AORTrackAORTrack
PR TrackerStreamsFST
Federal Skilled Trades · Express Entry

FST after AOR: the trades route, stage by stage.

FST is the Express Entry program for eligible skilled trades. Draws are less frequent than CEC or general rounds - but once your complete eAPR is in, the post-AOR journey follows the same milestones and the same 6-month standard as the rest of Express Entry. Typical windows below.

6 monthsIRCC standard from AORTrade NOCsOnly IRCC-listed trades qualifyBoth finisheseCOPR inland · PPR + landing outland

722 tracked applicants · updated July 29, 2026

Where is my FST file?Enter your AOR date - instant estimate, nothing stored
3,000+ milestones logged by the community · your date stays on this page until you choose to track
Stage by stage

The FST timeline after AOR - typical windows

Ranges below reflect when each stage usually lands for tracked FST files. Every file differs - treat these as orientation, and the official IRCC tool as the live estimate.

FST · months after AOR (outland shown; inland runs slightly faster)722 tracked applicants · updated July 29, 2026
M1M2M3M4M5M6M7+
Biometrics letter (BIL)Instruction to give fingerprints
weeks 2–3
Biometrics completedService Canada or VAC
weeks 3–6
Medical passedPanel physician results recorded
months 2–3
Background check startsFirst “In progress”
months 2½–3½
Eligibility passedTrade certs & job offer verified
months 4–5
Final decisionApproved - portal emails or PPR
months 5–7
eCOPR / PPR + landingInland portal, or passport & port of entry
+1–4 wks after decision
PR card arrivesMailed after eCOPR / landing
+4–8 wks
Want it sharper than a range?The tracker holds what this page can't: day-precise FST medians for your stream, live cohort percentages, and honest small-sample flags.
  • Exact median days
  • Your cohort's % at each stage
  • "Next up" for your file
Open the tracker

Stage definitions summarized from IRCC. Official pages: after you apply and check your application status. Full stage explanations: our AOR-to-PR-card guide.

What shapes this stream

Three things FST applicants should know

Same post-AOR journey

After AOR, FST files move through the same milestones as FSW and CEC - biometrics, medical, background check, eligibility, decision - on essentially the same clock for the same stream.

Employer & certificate checks

Files claiming a job offer or certificate of qualification can see extra verification during eligibility. Keep offer wording, duties and your Red Seal or provincial cert consistent.

Small cohorts, honest data

FST volumes are lower, so cohort samples are smaller. The tracker always shows the n behind every number so you can judge how much weight a median deserves.

Cohort groups

What cohorts are seeing right now

FST applicants join the same AOR-month cohorts as other Express Entry streams - filter to trades inside the tracker. One live snapshot per group below.

March 2026 · InlandMajority now in background check · first decisions arriving112 trackingFebruary 2026 · OutlandMedicals clearing · background checks ramping up41 trackingFebruary 2026 · InlandDecisions flowing · about a third past final decision96 trackingJanuary 2026 · OutlandEligibility passing · first PPRs going out37 tracking
Join my AOR-month cohort
Common questions

FST timelines, answered

How long does FST take after AOR?+
The same 6-month IRCC service standard as other Express Entry programs applies from AOR. Community-tracked FST files closely mirror FSW timelines for the same stream, with decisions most commonly in months 5–7outland and slightly faster inland. The live estimate is in IRCC's Check processing times tool.
Does my trade certificate affect processing time?+
It mainly affects the eligibility stage. A clear Red Seal or provincial certification and employer letters that match your claimed NOC duties help eligibility pass without officer follow-ups - follow-ups are what add weeks.
Why are FST cohorts smaller?+
FST draws are less frequent and volumes lower, so fewer applicants per AOR month. We display sample sizes on every cohort so the medians stay honest - a median of n=9 is context, not a promise.
Do FST applicants get a PPR or an eCOPR?+
Depends on your stream: inland files finish with PR Portal emails and an eCOPR; outland files get a Passport Request, a COPR, and complete landing at a port of entry.
Free · 2 steps · no GCKey ever

Trades built this country. Track the file that proves it.

Your day count, your cohort's exact percentages, your next milestone - two minutes to set up.

Track my FST timeline
Other streams

Tracking a different pathway?

CEC trackerCanadian Experience ClassFSW trackerFederal Skilled WorkerPNP-EE trackerEnhanced nomination (+600)Atlantic (AIP)Atlantic Immigration ProgramPNP paper trackerBase / non-EE nominationSpousal · InlandInland spousal sponsorshipSpousal · OutlandOutland spousal sponsorship