The Federal Skilled Trades Program is one of the three Federal Immigration Programs managed by Express Entry. CRS ranks interested candidates against one another and invites the most competitive candidates to submit an application for Canadian permanent residence. Requirements for FST Program, To qualify for FST, you must have at least two year of full-time work experience in a skilled trade (as well as an equivalent amount of part-time experience). Only considering work experience obtained after an applicant has been granted the certification for the profession in their country of residence, this experience must be obtained within the previous five years.