Saskatchewan has just held its largest PNP draw since February, targeting candidates in three tech occupations

On September 15, Saskatchewan invited a total of 621 candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence.

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) invited candidates from the International Skilled Worker category through two subcategories: Express Entry, and Occupations In-Demand.

In order to be invited in this draw, candidates from both sub-categories needed to have submitted Expression of Interest (EOI) profiles with the SINP. They also needed to have work experience in one of the following three tech occupations:

• Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)
• Computer programming and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
• Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)

Invited candidates in both categories also had Educational Credential Assessments, which show how foreign degrees, diplomas, and certificates compare to Canadian credentials.

The SINP uses the EOI system to select the candidates that have the most potential to succeed in the regional labour market. Candidates need to demonstrate their commitment to building a life in Saskatchewan by showcasing their work experience, education, language ability, age, and connections to the province.

The SINP uses these five factors to assess candidates and give them a score out of 100 on the International Skilled Worker Points Assessment Grid. The highest-scoring candidates are then issued an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan.

The minimum score required in the September 15 draws was 68 for both sub-categories. Those who got the invitation with the minimum score needed to have connections in the province, or at least 10 years of work experience and a Canadian Language Benchmark of eight. Everyone else needed a score of at least 69.

Express Entry sub-category

In the latest invitation round, Saskatchewan issued 455 invitations to candidates who had profiles in the federal Express Entry pool.

The federal Express Entry system manages the pool of candidates for three of Canada’s main economic-class immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.

If candidates in the federal Express Entry pool also filled out an EOI for Saskatchewan, and they scored 68 on the SINP’s Points Assessment Grid they may have been invited in the latest draw.

Express Entry candidates who apply for and receive a provincial nomination from the province of Saskatchewan are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. This award effectively guarantees that they will be invited to apply for permanent residence in a subsequent federal Express Entry draw, as most invitation rounds invite candidates with scores in the 400’s. The latest Express Entry draw invited candidates with scores of at least 472

The same goes for any one of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs that are aligned with Express Entry.

Occupations In-Demand sub-category

The Occupations In-Demand sub-category is open to immigration candidates who do not have a federal Express Entry profile.

There were 166 Occupations In-Demand candidates invited to apply for a provincial nomination, and like the Express Entry sub-category, candidates needed a provincial score of 68 in order to be chosen.