Saskatchewan Temporarily Stops Accepting Job Approval Forms for Permanent Residence

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) recently announced a temporary halt on all new Job Approval Forms (JAFs). As of February 18, 2025, employers and foreign nationals can no longer submit new JAFs to the SINP.

This pause affects anyone looking to apply for permanent residence through SINP’s job-offer-based pathways. The province has not given a specific date for resuming JAF intake but expects the pause to last a few weeks. Any JAF applications submitted before February 18 will still be reviewed.

According to the SINP, this pause will allow time to make necessary program changes. The move is also a response to the federal government’s decision to reduce SINP nomination allocations by 50% in 2025. This cut aligns with the federal government’s updated Immigration Levels Plan, which lowers targets for provincial nominee programs in 2025.

What is a Job Approval Form?

In Saskatchewan, the Job Approval Letter (JAL) is an authorization that employers need to hire foreign workers. To get a JAL, employers must first submit a Job Approval Form (JAF) through their online OASIS account. With the intake paused, no new JAFs can be submitted, which means no new JALs can be issued. This delays foreign workers’ ability to apply for provincial nominations under SINP’s job-offer-based streams.

Which Pathways are Affected?

All streams requiring a Job Approval Letter are impacted. This includes various subcategories within both the International Skilled Worker and Saskatchewan Work Experience categories, such as:

• Agriculture Talent Pathway
• Health Talent Pathway
• Tech Talent Pathway
• Students
• Employment Offer

What Alternatives Do You Have?

If you still wish to immigrate to Saskatchewan, some pathways don’t rely on a job offer. These include:

• International Skilled Worker: Occupation In-Demand:
  This route is for foreign workers with at least one year of experience in a high-demand skilled occupation. Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and, if selected, receive an invitation to apply for provincial nomination.
• Express Entry:
  By creating an online profile in the federal Express Entry system, candidates can be invited to apply for permanent residence based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. High-scoring candidates are more likely to receive invitations.
• Rural Community Immigration Pilot:
  This program is designed for candidates with job offers from designated employers in specific rural communities. In Saskatchewan, the community of Moose Jaw is included in the pilot. Although the Moose Jaw program is not yet live, eligible candidates may eventually be able to apply for permanent residence through this pathway.

What’s Next?

While the SINP’s job-offer-based pathways are currently on hold, there are still several options for foreign nationals interested in immigrating to Saskatchewan. By exploring other available streams, you can continue working toward your goal of permanent residency.