adequate settlement funds.

To qualify for the Trade category, they’ll need at least six months full-time (or equivalent part-time) continuous work experience in a single eligible occupation within the past three years.

They must also meet Canada’s general admissibility requirements, and not have an inadmissible family member.

Provincial Nominee Programs

Trades is an in-demand sector among many of Canada’s provinces and territories.

To meet labour market needs, many provinces and territories have launched streams or pathways specifically for skilled trades workers.

Some examples are:

Overall, PNPs can offer tradespeople a more direct route to PR—especially if they have a job offer, or ties to a specific province or territory.

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