TriKaN Immigration Services

Saskatchewan Introduces New Immigration Streams for Agriculture and Health Care Workers

Today, 30 August 2024, The Government of Saskatchewan announced two NEW talent pathways under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) to grow the workforce in the agriculture and health care sectors.

The two new programs under SINP are:
1. Health Talent Pathway.
2. Agriculture Talent Pathway

These sub-categories are for health and agriculture workers who:
• Have an offer for a skilled job in Saskatchewan.
• Meet the criteria of the sub-category.
• Intend to reside in Saskatchewan as a permanent resident.

Agriculture is the backbone of the Saskatchewan economy, and the new Agriculture Talent Pathway will enable producers to access the talent they need to continue feeding the world, growing the value of exports, increasing value-added agriculture and harnessing new technologies and innovations. This pathway will help meet the increased demand for labour to fill in-demand and emerging jobs in the agriculture industry.

The new Health Talent Pathway will support the Government of Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources (HHR) action plan, as the SINP is an important resource for the health care sector to recruit and retain skilled workers. All health care recruitment through the SINP will be consolidated and streamlined under this single stream.

These new pathways align with Saskatchewan’s strategic goals of economic development, workforce enhancement, and improved quality of life for its residents. By addressing significant labor shortages in both the agriculture and health care sectors, these targeted pathways will attract skilled workers to fill critical gaps, thereby ensuring that essential services and industry needs are met.

Eligible Occupations for the Agriculture Talent Pathway
NOC Description
75101 Material handlers
84120 Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
85100 Livestock labourers
85101 Harvesting labourers
85103 Nursery and greenhouse labourers
94140 Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing
94141 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
94143 Testers and graders, food and beverage processing
94204 Mechanical assemblers and inspectors
95106 Labourers in food and beverage processing

Eligible Occupations in the Health Talent Pathway
NOC Description
30010 Managers in health care
31100 Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
31101 Specialists in surgery
31102 General practitioners and family physicians
31103 Veterinarians
31110 Dentists
31111 Optometrists
31112 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
31120 Pharmacists
31121 Dietitians and nutritionists
31200 Psychologists
31201 Chiropractors
31202 Physiotherapists
31203 Occupational therapists
31204 Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
31300 Nursing coordinators and supervisors
31301 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
31302 Nurse practitioners
31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
32100 Opticians
32101 Licensed practical nurses
32102 Paramedical occupations
32103 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
32104 Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
32109 Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
32110 Denturists
32111 Dental hygienists and dental therapists
32112 Dental technologists and technicians
32120 Medical laboratory technologists
32121 Medical radiation technologists
32122 Medical sonographers
32123 Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists n.e.c
32124 Pharmacy technicians
32129 Other medical technologists and technicians
32200 Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
32201 Massage therapists
32209 Other practitioners of natural healing
33100 Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
33101 Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
33102 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
33103 Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
33109 Other assisting occupations in support of health services
44101 Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program HARD TO FILL SKILLS PILOT

Effective August 30, 2024, the SINP Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot will be permanently closed.

Any remaining applications submitted with a valid Candidate-Specific Job Approval Letter will be honoured and processed to completion by SINP

Canada ends temporary public policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits from within the country

Ottawa, August 28, 2024— Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ended a temporary public policy that allowed visitors to apply for a work permit from within Canada, effective immediately.

While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC is ending the policy as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system.

IRCC will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024 under the policy.

Effective September 26, 2024, the following modifications will be made to Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications:

* Low-Wage Stream Restrictions: The Government of Canada will cease processing LMIAs for the Low-Wage stream in census metropolitan areas where the unemployment rate is 6% or higher. Exceptions will be made for seasonal and non-seasonal roles in food security sectors (including primary agriculture, food processing, and fish processing), as well as for construction and healthcare positions.

* Workforce Hiring Limits: Employers will be permitted to hire no more than 10% of their total workforce through the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program. This represents a further reduction from previous limits set in March 2024, with exceptions for jobs in food security, healthcare, and construction sectors.

* Employment Duration: The maximum employment period for Low-Wage stream workers will be reduced from two years to one year.

Employers are encouraged to invest in the full spectrum of available Canadian talent, including youth, newcomers, and persons with disabilities.

A comprehensive review of the Program will be conducted within the next 90 days, which may lead to additional changes affecting the High-Wage Stream, existing LMIA applications for unfilled positions, sectoral exceptions, or LMIA applications for rural areas.

Further updates will be provided as developments occur.

August 26, 2024: Alberta Government announced Temporary measure for select applicants with work permits expiring in 2024

Alberta Opportunity Stream and Rural Renewal Stream nominee applicants may be eligible to receive a letter of support to seek a maximum 2-year, open work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The ‘Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Work Permits for Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates’ signed with the Federal government applies to Alberta Opportunity Stream and Rural Renewal Stream nominee applicants who:
were waiting for a final decision on their application as of August 26, 2024, and who held a valid work permit with an expiry date between May 7 and December 31, 2024, at the time of application
had their application declined between May 7 and August 26, 2024, on the sole basis that their work permit had expired in 2024

Applicants cannot apply to participate in this initiative. The AAIP will complete an initial assessment to determine which nominee candidates are eligible.

Applicants will need to demonstrate they are likely to meet minimum requirements for their stream and have a valid Alberta job offer.

Applicants whose work permits have expired will also need to demonstrate they have maintained status during processing or are eligible for restoration of temporary resident status.

Applicants who receive the letter of support from AAIP will be eligible to receive an open work permit valid for up to 2 years. The maximum 2-year work permit extension granted under this policy will help these applicants continue to work and maintain their eligibility for nomination over time.

News Release: 20 August 2024
Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The Government of Canada has approved Quebec's request to temporarily suspend the processing of new Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications for low-wage occupations in the Montréal economic region under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program.

This six-month suspension, effective from September 3, 2024, applies to job offers with wages below $27.47/hour. The suspension affects all LMIA applications, including those with facilitated processing, but excludes jobs outside Montréal, positions offering wages at or above the median rate, and applications submitted before the suspension begins. Certain industry groups, such as agriculture and health services, are also exempt.

The Government will monitor the policy and consider future adjustments to the TFW Program.

Alberta PNP
August 7, 2024: New expression of interest system
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program will launch a new expression of interest system on September 30, 2024.
As a result of this new system, AAIP will not proceed with the remaining monthly application acceptance dates for 2024.

IRCC Express Entry Draw today

Today, June 21, 2024, IRCC announced that foreign nationals can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border, effective immediately. This measure will help reduce what is known as "flagpoling".

Flagpoling occurs when temporary residents of Canada bypass the normal wait times involved in applying for a work or study permit online by leaving the country and then immediately re-entering to receive same-day immigration services.

Students will continue to have the option to apply online.

Alberta has met targets for the Opportunity Stream, Express Entry, and the Hospitality and Tourism streams.
Next intake is 9 July 2024

Today, Canada announced new pilot programs to support caregivers and Canadian families, and their intention to make the caregivers program permanent.

Caregivers from abroad are invaluable to Canadian families. Their hard work makes a difference in the lives of those they care for, including children, seniors and persons with disabilities.

The new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence (PR) on arrival in Canada. They will also be allowed to work for organizations that provide temporary or part­time care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness. This new pathway means that caregivers can more easily find proper work with reliable employers and have clear, straightforward access to permanent resident status as soon as they arrive in Canada.

Through these new pilot programs, candidates interested in working in Canada’s home care sector will be eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria:

- attain a minimum of level 4 based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
- hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma
- have recent and relevant work experience
- receive an offer for a full-time home care job

These new PR on arrival pilot programs mark an important step forward in Canada’s efforts to meet the evolving home care needs of its diverse population. More information will be available before the full launch of the pilots.

Update: 2024 Parent/Grandparent Sponsorship

Starting May 21, IRCC will invite 35,700 potential sponsors from the pool of remaining interest to sponsor forms submitted in 2020 to sponsor parents and grandparents. IRCC will send out invitations over the course of approximately 2 weeks. If you submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, please check the email address you used at that time.

If you didn’t submit an interest to sponsor form in 2020, your parents and grandparents can apply to come to Canada for an extended visit by applying for a super visa. They will be able to visit for up to 5 years at a time and extend their stay while in Canada.

Today, IRCC announced that the Government of Canada will set an intake cap on international student permit applications to stabilize growth, for a period of two years.

For 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits.

Study permit renewals will not be impacted.
Those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, and elementary and secondary education are not included in the cap.
Current study permit holders will not be affected.

To implement the cap, as of January 22, 2024, every study permit application submitted to IRCC will also require an attestation letter from a province or territory.

CHANGES IN THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
• Starting September 1, 2024, international students who begin a study program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a postgraduation work permit upon graduation.
• Graduates of master’s and other short graduate-level programs will soon be eligible to apply for a 3-year work permit. In the weeks ahead, open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students in master's and doctoral programs. The spouses of international students in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible.

The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced today that starting January 1, 2024, the cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applicants will be raised so that international students are financially prepared for life in Canada.

For 2024, a single applicant will need to show they have $20,635, in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs. This change will apply to new study permit applications received on or after January 1, 2024.

Today IRCC announced more ways to protect international students from fraud and make it easier to study in Canada:

✔ Starting December 1, 2023, post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLI) will be required to confirm every applicant’s letter of acceptance through a new verification process before a study permit is issued.

✔ In time for the fall 2024 semester, recognized DLIs that provide quality support and services for international students will benefit from enhanced service, including priority processing of study permits for applicants who plan to study at their school.

✔ IRCC is also assessing criteria for post-graduation work permits and, in the coming months, will begin introducing changes that will benefit Canadian employers across the country and help meet regional and Francophone immigration goals.

News release June 6, 2023

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the addition of 13 countries to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Travellers from these countries who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air. Effective today, eligible travellers from these countries can benefit from the program:

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Costa Rica
Morocco
Panama
Philippines
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Seychelles
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay

Great news for these travellers.

Starting April 6, 2023, international graduates with a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) expiring in 2023 will qualify for an extended work permit to stay in Canada for up to 18 months longer.

Foreign nationals whose PGWP has already expired in 2023, and those who were eligible for the 2022 PGWP facilitative measure, will also have the opportunity to apply for an additional 18­month work permit.

Great news for Students!!
From November 15, 2022 until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will be allowed to work over 20 hours per week off-campus while class is in session.
Currently, students are limited to 20 hours of work while classes are in session. This is in attempt to alleviate the labour shortages in Canada.