Saskatchewan Updates Provincial Nominee Program, Reopens Job Offer Pathways

31 Mar 2025

Saskatchewan Updates Provincial Nominee Program, Reopens Job Offer Pathways

Saskatchewan has recently announced major updates to its Provincial Nominee Program, known as the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). Here are the key changes simplified:

Job Approval Forms (JAF) Intake Resumes

As of March 27, 2025, Saskatchewan resumed accepting new Job Approval Forms (JAFs). Employers use these forms to support hiring skilled foreign workers, which helps workers become eligible for permanent residency (PR).

Saskatchewan does not expect another pause in JAF submissions this year. However, 75% of the province’s immigration nominations in 2025 will be for people already in Saskatchewan on temporary visas.

Limited Overseas Recruitment

Going forward, Saskatchewan will prioritize JAF approvals for overseas workers in these specific sectors:

Health
Agriculture
Skilled Trades

Candidates in other sectors must already be working in Canada with valid permits to be eligible for recruitment through the SINP.

Closure of Entrepreneur and Farm Owner Categories

Effective March 27, 2025, these immigration streams are closed to new applications:

Entrepreneur Category
International Graduate Entrepreneur Category
Farm Owner/Operator Category

Existing Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under these streams will be removed. Applications submitted before this date will still be processed under previous rules. Saskatchewan does not plan to reopen these streams soon.

Nomination Caps Introduced

Saskatchewan has set nomination limits for these sectors:

Accommodations and Food Services
Retail Trade
Trucking

These three industries combined can receive a maximum of 25% of total annual nominations. Once this limit is reached, remaining JAFs will expire, and employers must reapply in the new year.

Open Work Permit Restrictions

Certain Open Work Permit holders, such as those on spousal open work permits, are no longer eligible for SINP pathways. Saskatchewan made this decision due to high exploitation risks and retention issues.

Student Category Eligibility Changes

Eligibility for the SINP Student Category now requires graduates from Saskatchewan Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) to have at least six months (780 hours) of relevant paid work experience. This experience can include:

On-campus or off-campus employment
Co-op terms
Graduate fellowships approved by the institution
Work on a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

PGWP holders who studied outside Saskatchewan are no longer eligible under this category. They must apply through other SINP pathways like Student Talent, Health Talent, Agriculture Talent, or Skilled Worker: Employer Job Offer sub-categories.

Employer Eligibility Restrictions

Starting March 27, 2025, these employers can no longer recruit foreign workers through the SINP: