Saskatchewan held a new draw on February 25, inviting candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence.
Candidates needed an Expression of Interest (EOI) score of at least 70 in order to be invited. They also needed work experience in one of the 70 in-demand occupations listed on the government webpage.
Some of the eligible occupations include medical administrative assistants, retail and wholesale buyers, and geological engineers among others.
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 settling in Saskatchewan by showcasing their work experience, education, language ability, age, and connections to the province.
February 22, 2021 - Immigrants who come to Atlantic Canada through the four-year-old Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) are more likely to stay in those provinces than those who arrive through any of the other economic immigration programs, a report reveals.
Canada has set out to welcome at least 401,000 immigrants annually beginning this year, with over one-quarter set to arrive through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department is already starting the year off strong. On Saturday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a historically large Express Entry draw with a historically low CRS requirement. There were 27,332 principle applicants invited, who only needed a CRS of at least 75. These candidates needed to be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) in order to be invited.
In addition to CEC-specific draws, IRCC has also held draws targeting candidates who received a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). After the February 13 draw, the number of ITAs issued was more than triple what it was at the same time in 2020.
Welcoming 401,000 immigrants this year is a steep mountain for the Canadian government to climb, but it can be done.
The Saturday February 13 Express Entry draw, which invited a stunning 27,332 candidates to apply for permanent residence, shows that the government is preparing to climb the mountain.
In the months leading up to the start of the pandemic, Canada was inviting around 3,500 candidates per Express Entry draw with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement in the 470 region. Towards the end of 2020, Canada broke the Express Entry draw record by inviting 5,000 candidates, a feat which it achieved four times up until Christmas.
Eligible immigration candidates are given a score based on the CRS. Points are awarded for factors that the government has determined will help a prospective immigrant succeed in Canada’s labour market. These factors include a candidate’s age, education, work experience, language ability in English or French, and others.
About every two weeks, Canada’s immigration department, IRCC, holds Express Entry draws inviting candidates to apply for immigration. The highest-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence. If they are approved, they receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence and their final step is to make their landing in Canada. After that they are officially permanent residents.