27-03-2025
Sask. reboots foreign worker nominee program with focus on health care, ag and trades
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The province is rebooting its Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) with stricter criteria, ending a five-week pause in applications that started after Ottawa slashed the number of available spots for foreign workers in the province.
SINP is meant to address labour shortages by having immigrants fill vacant positions.
The rebooted SINP moves nominees in three sectors to the front of the line and reworks rules to deal with the federal government's new, lower nominee allocations for provinces, according to a news release from the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training.
The province said it is prioritizing applications from workers in health care, agriculture and skilled trades.
Saskatchewan's allocation for 2025 is 3,625, the lowest level since 2009, the province said. The federal government also now requires that 75 per cent of all nominees are already living in Canada as temporary residents.
Ottawa's new immigration plan for 2025-27 cut immigration levels to provide "well-managed, sustainable growth" in the face of national challenges around housing, infrastructure and social service, an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson said last month.
The province is "disappointed with the federal government's decision" to slash nominee allotments by 50 per cent, but said "the changes announced today will ensure that our reduced number of nominations is used effectively and in a way that prioritizes building our economy," said Immigration and Career Training Minister Jim Reiter in the news release.
New SINP rules include:
The province will prioritize overseas candidates working in health care, agriculture and trades.
For all other jobs, applicants must already be temporary Canadian residents on a valid visa.
A 25 per cent cap on nominations in the hospitality, food services, retail trade and trucking sectors.
The province no longer takes nominations for spas, salons and pet care services (veterinarians remain eligible).
The categories for entrepreneur, international graduate entrepreneur and farmer owner/operator are closed.
The retooled SINP means the province will return applications for the Saskatchewan Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-categories. Candidates who get their applications returned can request a fee refund.
More than 90 per cent of the province's economic immigration happens through the SINP, according to the Immigration and Career Training ministry.
What is SINP?
Employers are allowed to hire foreign nationals through the program once they're able to prove they can't find anyone else in the province to fill a position.
Once a business is qualified, they are provided with a job approval form allowing them to hire a foreign national via SINP.
That person must then work full-time for that employer for at least six months to qualify for the program and stay in the country.
