Saskatchewan sents invitations to 559 skilled foreign workers

For three weeks in a row, Saskatchewan conducted provincial nomination invitation draws through their Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand PNP categories. The latest draw on October 8 distributed 559 of these invitations to skilled workers from various occupations. The candidates have 60 days to apply for their Saskatchewan provincial nomination. These provincial nominations will practically guarantee them the opportunity to be invited for Canadian permanent residency.

On September 18, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) eliminated its In-Demand Occupation List. Instead, they have begun to use an Excluded Occupation List, meaning that 218 jobs are now eligible. The October 8 draw was the third of its kind since the list was expanded three weeks ago. These past three weeks have seen 1,938 invitations drawn, with 769 drawn September 25 and 610 drawn October 2.

The candidates selected in this latest draw represented fifteen different occupations. Some of the candidates included administrative assistants, bakers, database analysts, human resource managers, and investment managers. 

Qualifying Candidates

Successful applicants are required to have at least one year of experience working in their eligible occupation, and background in studying that occupation. However, applicants do not require previous Canadian work experience or a job offer from a Saskatchewan employer to apply. They are also given a score based on the SINP’s Expression of Interest (EOI) system, which considers English or French language skills, Saskatchewan connections, and work history. 

There were 382 candidates selected from the Occupation In-Demand sub-category in the draw. Those who register through Occupation In-Demand do not need a job offer. However, they are required to have an EOI profile. Evidently, the lowest-scoring applicants from the latest draw had 69 points.  

Finally, as for the draw’s Express Entry candidates, they are selected by Saskatchewan via the federal-run Express Entry system. The system manages candidates with profiles in the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Candian Experience Class. In this draw, 231 of the 559 drawn candidates were registered through Express Entry. Each of these candidates also had a profile with the SINP’s EOI system, the lowest of which also scored 69 points. The Express Entry candidates who were selected will receive 600 points for their federal profiles, increasing their chances of being selected for the federal permanent residency draw.