Blue Bird Blog

Saskatchewan PNP invites 502 immigration candidates

SINP has issued nearly 900 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination this month.

Saskatchewan held a major selection round on January 21, inviting immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence.

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) invited candidates from the International Skilled Worker category through two subcategories: Express Entry, and Occupations In-Demand.

The SINP allows Saskatchewan to nominate immigration candidates with skills required in the province’s labour market.

A total of 502 invitations were sent out to immigration candidates who had work experience in select occupations. A total of 189 were invited through the Express Entry sub-category, and 313 invitations went to Occupations In-Demand candidates.

Saskatchewan invited candidates who had work experience in one of 79 occupations. More information about the occupations that were included in this selection round can be found on the province’s webpage.

The SINP uses the EOI system to select the candidates that have the most potential to succeed in the regional labour market. Candidates need to demonstrate their commitment to building a life in Saskatchewan by showcasing their work experience, education, language ability, age, and connections to the province.

Saskatchewan gives candidates a score out of 100 according to the International Skilled Worker Points Assessment Grid. The highest-scoring candidates are then issued an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan.

In order to be invited in this draw, candidates from both sub-categories needed to have submitted Expression of Interest (EOI) profiles with the SINP. Regardless of the category, invited candidates needed a score of at least 77 under the SINP’s EOI points grid.

In late 2020, Saskatchewan made changes to its points system to give more EOI points to people who can speak English and French.

Express Entry sub-category

In the latest invitation round, Saskatchewan issued 189 invitations to candidates who had profiles in the federal Express Entry pool.

The federal Express Entry system manages the pool of candidates for three of Canada’s main economic-class immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.

Express Entry candidates who apply for and receive a provincial nomination from the province of Saskatchewan are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

This also applies to all of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs that are aligned with Express Entry.

Occupations In-Demand sub-category

The Occupations In-Demand sub-category is open to immigration candidates who do not have a federal Express Entry profile. This program is for immigration candidates who have work experience in occupations that have labour shortages in Saskatchewan.

There were 313 Occupations In-Demand candidates invited to apply for a provincial nomination.

Sources : cicnews.com

New Brunswick begins reopening immigration programs

New Brunswick will finally begin opening its immigration streams, after a period of adjustment following notice from the federal government that the province would only be given 2,750 immigrant nomination spaces this year.
The 2,750 spaces will be split up between the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program NBPNP (1,500) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) (1,250).
In a press release on February 5, Jean-Claude D’Amours, acting Minister of Post-Secondary Education for the province, stated that the significant reduction in allocations for 2025 has forced the province “to make difficult decisions."

The average cost of buying a home in Canada’s largest cities

Housing has become a key issue for Canadians in 2024, with much attention given to the impact that changing interest rates, population increases, natural emigration patterns, and other factors have had on housing costs.
After compiling a guide on rental costs across Canada in 2024, CIC News has prepared the following guide on the costs of buying a home in Canada, considering the largest cities and population centers in each of the country’s provinces.

Quebec announces suspension of LMIA processing for some low-wage temporary foreign workers

Starting September 3rd, the processing of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) to applicants in Montréal will be suspended for job offers with hourly wages below $27.47 CAD (the Quebec median hourly wage). This measure is expected to be in place for the next six months and has been approved by the federal government of Canada.

Here’s why the number of temporary workers in Quebec has nearly quadrupled in eight years

According to a recent report by a Quebec-based non-profit think tank, the province’s growth in temporary immigrants was primarily driven by two programs: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP).
According to this report, published by the Institut du Quebec (IDQ) last month, Quebec’s temporary resident population grew 46% in 2023 and most of this growth was due to an influx of temporary workers. Specifically, Quebec had 167,435 temporary work permit holders last year, almost four times as many as in 2015.

How long will it take to become a permanent resident of Canada in 2024?

Foreign nationals seeking permanent residence (PR) in Canada often look for the fastest pathway to achieving their goal and starting a new life in this country.
On a basic level, Canada has four primary immigration classes: economic immigration, family-class sponsorship, humanitarian/compassionate immigration and immigration for refugees/protected persons.
However, within those four general classifications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides foreign nationals with more than 100 ways to immigrate to Canada.

Six of Canada’s provinces invite candidates in latest provincial immigration results

Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, and PEI have invited candidates to apply for provincial immigration.
All Canadian provinces and territories, except Quebec and Nunavut, may invite economic immigrants to apply for a provincial nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). A nomination strengthens a candidate's application for permanent residency when they apply to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Quebec has a separate agreement with the federal government and has total autonomy over the number of economic immigrants it may choose for permanent selection.