Saskatchewan SINP Reopens: New Changes 2025

In a press release issued on March 27, 2025, the Government of Saskatchewan officially lifted the temporary pause on the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) Job Approval Form (JAF) submissions.

This pause, which had been announced earlier this year in February, was put in place as part of Canada’s plan to reduce overall immigration numbers across many provincial immigration streams, as outlined in the Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027.

What is SINP

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) was originally established to attract and retain immigrants who could eventually achieve Canadian permanent residency by contributing to the province’s economic growth and development. SINP has played a crucial role in assisting Saskatchewan employers, particularly during times of labor shortages, by enabling them to hire foreign workers when qualified Canadian candidates were unavailable to fill vacant positions. However, in response to Canada’s current unemployment rate, the government of Saskatchewan has had to reconsider and reassessed their immigration strategy.

SINP Impact

The resumption of the SINP process comes with program changes because of limited nominee allocations as indicated in the Immigration Level’s plan. Deputy Premier and Immigration and Career Training Minister Jim Reiter stated that businesses and employers in Saskatchewan will take a big hit as the SINP played a vital role in filling vacant positions in the province.

Saskatchewan’s Focus

Considering these reductions, Saskatchewan is focusing on attracting and retaining foreign workers in certain sectors, specifically health care, agriculture, and skilled trades. This program has been remodeled to better align the SINP with Saskatchewan’s long-term labour market goals while maintaining program integrity amidst reduced allocations. Previously, under SINP, spas, salons, and pet care services, were allowed to hire foreign nationals, however, now they will no longer be able to with the only exception of pet spas hiring veterinarians.

Closed SINP Streams

In addition to the province’s targeted immigration approach, Saskatchewan will no longer accept submissions for certain SINP programs. Previously, SINP included three immigration programs with various streams under each: the Saskatchewan Skilled Worker, Saskatchewan Experience, and Saskatchewan Entrepreneur and Farm programs. However, in response to the reduced immigration allocations, the province has announced that the Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur, and Farm Owner/Operator categories will be permanently closed.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about how these changes might impact your immigration plans to Canada, contact us at Canadim today. We can help you explore alternative immigration pathways and assess the best options available for you considering your individual circumstances.