Saskatchewan International Skilled Worker Application

Saskatchewan is the province that lies in the north of Canada. Thanks to the geography, it has a continental climate, which is hot in summer (in fact, it is the place has the most hours of sunshine), and cold in winter. During the extreme cold snaps, the temperature can low down to -45 degrees Celcius.

Saskatchewan is well-known for mining, oil and gas extraction. Besides, the economy was primarily associated with agriculture, with wheat being the precious symbol on the province’s flag. Nowadays, the services sector is getting more and more significant, which some common fields are finance, real estate or insurance.

What is the Saskatchewan International Skilled Worker Application?

Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SNIP) is the program to allow suitable people to apply for permanent residence. There are four categories under the program, including International Skilled Worker Category, Saskatchewan Experience Category, Entrepreneur Category, and Farm Category. If you are a foreign high skilled worker who wants to work and live in Saskatchewan, you should apply to the International Skilled Worker Category choosing one of the three sub-categories below:

• Employment Offer – for those who already have job offers from Saskatchewan employers.
• Occupation In-Demand – for those who have not have the job offers yet but your skills are in an in-demand occupation in the province
• Express Entry – for those who do not belong to the other two sub-categories but you have already been in the Federal’s Express Entry system.

Requirements/Eligibility

A. Employment Offer:

1. Background:

• Have the genuine intention to settle in Saskatchewan.

2. Work experience:

• Have a permanent, full-time job offer in Saskatchewan
• Have at least one year of work experience in the last ten years.
• Show proof of eligibility for Saskatchewan licensure if your intended occupation is in a regulated profession or compulsory apprenticeship trade.
• The job offer must be under skill level O (managerial jobs), A (professional jobs) or B (technical jobs and skilled trades) of NOC (National Occupation Classification); or in a designated trade in Saskatchewan.

3. Education:

• No specific requirement.

4. Language ability:

• You can take English or French. The minimum requirement for each ability is 4 in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)/Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC)

Besides not meeting the requirements above, you are not eligible for International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer if you are:

• Refugee claimants in Canada who are claiming refugee status from the Government of Canada
• Health professionals (you must apply to the SINP Health Professional sub-category)
• Food and Beverage Servers/Persons (you must apply under the Hospitality Sector Project sub-category)

B. Occupation in Demand:

1. Background:

• Have the genuine intention to settle in Saskatchewan.

2. Education:

You must complete a post-secondary education of at least one year (or equivalent qualification certified by an approved agency).

3. Language ability:

• You can take English or French. The minimum requirement for each ability is 4 in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)/Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC).

4. Work experience:

• Your job must be under the Occupation List.
• Have at least one of the following in your field of education or training occupation:

• • One year of work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled profession (non-trades)
  • Two years of work experience in a skilled trade in the past five years
  • Twelve months of work experience in Canada in the past three years (trades and non-trades).

• The work experience must be under skill level O (managerial jobs), A (professional jobs) or B (technical jobs and skilled trades) of NOC (National Occupation Classification).
• Show proof of eligibility for Saskatchewan licensure if your intended occupation is in a regulated profession or compulsory apprenticeship trade.

5. Settlement fund

You are recommended to base on the minimum funds required by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Express Entry program.

The number of family members and the funds required (in Canada dollars): 

1 – $12,669

2 – $15,772

3 – $19,390

4 – $23,542

5 – $26,701

6 – $30,114

7 – $33,528

For each additional family member – $3,414

Besides not meeting the requirements above, you are not eligible for International Skilled Worker: Occupation in Demand if you are:

• Refugee claimants in Canada who are claiming refugee status from the Government of Canada.

C. Express Entry

1. Being accepted in Express Entry pool of candidates 

You need to be accepted in the Express Entry pool of candidates by using the Express Entry system (you can find out how to apply here). 

2. Background:

• Have the genuine intention to settle in Saskatchewan.

3. Education:

• You must complete a post-secondary education of at least one year (or equivalent qualification certified by an approved agency).

4. Language ability:

• Depending on the requirements of the Express Entry streams.

5. Work experience:

• Your job must be under the Occupation List.
• Have at least one of the following in your field of education or training occupation:

• • One year of work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled profession (non-trades)
  • Two years of work experience in a skilled trade in the past five years
  • Twelve months of work experience in Canada in the past three years (trades and non-trades).

• The work experience must be under skill level O (managerial jobs), A (professional jobs) or B (technical jobs and skilled trades) of NOC (National Occupation Classification).
• Show proof of eligibility for Saskatchewan licensure if your intended occupation is in a regulated profession or compulsory apprenticeship trade.

6. Settlement fund

You are recommended to base on the minimum funds required by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Express Entry program.

The number of family members and the funds required (in Canada dollars): 

1 – $12,669

2 – $15,772

3 – $19,390

4 – $23,542

5 – $26,701

6 – $30,114

7 – $33,528

For each additional family member – $3,414

Besides not meeting the requirements above, you are not eligible for International Skilled Worker: Express Entry if you are:

• Refugee claimants in Canada who are claiming refugee status from the Government of Canada.

Process

You can apply by yourself or use a representative. If you choose to apply through your representative, you should take a look at the instructions here.

If you apply yourself, here are the main steps of application:

Step 1. Applying to the Express Entry system (only for the Express Entry sub-category)

First, you need to be accepted in the Express Entry system pool of candidates (click how to apply for Express Entry to know more details). Once you’re accepted into the Express Entry Pool, you will receive a Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code.

Step 2. Submitting the Expression of Interest (EOI)

You submit the EOI on the online system and answer all the questions required. You will then be ranked based on the criteria below. The current pass mark is 60 out of 100:

• Education and training
• Skilled work experience
• Language ability
• Age
• Connection(s) and adaptability to the Saskatchewan labor market

Step 3. Applying the application

If you are approved, you will receive the Invitation to Apply (ITA). At this step, you need to fill out all the forms and prepare all the documents listed:

Forms:

• Ethical Conduct Disclosure and Application Declaration and Consent Form
• Generic Application Form for Canada
• Additional Family Information Form
• Schedule A – Background / Declaration
• Additional Dependants / Declaration Form (if you have more than five dependants)
• Statutory Declaration Of Common-law Union (if applicable)
• Use Of A Representative (if applicable)

General documents:

• Identity and Civil Status Documents

• • Birth certificate(s)
  • Marriage, divorce/death certificate(s)
  • Passport(s)
  • Children’s information

• Language Credentials
• Education/Training Credentials
• Work Experience Credentials

• • Letters of reference from previous employers

• Proof of Professional Status or Licensure (if applicable)
• Settlement Funds and Settlement Plans
• Close Relative in Saskatchewan (if applicable)
• Previous Work Experience in Saskatchewan (if applicable)
• Previous Study Experience in Saskatchewan (if applicable)

Additional documents for applicants in the Employment Offer sub-category:

• Job Offer Requirements

Additional documents for applicants in the Occupation in Demand and Express Entry sub-categories:

• Settlement Funds and Settlement Plans

Then, you upload all the forms and documents to the online system. At this stage, if you apply in the Occupation in Demand or Express Entry sub-category, you need to pay a non-refundable of $350 by your Visa/Mastercard card. There is no fee for the Employment Offer sub-category.

Step 4. Getting the nomination and applying for permanent residence

If the application is approved, you will receive the nomination. Next, you apply for PR through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) paper-based process within six months. Read the Document Checklist Permanent Residence – Provincial Nominee Class and Quebec Skilled Worker to prepare documents that must accompany your application to Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You then send all your documents to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) – Sydney.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship

Provincial Nominee Class

Centralized Intake Office

PO BOX 1450

Sydney, NS

B1P 6K5

Canada

Step 5. After the approval for permanent residence

If you are approved for permanent residence, you will receive:

• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
• A PR visa (if you’re from a country that requires a visa).
• Letter with important information about your COPR and other requirements.

Then, 

• If you have already been in Canada, you have to make an appointment to IRCC office or border crossing entry to ensure your information is valid, and you are still eligible for permanent residence. Besides, you info your mail so that you can receive a permanent residence card (PR card).
• If you have not been to Canada yet, then when you arrive in Canada, you will meet an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). He or she will check your passport, your COPR, your information to make sure you are eligible to immigrate to Canada.

Cost

Besides the amount you have to pay for Permanent Residence process (click here to know how to pay the fees), you have to pay the additional fee for the Saskatchewan International Skilled Worker Application if you do not apply in the Employment Offer:

• Application for Saskatchewan International Skilled Worker Application: $350 (only in Occupation in Demand and Express Entry sub-categories).
• Your application with right of permanent residence fee: $CAD 1,040
• Your application without right of permanent residence fee: $CAD 550
• Include your spouse or partner with right of permanent residence fee: $CAD 1,040
• Include your spouse or partner without right of permanent residence fee: $CAD 550
• If you include dependent child: $CAD 150 per child
• Biometrics (if you have not done before): $CAD 85 per person, maximum $CAD 170 for family
• Medical checkups
• Language tests
• Police certificate
• Other fees

How long does it take?

The approval for the Saskatchewan International Skilled Worker Application depends on the sub-category you choose. In particular:

• Employment Offer: maximum a month.
• Occupation in Demand: maximum of six months
• Express Entry: maximum of ten months

Processing for PR can last up to 19 months including the time for biometrics to receive the outcome. You can experience delays if:

• Your photocopies of the documents are unclear.
• Verification of your information and documents takes more time than expected.
• A medical condition that may need more tests or consultations.
• A criminal or security problem.
• Consultation is needed with other offices in Canada and abroad.