How to Immigrate to Saskatchewan
February 11, 2021
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One of Canada’s prairie provinces, Saskatchewan is known for its boreal forests and crystalline waters. The province has over 100, 000 lakes and is comprised nearly 10% of freshwater. While it’s one of the colder provinces, it is also one of the most picturesque, having been home to native tribes for eons. Its capital, Regina, is a growing metropolis with two major universities as well as a collection of museums and art galleries for visitors to explore through.
There are various ways to immigrate to Saskatchewan, however, it’s up to you to decide which stream is the best for your skills, qualifications, and education in and outside of Canada. In order to address labour market shortages in the province, Saskatchewan offers its own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which allows candidates to settle directly in the province. Find out how to immigrate to Saskatchewan with our guide below and get your journey started.
In terms of healthcare, the medical practitioners in Saskatchewan work according to the Medical Care Insurance Plan where residents are paid for by the government. Other perks of living in the province include short commutes (average of 20 minutes) and low housing cost with the rent for a family home starting at $1, 600 in the city. This is still in line with major centers but when one considers that the average yearly salary in Saskatchewan is $53, 265, this is quite reasonable.
There are various ways to immigrate to Saskatchewan, however, it’s up to you to decide which stream is the best for your skills, qualifications, and education in and outside of Canada. In order to address labour market shortages in the province, Saskatchewan offers its own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which allows candidates to settle directly in the province. Find out how to immigrate to Saskatchewan with our guide below and get your journey started.
Why Saskatchewan?
Saskatchewan is a wonderful place to immigrate to due to its relatively low cost of living and high quality of life. Its biggest city is Saskatoon which sits on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River. This hub is home to national historic sites and blossoming natural wonders. The city is also home to many folk and theatre festivals that the agricultural districts are known for. Education in Saskatchewan is conducted in English, making an easy transition into the community for those who struggle with French (which is sometimes the official schooling language). The public schooling system for primary and secondary education is completely free, meaning your family will be able to live anywhere in the province without the worry of tuition.In terms of healthcare, the medical practitioners in Saskatchewan work according to the Medical Care Insurance Plan where residents are paid for by the government. Other perks of living in the province include short commutes (average of 20 minutes) and low housing cost with the rent for a family home starting at $1, 600 in the city. This is still in line with major centers but when one considers that the average yearly salary in Saskatchewan is $53, 265, this is quite reasonable.
Best Ways to Immigrate to Saskatchewan
There are two main avenues of immigration open to candidates who meet the necessary requirements. Other ways of immigrating would be to secure family sponsorship or begin by obtaining a temporary work visa or study visa through the federal government. See if any of the streams below appeals to you and start learning if you are eligible.Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Canada's Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was created in order to address specific critical labour market shortages happening within Canada’s communities that are not being filled by local workers. 11 out of the 12 provinces/territories participate in this program and offer a variety of different streams to prospective applicants. These applicants will need to create a profile through the province’s immigration platform in order to be assessed for eligibility.| Saskatchewan PNP Streams | |
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| Program | Streams |
| International Skilled Worker Category |
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| Saskatchewan Experience Category |
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| Entrepreneur and Farm Category |
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Express Entry System
The Express Entry system is for candidates who are applying for a federal program under the government. These programs are the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. These were umbrellaed under the new term Express Entry in 2015 in order to fast-track the process and invite more immigrants into the workforce to fulfill growing vacancies. This falls in line with government plans to invite over a million immigrants to join the economy within the next three years. In order to get started with this process, candidates need to create an online profile that will then be measured according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) which is awards points using the criteria below. Eligible candidates are entered into the Express Entry pool where the highest-scoring profiles are drawn from the group and issued with an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence, typically every two weeks. CRS Criteria Awards Points For:- Age
- CLB Language proficiency (English and French)
- Level of Education (In and outside Canada)
- Work Experience (In and outside Canada)
- Arranged employment
- Sibling in Canada
- Your spouse’s profile (if married)