Regulation 57 — Federal Skilled Worker — inadmissibility and pass mark
Text of provision
(1) Subject to subsection (3), every person who applies for a permanent resident card must make and sign the application on their own behalf.
(2) The application of a child who is 14 years of age or more but less than 18 years of age must be signed by the applicant and one of their parents unless
(a) a Canadian court has made another person responsible for the child, in which case that person must co-sign the application; or
(b) the parents are deceased, in which case the person legally responsible for the child must co-sign the application.
(3) The application of a child who is less than 14 years of age must be signed by one of their parents unless
(a) a Canadian court has made another person responsible for the child, in which case that person must sign the application; or
(b) the parents are deceased, in which case the person legally responsible for the child must sign the application.
Plain English
Regulation 57(1) provides that a foreign national is a member of the Federal Skilled Worker class if they score at or above the pass mark established by the Minister (currently 67 out of 100 on the FSW grid) and meet the minimum requirements for work experience and language. Meeting the FSW class criteria makes the person eligible to enter the Express Entry pool; it does not guarantee an invitation to apply.
Practical effect
The 67-point pass mark has been the standard since 2003. Meeting the FSW pass mark is a necessary but no longer sufficient condition for permanent residence under FSW — candidates must also receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through the Express Entry pool. The pass mark was designed as a minimum floor; the actual CRS cutoff in Express Entry draws is typically much higher. Candidates who meet the FSW minimum but have low CRS scores may wait years in the pool without receiving an ITA.