The Revised Exclusion List for Provincial Nominee Programs in Saskatchewan, Canada
On May 1, 2024, Saskatchewan amended and increased the occupations that will be barred from applying to the Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry program sub-categories. The exclusion list presently includes 158 occupations that are ineligible for these programs. Eight of these were added to the exclusion list in the most recent version.
Key Takeaways
- Veterinarians and veterinary technicians were removed from the exclusion list, making them eligible for the Occupations In Demand and Express Entry subcategories.
- Sheriffs and bailiffs, correctional services officers, by-law enforcement, aestheticians and related occupations, transport truck drivers, bus drivers and other transit operators, pest controllers and fumigators, and heavy equipment operators are no longer eligible for the Occupations In Demand or Express Entry PNP subcategories in Saskatchewan.
- Workers in NOC TEER 4 and 5 occupations are likewise ineligible for these programs.
- The changes have no bearing on the eligibility or criteria for Federal Express Entry.
- Saskatchewan has increasingly targeted certain occupations, and even countries, in its PNP draws.
What Programs Are Affected?
These changes affect Saskatchewan’s Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry PNP subcategories.
This will be a disadvantage for candidates who work in these occupations and intend to immigrate through Saskatchewan’s PNP. It will have an impact on candidates in these occupations who are in the Express Entry pool and were hoping to use Saskatchewan’s PNP to supplement their Express Entry CRS or to immigrate through the PNP rather than the Express Entry system while points were extraordinarily high.
What Are the Updated Excluded Occupations and NOCs?
Saskatchewan’s list of occupations banned from these programs is wide. We have developed a comprehensive list below, which includes forestry specialists, aircraft engineers, and journalists.
It also states that NOC TEER 4 and 5 occupations are not qualified for the Occupation In-Demand or Express Entry subcategories. This makes reasonable, given that both of these classifications are intended for more skilled people.
Saskatchewan’s excluded occupations list for the Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry program sub-categories includes the following occupations and their related NOCs:
What Occupations Were Added to the List?
It appears that Saskatchewan has added eight new vocations to the list that were not on the prior list. They are:
- 43200 Sheriffs and Bailiffs
- 43201 Correctional Service Officers
- 43202 Officers responsible for enforcing by-laws and other regulations
- 63211 Aestheticians, electrologists, and similar jobs
- 73300 Transport truck drivers
- 73301 Bus drivers, subway operators, and other transportation operators
- 73202 Pest Controllers and Fumigators
- 73400 Heavy machinery operators.
This means that applicants cannot utilize work experience from one of these NOC codes to determine their SINP eligibility.
Which Occupations Were Removed from the List?
Only two vocations were removed from the list. They are:
- 31,103 Veterinarians
- 32104 Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians.
What Will Happen to SINP Expressions of Interest, in which the Lead NOC is now on the Exclusion List?
If an applicant discovers that their lead NOC is one of the eight NOCs added to the exclusion list, they will no longer be able to submit an active Expression of Interest. They can expect to be notified after their Expression of Interest has been removed from the pool, or they can withdraw it manually. They can then resubmit an Expression of Interest if they have work experience under a NOC that is not on the list. An applicant may have only one active SINP Expression of Interest at any given time.
Another issue could be the administration of submitted SINP applications, in which the lead NOC is now on the exclusion list. Given that the application processing times for both impacted programs are approximately 30 business days, and that SINP has only invited a limited number of NOC codes, it is highly improbable that there are any ongoing SINP applications where the lead NOC is now on the exclusion list.
Why did Saskatchewan implement these changes?
Saskatchewan has not explained why they made these modifications. This list hasn’t been updated since November 2022, so the additions probably suggest that there isn’t a high demand for workers in these fields.
Saskatchewan’s PNP draw results show a clear shift towards more tailored immigration goals. Its most recent draws have all focused on specific occupations, while it also targeted immigration from specific nations in a series of country- and occupation-specific draws in August 2023.
When can we expect another SINP draw?
The last SINP draw for both the Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry subcategories was on March 7, 2024, nearly two months ago. Following previous draw trends, we might expect another draw in May or June.
The removal of two occupations from the exclusion list (which allows applicants with work experience in one of these occupations to apply) raises the question of whether these two occupations will be picked in subsequent draws. Only time will tell.
How Often Do Eligible Programs Change?
It would appear that the most recent change to this list occurred in November 2022.
On the other hand, the program sites make it clear that the requirements may be altered at any time from time to time.
In addition, because of the shift toward more targeted draws, working in a profession that is eligible for the Occupations In Demand or Express Entry subcategories in Saskatchewan does not guarantee that one will be invited to apply for or nominated for the Permanent Residence Program in Saskatchewan.
As was said earlier, there is a discernible trend toward draws that are targeting specific individuals. To add insult to injury, as we wait to see how the revised exclusion list will impact these draws, there is no assurance that Saskatchewan will target occupations that are not formally barred.
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