Saskatchewan Returns Immigration Applications in Certain Sectors Due to Nomination Cap

In 2025, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) made several important adjustments to the way it handles immigration applications. One of the biggest changes was the return of applications from three specific occupations for exceeding the nomination limit.

What occupations does Saskatchewan return applications for?

According to a new announcement from the Saskatchewan government, SINP immigration applications from candidates working in the following industries will be returned:

• Transportation)
• Retail
• Accommodation and Food Services

The reason is that the province has reached the 25% limit on the number of nominations granted to these occupations in 2025. This is a new regulation applied from March 2025 to re-coordinate the occupational structure in the province's settlement policy.

What is the 25% quota rule in the SINP program?

Starting in March 2025, Saskatchewan will officially limit the number of nominations to no more than 25% of the total number of annual nominations for the three occupations listed above. Once the maximum number of nominations is reached, subsequent applications in the same occupation will no longer be eligible for consideration, regardless of whether they have enough points and meet other requirements.

However, if there are unused nominations in other sectors during the year, the province can reallocate them to locked sectors.

Applications may still be accepted: Job Approval Form

Although some industries have temporarily suspended nominations, Saskatchewan continues to accept Job Approval Forms (JAFs) – applications submitted by employers in the province to request permission to hire foreign workers.

• Once the JAF is approved, the prefecture will issue a Job Approval Letter (JAL) – a document confirming permission to recruit international workers.
• JAL is a mandatory condition for workers to be able to apply for settlement under employer-driven settlement streams.
• However, having JAL does not mean that you will definitely be nominated if that industry group has reached the 25% limit.

Saskatchewan restricts applications from non-Canadian applicants

In addition to capping nominations by occupation, Saskatchewan also implements a policy of limiting nominations to candidates currently living outside Canada, with the exception of a number of priority occupations including:

• Health
• Agriculture
• Skilled Trades

For other occupations, only candidates who are temporary residents in Canada (with a work permit, study permit, etc.) are eligible for nomination.

As of June 2, 2025, Saskatchewan confirmed that the 25% cap on applications from people residing in Canada has not been reached, so this group still has the opportunity to apply.

Why does Saskatchewan have to change its immigration policy?

The policy change comes from a series of new factors at the federal level and the actual situation in the provinces, specifically:

• In 2025, the Canadian federal government is cutting the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) quota for most provinces and territories by 50%. Saskatchewan is among the provinces affected.
• The federal government also requires that 75% of people nominated for permanent residence through provincial programs must be living in Canada.

This has forced Saskatchewan to adjust its SINP intake strategy to prioritize occupations that are truly needed by the local labour market, and ensure a fair allocation of nominations.

Some other notable changes in the SINP program in 2025

In addition to implementing industry and residency limits, Saskatchewan is making the following important changes:

• Closing the Entrepreneur and Farm Owner/Operator immigration program
• Excludes certain Open Work Permit holders from eligibility
• SINP Student Category Eligibility Limits
• Remove service industries such as spas, salons, and pet care (except veterinarians) from the list of eligible settlement services.

Advice from the experts

In a context of constant policy change and tightening nomination quotas, workers and employers need to:

• Proactively review occupation, residence status and ability to apply for JAF/JAL;
• Update information periodically to promptly adjust settlement strategy;
• Consider alternative paths if current occupation is no longer a priority.

Understanding the policy early and having a suitable plan will help increase the chances of success in your settlement journey in Saskatchewan.

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