Saskatchewan Express Entry (International Skilled Worker)

Saskatchewan Express Entry is a Canadian immigration pathway that allows candidates in Canada’s Express Entry pool to live and work in Saskatchewan through provincial nomination. Saskatchewan Express Entry is a sub-category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) International Skilled Worker category.

Eligible applicants to the Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category receive 600 points under the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This effectively guarantees an invitation to apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent resident status in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

Saskatchewan Express Entry targets skilled workers who have recent work experience in a high-skilled occupations that is not on the SINP Excluded Occupations List below. A job offer is not required for Saskatchewan Express Entry.

Important change: In late 2019, Saskatchewan changed the eligibility requirements for the Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category. Previously, candidates needed to have work experience in an occupation listed on Saskatchewan’s in-demand list. Now, candidates must have work experience in a high-skilled occupation that is not listed on Saskatchewan’s Excluded Occupations List.

• Saskatchewan considers high-skilled work experience to be any work experience obtained at National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, A, or B.

The Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category operates with the SINP Expression of Interest (EOI) system. Similar to Express Entry, candidates must first submit an EOI which is ranked using a points system. Then, invitations are periodically issued to the highest ranked candidates.

Saskatchewan Express Entry: Eligibility

In order to be eligible the Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category, potential candidates need at least one year of high-skilled work experience in the past 10 years in their field of education or training and in an occupation at NOC level 0, A, or B. That work experience must have been obtained in an occupation that is not on the SINP Excluded Occupations List:

To be clear — your work experience must be skilled (NOC 0, A, or B) and NOT listed above.

In addition, applicants to Saskatchewan Express Entry must also:

• Be in the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Express Entry pool;
• Score at least 60 points out of 110 on the SINP point assessment grid (see below);
• Provide valid language test results from a designated agency, which must match the results you declare in your Express Entry profile;
• Have a diploma, certificate, or degree from a post-secondary study or training program, or an apprenticeship, of at least one year in length. This qualification must be comparable to the Canadian education system, and if you obtained it outside of Canada you must submit an educational credential assessment (ECA);
• Have work experience in your field of education or training, either as:
  • One year work experience in the last 10 years in a skilled profession (non-trades); and/or,
  • Two years’ work experience in a skilled trade in the past five years; and/or,
  • 12 months’ work experience in Canada in the past three years (trades and non-trades);
• Show proof of Professional Status or Licensure (for regulated occupations or those with professional certification standards in Canada and/or Saskatchewan) if required for your occupation (up-to-date certification standards can be downloaded from Saskatchewan’s website); and
• Demonstrate settlement funds and a settlement plan.

Saskatchewan Express Entry and the SINP Points Assessment Grid

Potential applicants to Saskatchewan Express Entry can create a profile in the SINP online system OASIS. Upon completing your profile, you will be assigned a points score out of 110 based on the following factors. Candidates need to score at least 60 points in order to be able to submit an EOI. However, meeting a minimum of 60 points does not guarantee that you will receive an invitation to apply. Candidates in the pool are ranked according to their scores out of 110, and the highest-ranking candidates will receive an invitation when Saskatchewan immigration authorities conduct a draw from the pool of SINP skilled worker candidates.

I: Labour Market Success

A: Education and training

B: Skilled work experience

(i) In the five-year period prior to application submission date:

(ii) In the 6-10-year period prior to application submission date:

C: Language ability

D: Age

Maximum points for Factor 1: 80

Factor 2: Connection to Saskatchewan labour market & adaptability

The SINP recognizes that candidates with a strong connection to Saskatchewan and the labour market may have a genuine intent and ability to settle in the province successfully, so connections to Saskatchewan earn further points.

Maximum points for Factor 2: 30

Maximum points total: 1 + 2 = 110

There are many factors at play here, so some examples may help to make sense of the matrix.

Anthony, 28, has worked as a welder for eight years — an eligible occupation since it is not on the excluded list. He completed a two-year welding program at a college at home in Nigeria, and he has a diploma. After taking an English language test, he also has an overall CLB score of 8. He has no family in Saskatchewan, and has not worked or studied in the province. Based on the above points matrix, he would obtain 60 points.

Rahul is 40. After completing a one-year diploma in mechanics, he has worked as a loom technician in India for 20 years and his occupation is recognized under NOC 7311: Industrial Mechanics (which is not on the excluded list). He has language results of CLB 4 from an English test, and his cousin lives in Saskatoon with his family. These factors combine to give Rahul 69 points.

Manon, 30, completed a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural biology at the University of Saskatchewan eight years ago. She then returned to her home country of Haiti, where she has been working as a forewoman on a coffee plantation for six years – employment that counts as in-demand within NOC 8252: agricultural service contractors, since it is not on the excluded list. She has language test results demonstrating a CLB level 8 in French. This gives Manon a score of 67 points.

The candidates in these scenarios meet the minimum requirement of 60 points, and so they may submit an EOI. However, this does not guarantee that they will receive an invitation to apply.

Receiving an invitation under Saskatchewan Express Entry

The top-scoring candidates who receive an invitation to apply can then apply to the SINP for provincial nomination. At this point, there is a non-refundable fee of $350 required in order to complete the application. The SINP reviews each application and informs the applicant whether or not he or she is eligible for nomination.

If you are nominated, the SINP confirms your nomination in the Express Entry system and IRCC will then ask you if you wish to accept the nomination — you have 30 days to decide. With the additional 600 CRS points you obtain from provincial nomination in addition to your core CRS score from human capital factors, you are all set to receive an ITA in a future Express Entry draw. After receiving the ITA, you will have 60 days to submit your application for permanent residence.

PNP Live Tracker

The Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category is active and dynamic, and may change at any time. To help you stay up to date with the latest changes, Moving2Canada has created the exclusive PNP Live Tracker. Check back often to keep track of the latest news.