By admin (September 7, 2024)

Saskatchewan Announces Two New PNP Streams for Skilled Immigrants

Saskatchewan Announces Two New PNP Streams for Skilled Immigrants for newcomers in health care and agriculture under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program effective August 30. These routes have been pursued to deal with labour shortages.

Jeremy Harrison, Immigration and Career Training Minister of Saskatchewan, has made it amply clear that the new pathways are only a reflection of the province aligning its immigration policies according to present needs. He said, “With labour shortages from coast to coast, new immigration pathways and expedited credential recognition will help Saskatchewan employers find the workers they need to grow.

The Agriculture Talent Pathway is developed to respond to the rising labour demand within agriculture. Agriculture is one of the drivers in the Saskatchewan economy, higher than 3 Billion of the key crop products exported in 2023.

The Health Talent Pathway supports Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resource (HHR) action plan by making health care recruitment easier into one stream via the SINP.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Agriculture Talent Pathway

To be eligible under this stream, candidates must demonstrate the following:

• A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4, employers or regulators may require higher scores

• Completion of secondary school or higher education.

• At least one year of continuous full-time work experience in the past three years in the applicant’s intended occupation in Saskatchewan.

• at least six months (780 hours) of continuous full-time work experience with the employer providing the Job Approval Letter. 

• The work experience shall have been continuous and need not be with the same employer.

• Attest to their intent and need to work and reside in Saskatchewan.

• An offer for permanent, full-time employment in Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry.

• A valid SINP Job Approval Letter from an employer registered with SINP.

2. Health Talent Pathway

Eligibility for the Health Talent Pathway depends on whether or not the candidates are in the federal Express Entry pool. The common criteria include:

• Eligibility for licensure in Saskatchewan, in case their job requires a license.

• Post-secondary education related to the job offered. 
• This may involve a master’s or bachelor’s degree, or it could even be a diploma with no less than two years of study.

• A commitment to work and reside in Saskatchewan.

For those applicants not eligible in the Express Entry pool, the following is also required:

• At least a language score of CLB 5 in English and/or French, although some employers or regulators may allow higher language scores.

• At least six months (780 hours) of continuous paid full-time work experience in Saskatchewan for the same employer who provided the Job Approval Letter.

• at least one year of continuous paid full-time work experience in their NOC within the last five years if not currently working for their supporting employer for at least six months.

Requirements for Express Entry candidates:

• A valid Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Code.

• A language score of at least CLB 7 in either English or French. 

• At least one year of high-skilled work experience in their intended occupation in the past five years if applying from outside Canada or past two years if applying from inside Canada.

About the SINP

In 2023, 7,350 newcomers came to Saskatchewan through the SINP and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 8,000 nominations to the province in 2024. Saskatchewan is expecting almost 20,000 newcomers by the end of 2025 as the nomination allocation increases to 8,500.

Saskatchewan is also becoming an attractive destination for new immigrants due to its lower cost of living and lower provincial tax rates. Some programs, like the Graduate Retention Program, make it much easier to stay on after higher education-it can refund up to $20,000 in tuition for eligible graduates, including international students that live and work in the province.