Saskatchewan Provincial Program

📢 Starting from August 30, 2024, Saskatchewan launched two new programs for healthcare and agriculture specialists!

These programs are aimed at addressing the shortage of professionals in the province's healthcare and agriculture sectors. The new programs, "Agriculture Talent Pathway" and "Health Talent Pathway," are designed to attract skilled workers to fill critical job shortages in these industries.

🗣️ Saskatchewan’s Minister of Immigration and Career Training, Jeremy Harrison, emphasized that these new immigration programs will help employers find the necessary specialists, thus contributing to the province's economic growth.

🌾 Agriculture Talent Pathway: Selection Criteria
This program is designed to meet the demand for specialists in agriculture, one of the key sectors of Saskatchewan's economy. Participants must meet the following requirements:
• Language level: Minimum CLB 4, though employers may require a higher level;
• Education: At least secondary education;
• Work experience: At least one year of full-time work in the last three years or six months with the current employer;
• Job offer: A permanent job offer from an employer in Saskatchewan's agricultural sector is required.

👨‍🌾 Professions eligible for the Agriculture Talent Pathway include leather and fur processors, specialized livestock workers and agricultural equipment operators, livestock breeders, harvesters, nursery and greenhouse workers, machine and food industry operators, industrial butchers, food product testers and evaluators, mechanics, and food and beverage production workers.

🏥 Health Talent Pathway: Selection Criteria
This program is designed to support Saskatchewan's healthcare strategy and streamline the recruitment process for healthcare workers through the SINP (Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program). There are two streams: Express Entry and Non-Express Entry.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:
• Licensing: The right to obtain a license in Saskatchewan if the profession requires it;
• Education: A diploma or degree relevant to the offered job;
• Intent to reside in the province: Confirmation of intent to live and work in Saskatchewan.

👩‍⚕️ Professions (44) eligible for the Health Talent Pathway (Non-Express Entry) include healthcare managers, clinical and laboratory specialists, surgeons, general practitioners, veterinarians, dentists, optometrists, speech therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, psychologists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, exercise specialists, kinesiologists, nursing coordinators, registered nurses, physician assistants, opticians, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists, cardiopulmonary technologists, pharmaceutical technicians, medical laboratory and radiology technologists, massage therapists, dental assistants, laboratory assistants, patient care assistants.

📋 Requirements for Non-Express Entry participants:
• Language level: Minimum CLB 5 in English or French, though some employers may require a higher level.
• Work experience: Participants must work full-time in Saskatchewan and have at least six months (780 hours) of experience with the employer who issued the Job Approval Letter. Experience may be continuous or intermittent.
• For those who have not worked for six months in Saskatchewan, at least one year of experience in the profession is required within the last five years outside the province.

👨‍⚕️ Professions (43) eligible for the Health Talent Pathway (Express Entry) include healthcare managers, clinical and laboratory medicine specialists, surgeons, general practitioners and family physicians, veterinarians, dentists, optometrists, speech therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, psychologists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, kinesiologists and other professional therapy and assessment specialists, other health diagnostic and treatment professionals, nursing coordinators and supervisors, registered nurses, psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, allied healthcare professionals, opticians, licensed practical nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, clinical and cardiopulmonary technologists, animal health technologists and veterinary technicians, other therapy and assessment technicians, dental technologists, hygienists, dental therapists, medical laboratory technologists, radiologists, sonographers, cardiologists-technicians, electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, pharmacy technicians, other medical technologists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists, massage therapists, other natural healing practitioners, dental assistants, medical lab assistants, nursing aides, patient service associates, pharmacy assistants, and other healthcare support workers.

📋 Express Entry Requirements:
• Language level: Must meet Express Entry requirements, usually requiring a higher level of language proficiency (CLB 7 or above).
• Work experience: Must have qualified work experience that meets the Express Entry requirements.

🗝️ A key difference is that Express Entry participants do not need to have a job in Saskatchewan at the time of application. Thus, the main differences are the language and work experience requirements: for Express Entry participants, the requirements are stricter, especially regarding language, while for Non-Express Entry participants, current employment in Saskatchewan or significant experience in the last five years is essential.

These new immigration pathways strengthen Saskatchewan's attractiveness to skilled immigrants by simplifying the immigration process for key sectors. They contribute to economic growth and the development of healthcare and agriculture by attracting specialists to work in the province.