On May 1, 2024, Saskatchewan updated and expanded the occupations that are to be excluded from applying to the Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry program sub-categories. The exclusion list now contains 158 occupations that are not eligible for these programs. Eight of these were added to the exclusion list in the recent update.
Key Takeaways
- Vets and Veterinary Technicians were removed from the exclusion list, so these occupations are now eligible for the Occupations In Demand and Express Entry subcategories.
- In addition to the occupations previously excluded, Sheriffs and bailiffs, correctional services officers, bylaw enforcement, estheticians and related occupations, transport truck drivers, bus drivers and other transit operators, pest controllers and fumigators, and heavy equipment operators are no longer eligible for the Occupations In Demand or Express Entry PNP subcategories in Saskatchewan.
- Workers in NOC TEER 4 and 5 occupations are also not eligible for these programs.
- The changes do not impact the Federal Express Entry eligibility or criteria.
- Saskatchewan has increasingly been targeting select occupations, and even countries, in its PNP draws.
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Which Programs Are Affected?
These changes impact Saskatchewan’s Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry PNP subcategories.
This will serve as a setback for candidates who work in these occupations and were hoping to immigrate through Saskatchewan’s PNP. It will impact candidates working in these occupations who are in the Express Entry pool and were hoping to use Saskatchewan’s PNP to bolster their Express Entry CRS, or to immigrate through the PNP instead of the Express Entry system while points are extremely high.
What Are The Updated Excluded Occupations and NOCs?
The list of occupations Saskatchewan has excluded from these programs is extensive. We have compiled the complete list below, but it ranges from forestry professionals to aerospace engineers to journalists.
It also notes that NOC TEER 4 and 5 occupations are not eligible for the Occupation In-Demand or Express Entry subcategories either. This makes sense given that both of these subcategories are designed for higher skilled workers.
These are the occupations, and the related NOCs, on Saskatchewan’s excluded occupations list for the Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry program sub-categories:
What Occupations Were Added To the List?
It looks like Saskatchewan added 8 new occupations to the list that did not appear in the previous list. These are:
43200 Sheriffs and bailiffs
43201 Correctional service officers
43202 By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
63211 Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
73300 Transport truck drivers
73301 Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
73202 Pest controllers and fumigators
73400 Heavy equipment operators.
This means applicants cannot use work experience under one of these NOC codes toward their SINP eligibility.
What Occupations Were Removed From the List?
Only 2 occupations were removed from the list. These are:
31103 Veterinarians
32104 Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
What Will Happen to SINP Expression of Interests Where the Lead NOC Now Appears on the Exclusion List?
If an applicant finds that their lead NOC is 1 of the 8 NOC’s added to the exclusion list, they will no longer be eligible to have an active Expression of Interest. They can expect to receive notification that their Expression of Interest has been removed from the pool or they can manually withdraw their Expression of Interest. They can then resubmit a new Expression of Interest if they have work experience under an NOC that does not appear on the list. An applicant can only have 1 active SINP Expression of Interest at any one time.
Another issue could be the management of submitted SINP applications where the lead NOC now appears on the exclusion list. Given that the application processing times for both affected programs are around 30 business days, and the fact that SINP has been inviting a limited number of NOC codes, it is highly unlikely that there are any active SINP applications where the lead NOC now appears on the exclusion list.
Why Did Saskatchewan Make These Changes?
Saskatchewan has not outlined why it made these changes. This list has not been updated since November 2022 so the additions likely indicate that there is not a strong market need for workers in these areas.
Saskatchewan’s PNP draw results also highlight a clear trend towards more targeted immigration priorities. Its recent draws all target specific occupations, while it also targeted immigration from specific countries in a range of country- and occupation-specific draws in August 2023.
When Can We Expect Another SINP Draw?
The last SINP draw for both Occupations In-Demand and the Express Entry subcategories was March 7th 2024, almost 2 months ago. Following the last few draw trends, we can expect another draw in the month of May or June.
The fact that 2 occupations were removed from the exclusion list (meaning applicants with work experience in 1 of these occupations can now apply) begs the question as to whether these 2 occupations will be selected in later draws. On this, only time will tell.
How Often Do The Eligible Programs Change?
It appears this list was last updated in November 2022.
That being said, the program pages state that the criteria can change at any time.
Additionally, given the trends towards more targeted draws, working in an occupation that is eligible for Saskwatchewan’s Occupations In Demand or Express Entry subcategories does not mean that you will receive an invitation to apply or nomination for Saskatchewan’s PNP.
As we outlined above, there is a clear trend towards more targeted draws. And while we need to wait and see what impact the updated exclusion list will have on these draws, there is no guarantee that Saskatchewan will target all occupations other than those specifically excluded.
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About the author
Stephanie Ford
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