Last Updated On 15 September 2024, 11:48 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
On August 30, 2024, Saskatchewan introduced two new Permanent Residency-PR pathways under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to address labour shortages in the province’s health care and agriculture sectors.
There is still opportunity for many working in-demand sectors, while getting permanent residency in Canada is now more difficult than ever generally.
These new pathways, called the Agriculture Talent Pathway, are for 10 occupations and the Health Talent Pathway is for up to 44 healthcare-related occupations, aim to attract skilled workers to fill critical roles in these industries.
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Addressing Labour Shortages in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s Immigration and Career Training Minister, Jeremy Harrison, emphasized the importance of aligning the province’s immigration strategies with current labour demands.
“With labour shortages reported across the country, creating new provincial immigration pathways and streamlining our credential recognition process will help employers in Saskatchewan acquire the workforce needed to grow their businesses,” Harrison said.
The province’s new pathways reflect a proactive approach to support the province’s economic and health sector growth by making it easier for skilled immigrants to settle and work in Saskatchewan.
New SINP Agriculture Talent Pathway Eligibility Criteria
The Agriculture Talent Pathway has been specifically designed to meet the growing demand for labour in Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry.
Agriculture is a vital part of the province’s economy, with more than $3.2 billion worth of crop products exported in 2023.
The pathway is open to skilled workers with experience in agricultural occupations, aiming to fill in-demand roles in the sector.
Eligible candidates must meet certain criteria, including:
- Language Proficiency: Candidates must have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 4. However, some employers or regulatory bodies may require a higher language score.
- Education: A minimum of secondary school education is required.
- Work Experience: Candidates must have at least one year of full-time work experience in the past three years in their intended occupation, or six months of full-time work experience (30+ hours per week) with the employer who provided them with a Job Approval Letter.
- Job Offer: Candidates must have an eligible permanent, full-time job offer in Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector and a valid SINP Job Approval Letter provided by their employer.
Full List of 10 Occupations Eligible For Agriculture Talent Pathway
| NOC | Description |
| 75101 | Material handlers* |
| 84120 | Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators |
| 85100 | Livestock labourers |
| 85101 | Harvesting labourers |
| 85103 | Nursery and greenhouse labourers |
| 94140 | Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing* |
| 94141 | Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers* |
| 94143 | Testers and graders, food and beverage processing* |
| 94204 | Mechanical assemblers and inspectors* |
| 95106 | Labourers in food and beverage processing* |
For more details on the Agriculture Talent Pathway, visit: www.saskatchewan.ca/sinp-ag-talent.
Health Talent PR Pathways Eligibility Criteria
The Health Talent Pathway has been introduced to support Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources (HHR) action plan.
The program streamlines the process for healthcare professionals to be recruited through SINP, consolidating all healthcare recruitment under a single stream.
The eligibility requirements for the Health Talent Pathway vary based on whether the candidate has an active Express Entry profile.
However, all candidates must meet certain common criteria:
- Licensing Eligibility: Candidates must be eligible for licensing in Saskatchewan if applicable to their occupation.
- Education: A post-secondary education related to the job they have been offered is required. This can be a master’s or bachelor’s degree, a three-year degree from a university or college, or a two-year diploma from a trade or technical school.
- Intent to Reside: Candidates must attest to their intent to live and work in Saskatchewan.
Health Talent Pathway Requirements: Non-Express Entry Candidates
Candidates not eligible for Express Entry must have a language score of at least CLB 5 in English or French.
Some employers may require a higher score. In addition, they must meet the following work experience requirements:
- In Saskatchewan applicants must be working full-time in Saskatchewan and have completed at least six months (780 hours) of work experience with their employer who has provided the Job Approval Letter. This experience does not need to be consecutive.
- Outside Saskatchewan Applicants: If candidates have not worked full-time for at least six months with their employer, they must have at least one year of work experience in their occupation within the last five years.
44 Eligible Occupations For Non-Express Entry Health Talent Pathway
| NOC | Description |
| 30010 | Managers in health care |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31103 | Veterinarians |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31111 | Optometrists |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 31200 | Psychologists |
| 31201 | Chiropractors |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
| 32100 | Opticians |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 32104 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 32110 | Denturists |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 32112 | Dental technologists and technicians |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists n.e.c |
| 32124 | Pharmacy technicians |
| 32129 | Other medical technologists and technicians |
| 32200 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists |
| 32201 | Massage therapists |
| 32209 | Other practitioners of natural healing |
| 33100 | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 33103 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants |
| 33109 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services |
| 44101 | Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations |
For more details on the Health Talent Pathway, visit: www.saskatchewan.ca/sinp-health-talent.
Health Talent Pathway Requirements: Express Entry Candidates
Candidates with active profiles in the Express Entry pool must meet additional criteria, including:
- Express Entry Profile: A valid Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Code.
- Language Proficiency: A CLB score of 7 or higher in English or French.
- Work Experience: Candidates must have at least one year of highly skilled work experience related to their occupation within the past five years, whether they are applying from inside or outside Canada.
43 Eligible Occupations For Express Entry Health Talent Pathway
| NOC | Description |
| 30010 | Managers in health care |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31103 | Veterinarians |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31111 | Optometrists |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 31200 | Psychologists |
| 31201 | Chiropractors |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
| 32100 | Opticians |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 32104 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 32110 | Denturists |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 32112 | Dental technologists and technicians |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists n.e.c |
| 32124 | Pharmacy technicians |
| 32129 | Other medical technologists and technicians |
| 32200 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists |
| 32201 | Massage therapists |
| 32209 | Other practitioners of natural healing |
| 33100 | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 33103 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants |
| 33109 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services |
Saskatchewan’s Ongoing Efforts to Attract Skilled Talent
With these new PNP pathways, Saskatchewan continues to strengthen its appeal to skilled immigrants by simplifying the immigration process for essential sectors such as health care and agriculture.
These pathways align with the province’s ongoing efforts to meet labour demands while supporting economic growth and the development of vital industries.
Saskatchewan’s focus on streamlining immigration pathways and credential recognition will help attract skilled talent to fill in-demand jobs, benefiting both newcomers and employers.
Skilled professionals in agriculture and health care now have a clearer path to establishing their careers in Saskatchewan, contributing to the province’s growing economy and enhancing the quality of life for its residents.
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