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The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has announced that it is adding 279 new occupations to its Existing Work Permit stream, effective immediately. This means that temporary foreign workers in these occupations will now be eligible to apply for permanent residency in Saskatchewan if they meet the other eligibility requirements.
The new occupations include a wide range of jobs in lower- and intermediate-skilled sectors, such as:
🔹Nurses’s aides
🔹Home childcare providers
🔹Equipment operators
🔹Meat cutters
🔹Construction workers
🔹Retail workers
🔹Food service workers
🔹Farm laborers
🔹Truck drivers and more.
Until now, only newcomers in high-skilled (TEER 0,1,2, or 3) and designated trades were eligible to apply for Canada PR through the Existing Work Permit stream. The expansion of the SINP is part of the Saskatchewan government’s efforts to address labor shortages in the province and to attract and retain skilled workers.
Eligibility to Apply Under the New Expanded Stream
Saskatchewan has posted over 16,000 job vacancies on multiple online job boards. More 112,000 job vacancies will be added over the next five years.
To qualify for the recently expanded stream, applicants must satisfy both stream-specific and general SINP eligibility criteria, which include:
Have a valid work permit in one of the eligible occupations: an open work permit/Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) supported work permit or a francophone mobility work permit.
🔹Have a job offer from a Saskatchewan employer.
🔹Meet the SINP’s work experience requirements: accumulation of six months (780 hours) of full-time work experience in the same job specified in the job approval letter.
🔹Meet the SINP’s language and education requirements: Attainment of a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 4, if the job falls within a TEER 4 or 5 occupation.
🔹Possession of an eligible Saskatchewan licensure if the occupation is regulated in Saskatchewan.
If you are a temporary foreign worker in Saskatchewan, you can check to see if your occupation is eligible for permanent residency on the SINP website. You can also contact a qualified immigration consultant like CanApprove to discuss your options.
How to Apply?
Despite the expansion under the Existing Work Permit stream, newly added occupations under the following categories must still apply under their specific immigration streams:
🔹Health professionals must choose the SINP Health Professional Sub-category.
🔹Food and beverage servers must apply under the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project or the Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot.
🔹Graduates currently working with a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) must choose the Saskatchewan Experience – Student Sub-category, or the International Skilled Worker – Employment Offer Sub-category.
Saskatchewan Targets 1.4 Million Residents Over Next Six Years
Following Canada’s new immigration target plan for 2024-2026, Saskatchewan plans to fulfill its goal of 1.4 million residents by 2030 through foreign skilled immigration.
Further, Canada has set a target of 110,000 immigrants for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in 2024. It is rising to 120,000 in 2025 and 2026. This represents a significant increase from the previous PNP target of 105,000 immigrants in 2023.
The PNP allows provinces and territories to nominate immigrants. These immigrants are nominated based on skills and experience that are needed to contribute to their economies. The PNP is a key part of Canada’s immigration system. It helps to ensure that immigrants are settling in communities across the country.
The increase in the PNP target is a reflection of the growing importance of the program to Canada’s economy. Provinces and territories are facing labor shortages in a number of sectors. The PNP helps to ensure that they have the workers they need to grow and thrive.
The PNP is also a way to attract and retain skilled immigrants. Provinces and territories nominate immigrants who are more likely to stay in the communities where they settle. They are more likely to contribute to the local economy.
If you are interested in immigrating to Canada through the PNP, you may contact recognized immigration consultants like CanApprove. Learn more about immigration programs and eligibility requirements by talking to our experts at CanApprove!
