The Saskatchewan Government will be making changes to the province’s Immigrant Nominee Programme (SINP) in the new year.
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The improvements will be based on the results of a series of consultations held this summer with the aim of increasing the programme’s efficiencies.
Among the key recommendations from these consultations are that:
– The SINP should prioritise skilled workers;
– The SINP needs more efficient processes and faster application processing;
– Language ability should be a key consideration as it is very important for integration into Saskatchewan communities; and
The SINP should undertake increased public education on the benefits of immigration.
The changes to the programme – which will see the SINP’s nine categories and subcategories combined into three main categories – will become effective on 2nd January 2014, with receipt of applications under the current criterion ending on 31st December, 2013.
At the same time as the changes come in, the SINP will also launch an exclusively electronic system for the submission of applications.
The main category under the new system is the International Skilled Worker Category, aimed at skilled workers who want to work and live in Saskatchewan. This category enables the SINP to nominate individuals with high human capital that have the education, experience, language and adaptability to economically establish and successfully integrate into Saskatchewan’s communities. The new criteria will include:
– The point rating system will focus on employment offers, education, work experience, language ability, and family connections, among other factors. The points available for persons with family connections in Saskatchewan are higher than the former Skilled Worker Category (in other words, points for family connections can account for 20 per cent of points);
– Applicants must have a minimum language score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4, as demonstrated by a SINP-approved language test. CLB 4 is the minimum; language ability of applicants will need to meet the requirement of employers;
– Applicants whose occupational education and work experience is in a regulated profession will be required to obtain the appropriate Saskatchewan qualification recognition to be able to work in that profession; and
– Applicants that do not have a skilled job offer from an approved Saskatchewan employer require proof of settlement funds and must submit a settlement plan.
The SINP will accept 250 applications in 2014 from applicants without an offer of employment whose high skilled occupation is in demand in Saskatchewan. These occupations must have “good” or “fair’ employment prospects as per Saskatchewan’s Detailed Occupational Outlook (2013-2017).
The list of in-demand occupations will be available later this month.
Article published 9th December 2013
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