Saskatchewan held draws for Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand candidates on July 24, just over a month since the previous draw on June 20.

A total of 381 invitations were issued: 277 to candidates with an Expression of Interest (EOI) profile in the province’s Occupation In-Demand sub-category, and another 104 to those with an EOI profile in the Express Entry sub-category.

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program, or SINP, assesses the eligibility of skilled workers for these immigration sub-categories on a points basis.

Candidates must score at least 60 points for factors such as education, work experience and proficiency in English or French, among others, in order to be eligible.

They must also have work experience in one of 19 occupations listed as in-demand in Saskatchewan.

Go here to see the list of Saskatchewan’s occupations in demand.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

The SINP’s Express Entry sub-category is linked to the federal Express Entry system, which is Canada’s main pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers.

In order to be considered for a nomination from Saskatchewan, Express Entry candidates must register a separate EOI profile with the SINP.

An EOI profile details a candidate’s education, work experience, proficiency in English or French, among other factors, and candidates are awarded a score out of 100 points based on the information provided.

The score awarded under the SINP’s International Skilled Worker category is different from the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score that determines a candidate’s in the Express Entry pool.

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points toward their CRS score and are effectively guaranteed an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

The Occupation In-Demand sub-category operates outside the Express Entry system and is designed to bring in international skilled workers who work in industries that are facing labour shortages in the province.

Occupation In-Demand candidates must also register an Expression of Interest with the SINP.

The highest-ranked candidates in both the Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand pools are issued invitations to apply for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan through regular draws.

The cut-off scores in the July 24 draws for both sub-categories went up by six points over the previous draw on June 20, from 68 to 74.

So far in 2019, the SINP has issued 1,004 invitations to Express Entry candidates and 1,473 to Occupation In-Demand candidates.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

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