There are several paths through which you can migrate to Canada and become permanent resident. The most common path is through the Canada express entry route. Also, you can go through the student route or the startup visa route. If you are considering the express entry route and you have a low CRS score, your best bet will be through the Provincial Nominee Program. Each province and territory has its own program. So, you will need to check each program’s requirements. You can start with reading about the Nova Scotia Immigration Nominee Program and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program. This article will focus on the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program for International Skilled Worker.
1. The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program
The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) is a way to immigrate to Canada. Through the SINP, the Province of Saskatchewan:
- Invites residency applications from non-Canadians who want to make Saskatchewan their home
- Nominates successful applicants to the federal government for permanent residency in Canada
The SINP is only one of the steps toward becoming a permanent resident in Saskatchewan. Therefore, all approved applicants must also apply for residency through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Canadian Immigration Commission.
1.1 Benefits Of The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program
- Competitive application processing times
- Assistance from provincial immigration officers who can explain requirements
The Government of Saskatchewan makes the final choice on SINP nominations. When successful candidates apply for permanent resident status with IRCC, they will be identified as SINP nominees.
You can apply to the SINP if you meet the program criteria. So, be sure to complete accurate applications and provide valid documentation.
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1.2 Who is not eligible to apply?
The following cannot apply:
- Refugee claimants in Canada who are claiming refugee status from the Government of Canada.
- Anyone living illegally in their country of residence or in Canada.
- Anyone who has had a removal order issued against them by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or Canada Border Services Agency.
- Those who are prohibited from entering Canada.
Also, you may not be eligible for immigration to Canada if:
- You or any dependent family member do not meet IRCC’s requirements related to health and criminality. This applies even if your dependent is not included in your immigration application.
- there is unresolved custody or child support disputes affecting any member of your family.
- You and/or your representative were not truthful in the application.
- You were unable to prove that you intend to live and work in Saskatchewan.
2. How to Apply For The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program
- International Skilled Worker: for skilled workers who want to work and live in Saskatchewan.
- Saskatchewan Experience: for foreign nationals who already live and work in Saskatchewan.
- Entrepreneur and Farm: for those who plan to start a business or buy and operate a farm in Saskatchewan.
As I stated above, this article will focus on the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program for International Skilled Worker. There will be separate articles to address the other two programs.
2.1 The International Skilled Worker Application
Through this category, the SINP can nominate skilled workers who want to live and work in Saskatchewan. As a potential applicant, you will need to meet the SINP criteria and have factors that will help you settle successfully in Saskatchewan. This includes but not limited to: education, skilled work experience, and English or French Language ability.
You need a minimum score of 60 points out of 100 to apply under a SINP International Skilled Worker (ISW) sub-category.
- If you have an employment offer and meet the eligibility requirements, please see International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer for more information.
- For applicant with an Express Entry profile number who meets the eligibility criteria below, see International Skilled Worker: Saskatchewan Express Entry for more information.
- If you meet the eligibility criteria below, but do not have an employment offer or an Express Entry profile number, please see International Skilled Worker: Occupations In-Demand for more information.
The following areas are used to determine whether you qualify for an International Skilled Worker sub-category. Points that you claim will be confirmed using your submitted documents. You may only claim points once for each section.
Please view the “Required Documents” section for your sub-category to see a list of all documents needed.
| I: LABOUR MARKET SUCCESS | |
| A: EDUCATION AND TRAINING | |
| Master’s or Doctorate degree, Canadian equivalency | 23 |
| Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year degree program at a university or college | 20 |
| Trade certification equivalent to journeyperson status in Saskatchewan | 20 |
| Canadian equivalency Diploma that requires two but less than three years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other formal post-secondary institution | 15 |
| Canadian equivalency Certificate or at least two semesters but less than a two year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other formal post-secondary institution | 12 |
B: SKILLED WORK EXPERIENCE
|
|
| a) In the 5 year period prior to application submission date | |
| 5 years | 10 |
| 4 years | 8 |
| 3 years | 6 |
| 2 years | 4 |
| 1 year | 2 |
| b) In the 6-10 year period prior to application submission date | |
| 5 years | 5 |
| 4 years | 4 |
| 3 years | 3 |
| 2 years | 2 |
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| C: LANGUAGE ABILITY | |
| Check IRCC’s website to convert your IELTS, CELPIP or TEF scores to CLB 4 through 10. | |
| CLB 8 and higher | 20 |
| CLB 7 | 18 |
| CLB 6 | 16 |
| CLB 5 | 14 |
| CLB 4 | 12 |
| English or French speaker without language test results | 0 |
| D: AGE | |
| < 18 years | 0 |
| 18 – 21 years | 8 |
| 22 – 34 years | 12 |
| 35 – 45 years | 10 |
| 46 – 50 years | 8 |
| > 50 years | 0 |
| MAXIMUM POINTS FOR FACTOR I | 70 |
| II: CONNECTION TO SASKATCHEWAN LABOUR MARKET & ADAPTABILITY
Points are available for having a strong connection to the Saskatchewan labour market. This shows a genuine intent and ability to successfully settle and economically establish in Saskatchewan as a permanent resident. |
|
| The following points are for the Employment Offer subcategory only: | |
| High skilled employment offer from a Saskatchewan employer | 30 |
| The following points are for the Occupation In-Demand and Saskatchewan Express Entry subcategories only | |
| Close family relative in Saskatchewan (The applicant or accompanying spouse has a family relative that is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Saskatchewan. This includes: parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin and step-family members or in-laws of the same relationships. The family members in Saskatchewan must meet the requirements as listed under “Required Documents” for your ISW sub-category) |
20 |
| Past work experience in Saskatchewan (A minimum of at least 12 months of work in the past five years on a valid work permit) |
5 |
| Past student experience in Saskatchewan (A minimum of one full-time academic year of study at a recognized Saskatchewan post-secondary education institution on a valid study permit) |
5 |
| MAXIMUM POINTS FOR FACTOR II | 30 |
| MAXIMUM POINTS TOTAL: I + II = | 100 |
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2.1.1 International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer
This sub-category is for skilled workers who:
- Have a job offer for a skilled occupation in Saskatchewan; and
- Meet the criteria of the sub-category. Criteria can change at any time, but we’ll use what was on this website when we received your complete application.
Eligibility
You may qualify for this sub-category if you live outside Canada or have proof of legal status in Canada, are not a refugee claimant and:
- Score a minimum of 60 points out of 100 on the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) point assessment grid;
- Have at least one-year work experience in the past 10 years in your intended occupation;
- Have a language score of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4.
- Employers and regulatory bodies may ask for language scores that are higher than CLB 4;
- Show proof of eligibility for Saskatchewan licensure. if your intended occupation is in a regulated profession or compulsory apprenticeship trade;
- You will need this as part of your SINP application. To see if your intended occupation is regulated in Saskatchewan, go to Regulated Occupations and Licensing Requirements.
- Have an offer of permanent, full-time employment in Saskatchewan. You will need a valid SINP Job Approval Letter to show proof of this. There is no specific list of jobs. However, your offer needs to be in an occupation in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Matrix level “A”, “B” or “0”, or in a designated trade in Saskatchewan.
- Food and Beverage Servers/Persons should apply under the Hospitality Sector Project sub-category. Health Professionals should apply under the Health Professionals sub-category.
The program criteria can change at any time. So, continue to review the criteria on the official website.
The federal government sets the amount of nominations the SINP can make every year. No application is guaranteed to be accepted and/or nominated.
Who Can’t Apply through the International Skilled Worker – Employment Offer Sub-Category
The following can’t apply through this sub-category:
- Refugee claimants in Canada who are claiming refugee status from the Government of Canada
- Health professionals (you must apply to the SINP Health Professional sub-category)
- Food and Beverage Servers/Persons (you must apply under the Hospitality Sector Project sub-category)
Also, if any of these are true, you may not be eligible for nomination by the SINP:
- You didn’t submit documentation that the SINP asked for;
- You were unable to prove that you intend to live and work in Saskatchewan; and
- You and or your representative have intentionally misrepresented yourselves in the application.
Assessment Rating
You will need to score at least 60 out of 100 points on the point assessment grid to be considered for nomination by the SINP.
Points are awarded based on the following five factors:
- Education and training;
- Skilled work experience;
- Language ability;
- Age; and
- Connection(s) and adaptability to the Saskatchewan labour market.
Be sure to provide documents to prove that you’re eligible and meet the five factors above. For example, if you claim 20 points for having a university degree, you must attach a copy of your university degree and complete transcripts. If your degree is printed in a language other than English or French, you must also attach a translated version.
How to Apply
- Follow the guidelines for the Application Process to learn how to apply.
- Be sure to complete, scan and submit all of your Required Documents to the SINP as part of your complete application.
Applications that are submitted where documents are missing or not translated will be considered incomplete and the application will be closed. If your application is closed, you will be sent a letter and advised to reapply at a later date with a complete application.
2.1.2 International Skilled Worker: Saskatchewan Express Entry
This sub-category is for skilled workers who:
- Want to live and work in Saskatchewan;
- Are in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Express Entry Pool; and
- Meet the sub-category criteria. Criteria can change at any time, but we’ll use what was on this website when we received your complete application.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this sub-category, you must be accepted into IRCC’s Express Entry pool and pay a non-refundable $350 application fee online by Visa or Mastercard. It is the last step required in order to submit your application.
You may qualify for this sub-category if you live outside Canada or have proof of legal status in Canada. Also, if you are not a refugee claimant and:
- Have a valid Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Code;
- Score a minimum of 60 points out of 100 on the SINP point assessment grid;
- Have a language test result that meets the federal Express Entry language requirements. Visit IRCC to convert IELTS, CELPIP, TEF and TCF scores to CLB 5 to 9+.
- Have completed post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship that’s comparable to the Canadian education system of at least one year in length. You must have earned a diploma, certificate or degree.
- For all education obtained outside Canada, such as an academic or technical degree, diploma or certificate, you must submit an educational credential assessment (ECA) from a designated organization, as per IRCC’s list of approved organizations.
- Individuals who have completed trades or vocational training as part of their high school education are not required to submit an ECA, but must instead apply for Saskatchewan licensure. For additional information on working in Saskatchewan in a trade, regulated or non-regulated occupation, please visit Regulated Occupations and Licensing Requirements.
- Have experience in an occupation that is high skilled and not on the Excluded Occupation List. Please see Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry Occupation Requirements for more information regarding eligible occupations.
- The minimum required work experience in your high skilled occupation is:
- For skilled professionals (not tradespeople): one year work experience in the past 10 years; or
- For skilled tradespeople: two years work experience in a skilled trade in the past five years; or
- One year work experience in Canada in the past three years (skilled tradespeople and skilled professionals).
- The minimum required work experience in your high skilled occupation is:
- Your above work experience must be in the field of your completed post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship. This education must be comparable to the Canadian education system of at least one year in length.
- Your work experience must be directly related to your occupation and education. Your intended occupation is the occupation you select for your application.
- Please refer to SINP Requirements Related to Professional Status or Licensure to see if your occupation requires specific SINP education requirements.
- You may be required to provide proof of Professional Status or proof of eligibility for Licensure (for regulated occupations or those with professional certification standards in Canada and/or Saskatchewan) for your occupation.
- Please see Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry Occupation Requirements for these requirements. If you need to provide this proof, the government will process your application until you provide this proof. Do not provide licensure documents unless asked to provide them by SINP staff.
- You must include all other required documents in your application. Missing documents will result in your incomplete application being returned. You will not receive a refund of your application fee.
- Have proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan.
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The program criteria can change at any time. So, continue to review the criteria on the official website.
How to Apply
To apply for this sub-category, you must submit an Expression of Interest. If you successfully submit an EOI, you will be entered into the EOI pool of eligible candidates. Not all candidates who submit an International Skilled Worker EOI will be invited to apply to the SINP.
The points scores associated with an EOI profile will determine the likelihood of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Those with high scores within the pool of candidates will have a greater chance of being invited to apply. Once you are invited to apply, you will be required to provide proof to support the EOI points that you claimed. To remain eligible for a nomination you must meet the minimum points of the EOI Selection through which you received your ITA.
If there are grounds to believe that an applicant and/or their representative have provided false information on an EOI profile or application to increase their points score, then our Program Integrity Unity (PIU) will undertake an investigation for misrepresentation. If misrepresentation is found to have taken place then the applicant may be suspended from using the SINP for two years (or more, in the case of a repeat offence).
When you receive an ITA, you must pay a non-refundable $350 application fee online. It is the last step required in order to submit your complete application.
What is an International Skilled Worker Expression of Interest (EOI)?
An International Skilled Worker EOI is not an application to the SINP. It is a pre-application process which allows candidates to fill in an online form. This is to indicate your interest in applying to the SINP and demonstrate their qualifications.
For more information, please visit International Skilled Worker EOI System.
Please note that not all candidates who submit an EOI will be invited to apply to the SINP. There are no limits on the number of candidates who can submit an EOI, however, candidates can only have one EOI profile.
For assistance on how to create your EOI profile, please see the EOI OASIS Guide.
Who Can’t Apply Through the Saskatchewan Express Entry Sub-Category?
The following can’t apply through this sub-category:
- Refugee claimants in Canada who are claiming refugee status from the Government of Canada.
- Those not accepted into the Express Entry pool.
Also, if any of these are true, you may not be eligible for nomination by the SINP:
- You didn’t submit documentation that the SINP asked for;
- if you were unable to prove that you intend to live and work in Saskatchewan; and,
- You and or your representative have intentionally misrepresented yourselves in the application.
Assessment Rating
You will need to score at least 60 out of 100 points on the Point Assessment Grid.
You will receive points based on the following five factors:
- Education and training;
- Skilled work experience;
- Language ability;
- Age and connection(s) and adaptability to the Saskatchewan labour market.
So, be sure to provide documents to prove that you are eligible and meet the five factors above. For example, if you claim 20 points for having a university degree, you must attach a copy of your university degree and complete transcripts. If your degree is in a language other than English or French, you must also attach a translation.
After You Receive ITA
After receiving your Invitation to Apply through the Expression of Interest system, you must:
- Follow the guidelines for the Application Process to learn how to apply.
- Be sure to complete, scan and submit all of your Required Documents as part of your complete application.
- Refer to the SINP Important Words and Definitions to be sure you understand what is required.
Applications that are submitted where documents are missing or not translated will be considered incomplete. In addition, the application will be closed. If your application is closed, you will be sent a letter and advised to reapply at a later date with a complete application.
NOTE: If you are successful in receiving a nomination from the SINP, IRCC will process most complete applications that have all supporting documents in 6 months or less.
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2.1.3 International Skilled Worker: Occupation In-Demand
This sub-category is for skilled workers who:
- Don’t have a job offer in Saskatchewan but are highly skilled in an in-demand occupation.
- Meet the criteria. Criteria can change at any time, but we will use what was on this website when we first got your application.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, you must pay a non-refundable $350 application fee online by Visa or Mastercard. It is the last step in order to submit your application.
You may qualify if:
- You live outside of Canada or have proof of legal status in Canada
- Are not a refugee claimant
- Score a minimum of 60 points out of 100 on the SINP point assessment grid
- Have a language score of at least 4 – Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4
- Some employers may ask for language scores that are higher than CLB 4
- Have completed post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship that’s comparable to that in Canada
- Have earned a diploma, certificate or degree
- For education outside of Canada, you must submit an educational credential assessment (ECA) from a designated organization (See IRCC’s list of approved organizations)
- Individuals who have completed trades or job training as part of their high school education must instead apply for Saskatchewan licensure
- Have work experience that is high skilled and not on the Excluded Occupation List
- You must have a minimum of one year of full-time (minimum 30 hours per week) paid work experience in a skilled occupation over the past 10 years related to your field of education. Your work experience must be in a high skilled occupation (NOC “0”, “A” or “B”) that is in-demand in Saskatchewan at the time of your application. Please see Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry Occupation Requirements for more information.
- Your work experience must be related to your occupation and education
- See SINP Requirements Related to Professional Status or Licensure for more information
- You may need to provide proof of Professional Status or of eligibility for Licensure
- See Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry Occupation Requirements for more information
- You must include all required documents in your application. Missing documents will result in your incomplete application being returned. Your application fee will not be refunded.
- Have proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan. Settlement organizations can help you out.
How to Apply
To apply for this sub-category, you must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). If you successfully submit an EOI, you will be entered into the EOI pool of eligible candidates. However, not all candidates who submit an EOI will be invited to apply to the SINP.
The points scores associated with an EOI profile will determine the likelihood of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Those with high scores within the pool of candidates will have a greater chance of being invited to apply. Once you are invited to apply, you will be required to provide proof to support the EOI points that you claimed. To remain eligible for a nomination you must meet the minimum points of the EOI Selection through which you received your ITA.
Also, if there are grounds to believe that an applicant and/or their representative have provided false information to increase their points score, then the Program Integrity Unity (PIU) will undertake an investigation for misrepresentation. If misrepresentation is found to have taken place then the applicant may be suspended from using the SINP for two years (or more, in the case of a repeat offence).
What is an International Skilled Worker Expression of Interest (EOI)?
An International Skilled Worker EOI is not an application to the SINP. This is a pre-application process which allows candidates to fill out a form to indicate their interest in applying to the SINP.
Not all candidates who submit an International Skilled Worker EOI will be invited to apply to the SINP. There are no limits on the number of candidates who can submit an EOI. Candidates can only have one EOI profile.
For assistance on how to create your EOI profile, please see the EOI OASIS Guide.
Who can’t apply through International Skilled Worker Category: Occupation In-Demand?
Refugee claimants in Canada claiming refugee status from the Government of Canada cannot apply.
The applicant may not be eligible if any of the following situations is true:
- You failed to submit documentation as requested by SINP
- if you failed to show that your intent to live and work in Saskatchewan is genuine
- Your representative or you have not been truthful in the application
Assessment Rating
You must score a minimum of 60 points out of 100 points on the Point Assessment Grid to be considered for nomination.
You will receive points on the basis of five factors:
- Education and training
- Skilled work experience
- Language ability
- Age and connections to the Saskatchewan (job market and family)
In addition, you must attach documents to support the eligibility criteria and points factors. For example, if you claim 20 points for having a university degree, you must attach a copy of your university degree and complete transcripts. If your degree is in a language other than English or French, you must also attach a translation.
After Your Receive ITA
After you receive an Invitation to Apply through the Expression of Interest system:
- Follow the guidelines for the Application Process
- Complete, scan and submit all of your Required Documents
- So, refer to the SINP Important Words and Definitions to understand what is needed
Applications submitted with missing documents or are not translated will be closed. Therefore, if your application is closed, you will be sent a letter and asked to reapply.
Please note: If you are successful in receiving a nomination from the SINP, IRCC will process applications in 6 months or less.
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3. What to Do After You Apply For The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program
Once you submit your application, there is nothing much you can do. However, you will find below some things that you should expect.
- After you apply, the Saskatchewan government will review your application to make sure it is complete.
- You will get a letter telling you if your application is not complete. If this happens, you will need to re-apply and submit a new application.
- The government will continue to review complete applications and they may ask for more documentation. Please note that you will be given a time limit to send this.
- If the government receives the information they asked for, they will continue to process the application. Otherwise, your application will be ineligible.
4. Recommendation and Final Decision
- Once the government checks all the information in the applications, you will receive a recommendation on nomination.
- The recommendation will then be reviewed, and a final decision made. The decision will be one of the following:
- Approved: You will receive a nomination package with information on next steps. The applicant will have to apply to IRCC within six months of nomination.
- Ineligible applications: You will receive a letter to notify you of this. The applicant may ask for a secondary review.
- Misrepresentation: If they believe the application is not truthful, they will stop processing it until after the investigation. You will receive a “procedural fairness letter” with details. Afterwards, you will then be to send in evidence that you didn’t commit misrepresentation.
READ ALSO: STEPS TO ASSESS YOUR FOREIGN CREDENTIAL AS A SOCIAL WORKER
For more information on the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program for International Skilled Worker, click here.
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