Saskatchewan’s immigration draws aimed at candidates from eight countries through Express Entry and Skilled Worker Occupations-In-Demand of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) have been criticised.
In six draws in mid-August, the province issued 646 Invitations to Apply (ITA) for immigration to Canada to workers from those countries.
But some public policy experts have lambasted Saskatchewan for doing this.
In an article in The Star, Howard Ramos, a political sociologist at the University of Western Ontario, claimed the practice of inviting foreign nationals to apply from only a select group of countries undermines the Canadian points-based system.
“This is a slippery slope that undoes the progress we’ve had with bringing in a points system,” Ramos reportedly said.
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“What is very unique here is they’re being as explicit as they are in terms of saying, ‘We want people from these countries.’”
The political sociologist is concerned Canada may be returning to a practice common until the late 1960s when Canadian immigration favoured immigrants from countries that were culturally similar to Canada and was perceived as excluding Chinese, South Asian and non-European migrants.
Since 1967, the country has had a points-based system which levels the playing field. Today, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores profiles submitted to the Express Entry pool and ITAs are sent in Express Entry draws based on the candidate’s ranking.
“Canada was a world leader at bringing in a points system, a merit-based, human-capital, skills-based system,” Ramos reportedly said. “And the slippery slope of these kinds of draws goes again to pricing specific countries over skills alone.”
But Saskatchewan immigration counters that the country-specific pilot is merely an attempt by the province in targeting newcomers who are most likely to stay in Saskatchewan. The country-targeted draws under the SINP in August were inspired by the relative success of Saskatchewan in retaining Ukrainians who have arrived in the past year.
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In the draws on Aug. 16, the province tried to recruit 35 Irish workers with two draws, 176 workers from Poland, Czechia, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, and the Ukraine with two more draws, and 431 workers from India in yet another two draws.
Under Saskatchewan’s EOI selection process, candidates must submit an EOI profile and enter the EOI candidate pool. They are then selected by the province which sends them an ITA in a regular draw and have 60 days to submit a full application.
The Occupation-In-Demand sub-category requires the candidate have a minimum score of 60 points on the SINP points assessment grid, a language score of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 – although employers and regulatory bodies may ask for greater language proficiency – and have completed one year of post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship comparable to the Canadian education system.
Candidates For Saskatchewan Occupation-In-Demand Immigration Must Have Work Experience
The candidate must have earned a diploma, certificate or degree. Degrees and diplomas obtained outside Canada are subject to an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
Candidates must also have at least one year of work experience in the past 10 years in their field of education or training, and in an eligible occupation in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
When necessary, candidates must obtain the appropriate licensure in Saskatchewan as immigration authorities will not process an application without that licensure.
The sub-category also requires proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan – and that applicants pay a non-refundable $300 application fee online.
Under the Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category, candidates from outside Canada, or with legal status in Canada, qualify for Saskatchewan immigration as long as they are not refugee claimants.
Additionally, Express Entry candidates must:
- have a profile in the Express Entry Pool, with profile number and job seeker validation code;
- score a minimum of 60 points on the SINP points assessment grid;
- provide valid language test results from a designated testing agency matching those in the Express Entry profile;
- have completed one year of post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship comparable to the Canadian education system and have earned a diploma, certificate or degree.
Degrees and diplomas obtained outside Canada are subject to an ECA.
Express Entry candidates must also have at least one of the following experience requirements in their 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, or;
- one year of work experience in Canada in the past three years (trades and non-trades).
The work experience must be in a high-skilled, eligible occupation in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
Candidates in this sub-category must also obtain the appropriate licensure in Saskatchewan when their profession is regulated, or is a skilled trade. For skilled trades, a certificate is required from the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission.
Applicants must pay a non-refundable $300 application fee online and have proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan.