SINP Hard to Fill Skills pilot (HFS) was launched in the year 2021. This pathway under the SINP International Skilled Worker nominates applicants with an employment offer in a low-skill, high-demand job. This article includes detailed information about the SINP HFS pathway such as:
Table of Content
Latest Update on HFS Pilot
SINP has made some occupations and business types ineligible to apply through the Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot as of 2nd May 2024.
As of 11 January 2024, SINP has closed down HFS Pilot for review. The pilot is expected to open in Spring of the same year. Job Approval Forms (JAFs) that were received before the closing of the pilot will still be processed, given they meet the eligibility requirements.
Not all occupations are affected by this latest update. Out of a total of 33 occupations, 11 still remain eligible. These are:
- Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient associates
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- Other assisting occupations in support of health services
- Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations
- Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
- Livestock labourers
- Harvesting labourers
- Process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated processing
- Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
- Labourers in food, beverage and associated product processing
For the latest updates about the HFS Pilot, bookmark this page!
List of Occupations for the SINP Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot
The 30 occupations that are eligible for the Saskatchewan Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot are tabulated below.
| NOC code TEER Level | Occupations |
|---|---|
| 14400 TEER 4 | Shippers and receivers |
| 14401 TEER 4 | Storekeepers and parts persons |
| 14404 TEER 4 | Dispatchers |
| 32109 TEER 2 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 33102 TEER 3 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient associates |
| 33103 TEER 3 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants |
| 33109 TEER 3 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services |
| 44101 TEER 4 | Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations Note: Home Support Workers, Caregivers and other related occupations are excluded and are ineligible for the Saskatchewan Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot. |
| 64314 TEER 4 | Hotel front desk clerks |
| 65102 TEER 5 | Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers |
| 65200 TEER 5 | Food and beverage servers |
| 65201 TEER 5 | Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations |
| 65310 TEER 5 | Light duty cleaners |
| 65312 TEER 5 | Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners |
| 73201 TEER 3 | General building maintenance workers and building superintendents |
| 73300 TEER 3 | Transport truck drivers Note: You must get the required licensing from Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) to keep your provincial nomination from the SINP HFS pilot. Moreover, you must demonstrate that you have finished the Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT), and have a Class 1A or Class 2 A license according to the vehicle. |
| 73400 TEER 3 | Heavy Equipment operators (except crane) |
| 75101 TEER 5 | Material handlers |
| 75110 TEER 5 | Construction trades helpers and laborers |
| 84120 TEER 4 | Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators |
| 85100 TEER 5 | Livestock laborers |
| 85101 TEER 5 | Harvesting laborers |
| 85111 TEER 5 | Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related laborers |
| 94105 TEER 4 | Metalworking and forging machine operators |
| 94106 TEER 4 | Machining tool operators |
| 94120 TEER 4 | Sawmill machine operators |
| 94140 TEER 4 | Process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated processing |
| 94141 TEER 4 | Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers |
| 94204 TEER 4 | Mechanical assemblers and inspectors |
| 94213 TEER 4 | Industrial painters, coaters and Metal finishing process operators |
| 95101 TEER 5 | Laborers in Metal fabrication |
| 95106 TEER 5 | Laborers in food, beverage and associated Products processing |
| 95109 TEER 5 | Other laborers in processing, manufacturing and utilities |
Eligibility Criteria for Saskatchewan Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot
Before applying for the SINP Hard-to-Fill Skills pilot, ensure that you meet all the eligibility requirements tabulated below.
| Eligibility Factors | Mandatory requirements |
|---|---|
| SINP Job Offer | A minimum work experience of one year within the last three years is mandatory. This experience must be paid, full-time and belong to or be related to the eligible occupations for the HFS pathway.If your previous job was with an employer who has provided you with a valid Job Approval Letter, your work experience only needs to be for 6 months in the last three years. However, it still needs to be related to the eligible occupations and must be full-time and paid. |
| A valid SINP employer | The job offer must be from a valid Saskatchewan employer. The employer is considered eligible if: -They have attempted to recruit Canadians and Permanent Residents before recruiting international workers. -Submitted a Job Approval Form or JAF to the SINP -Obtained a Job Approval Letter. The JAL acts as an authorization for the Saskatchewan employer to hire a foreign skilled worker. -Have registered with the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety in case they are hiring you on the basis of a closed work permit. |
| Work Experience | A minimum work experience of one year within the last three years is mandatory. This experience must be paid, full-time and belong to or be related to the eligible occupations for the HFS pathway.If your previous job was with an employer who has provided you with a valid Job Approval Letter, your work experience only needs to be for 6 months in the last three years. However, it still needs to be related to the eligible occupations, and must be full-time and paid. |
| Language Proficiency | Score at least Canadian Language Benchmark or CLB 4 in your language proficiency test. Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) accepts CELPIP and IELTS (general) for English proficiency tests. It accepts TCF and TEF as French proficiency tests. Your test results must not be older than 2 years. The minimum language proficiency can vary according to the demands of your employer according to the NOC code of the job offer |
| Academic qualifications | You must have completed your high school secondary school or higher education. However, this is the minimum and mandatory eligibility criteria for the SINP Hard-to-FIll Skills Pilot. Depending upon the NOC code of your job offer, the minimum academic requirements might vary. For example, in the case of NOC 32109, a two-year college diploma or longer training is mandatory, besides high school. A valid Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report is required if you have completed your education from anywhere outside Canada. |
| Living in Saskatchewan | You will be required to submit documents to demonstrate your intentions to permanently live and work in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. |
How to Apply for the Saskatchewan Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot?
The SINP Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot does not require an Expression of Interest or EOI. Moreover, you will not be scored by the SINP points assessment grid.
- The first and foremost step towards applying for the SINP HFS pilot is to ensure that you have a job offer. You can utilize Canada Job Bank or Saskjobs to get a job offer that is valid for the pathway.
- Once you have a job offer, register and create an account on OASIS or Saskatchewan Online Application System.
- Determine and select your SINP pathway.
- Upload the required documents and submit information under the following categories:
- Citizenship
- Birth Documents
- Passport
- Marital Status
- Education Selection
- Work Experience Section
- English/French Ability
- Once all the information is complete and all the required documents are uploaded, submit the SINP HFS application.
- Upon submission, your application will undergo a pre-screening process to confirm its completeness.
- A complete SINP application will then undergo a criteria assessment and recommendation process. This is the phase where the SINP will ask for any additional information if required. You will have 10 days to comply and submit the requested additional documents.
- If your application is successfully approved, you will receive:
- SINP Nomination Approval Letter
- Additional Information to apply for Canada PR through the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP)
- Work Permit Support Letter (if applicable)
Document Checklist for the SINP HFS Pilot
A complete list of documents required for the Saskatchewan Hard to Fill Skills Pilot will vary according to your profile. However, it is mandatory to upload certain documents while applying for this pathway. They are listed below.
- An approved and valid job offer is:
- Addressed to you
- Includes the designation, job description, salary, and all relevant information.
- Lists the information about the company
- Contains the location of your job
- Is issued on the official letterhead of the company
- Signed by the employer
- Copy of SINP Job Approval Letter (JAL)
- Language proficiency test- valid for 2 years
- Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)- valid for 5 years
- Reference letters from HR or previous employers to validate your work experience.
- Temporary Work Permit if you are working in Saskatchewan
- To validate Saskatchewan’s work experience, you will need to submit proof of residency in the province. This includes copies of the Saskatchewan Health Card or driver’s license.
- Birth Certificates
- Passports
All the documents must either be in French or English. In case they are in any other language, you must submit the original copies along with the English/French translation. Your documents must be translated by a certified translator. Along with the translated paperwork, you will also need to submit an affidavit from the certified translator.
Processing Time and Fees
The Processing time for the Saskatchewan Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot is approximately 4 weeks.
There is no application fee for this SINP International Worker stream. However, it does not include the expenses for language proficiency tests, ECA reports, and other mandatory application requirements.
The Saskatchewan Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot is the most suitable option for you if you have a job offer in a lower-skilled occupation in Saskatchewan. The most prominent advantage of this SINP International Skilled Worker pathway is that there is no minimum EOI score required to be eligible. Moreover, unlike other SINP ISW pathways, it has no application fee.
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