Saskatchewan's government launched the Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot initiative to address the province's severe labor shortages and recruiting issues. The new program will operate as a pilot under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program SINP and will offer a low-skill immigration track comparable to the SINP International Worker.
The Pilot will specifically target low-skilled occupations in the province that are difficult to fill. Trades support, farming, hospitality, health care, and retail will be the emphasis of the Pilot. The Government of Saskatchewan's Backgrounder has a complete list of the Pilot's qualifying jobs.
Because this is an employer-driven stream, foreign employees must have an official job offer and a SINP job permission letter before being admitted into the Pilot.
Eligibility to Participate in the Program
According to the present phrasing, the Pilot will provide companies access to overseas employees who are not already residing in Saskatchewan and have no prior work experience in Canada. Employers that already have qualifying low-skill workers in Saskatchewan will have additional alternatives to keep them and avoid a revolving door of Labour Market Impact Assessments.
Applicants for the Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot program must meet the following requirements
Have a job offer that is full-time and permanent.
Have a SINP work approval letter from a registered Saskatchewan employer for an approved profession.
Meet a minimal level of competence in a Canadian Official Language.
Meet the minimal educational and work experience criteria, which include at least one year of experience in the same profession as the job offer or six months in that position in Saskatchewan.
Employers that want to participate in the program must be able to show the following
Prior to adopting the scheme, they made a concerted attempt to fill the post with a domestic candidate.
That there is a requirement and a benefit for their company.
Meet particular standards for offering relocation assistance to workers.
In many circumstances, low-skilled foreign employees who have formed a business in the United States may not have access to permanent status. Furthermore, firms facing labor shortages for some low-skilled jobs do not have access to a consistent labor pool.
If successful, this Pilot would relieve employer labor demands while also offering foreign nationals with a path to permanent residence in the province.
In December 2021, the pilot program will begin. We'll keep an eye on any developments from the Saskatchewan government as they become available.
Employers may seek advice and support from MLT immigration team about the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program application.