On February 18, 2025, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program ("SINP") announced a temporary intake pause for new Job Approval Forms ("JAF"). This pause was introduced in order to comply with the Federal Government's decision to reduce SINP nomination allocations by 50% in 2025.
What is SINP?
SINP is Saskatchewan's provincial permanent residency nominee program. It provides a pathway to permanent residency for foreign workers planning to live and work in Saskatchewan. With the support of their employer, foreign workers in certain occupations can apply to be "nominated" by the province for permanent residency. They can then use this nomination to make a permanent residency application, as well as an application for further temporary working status while their permanent residency application processes. This considered, SINP plays a key role in attracting and retaining skilled foreign workers in Saskatchewan.
The initial stage of SINP requires the employer to complete a JAF, through which they obtain a Job Approval Letter ("JAL"). This authorizes the employer to support a foreign worker's permanent residency process. The supported foreign worker can then use the JAL to apply for provincial nomination and subsequent permanent and temporary status. Therefore, the practical effect of the closure of JAF intake is to temporarily pause new employer supported SINP applications.
Options for employers
With JAF intake temporarily paused, employers will need to explore alternative options for retaining foreign talent. As noted above, SINP can be used to support further working status for foreign workers, making it an attractive option for employers.
Without the ability to extend working status through SINP while seeking permanent residency, employers will need to look to options such as Labour Market Impact Assessment ("LMIA")-based or LMIA-exempt work permit extensions, depending on the nature of the employee's position.
The federal Express Entry System ("EES") may also be used to bridge the gap in the interim. Like SINP, EES provides a pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers and those with Canadian work experience. An application for permanent residency through EES can also be used to support further temporary working status while the permanent residency application processes.
SINP's future
Per SINP, the JAF intake pause is temporary. However, no firm re-opening date has been provided at this time. There are also uncertainties regarding SINP's capacity upon re-opening. For example, JAF intake may initially re-open in a modified fashion and be limited to certain streams and/or occupation types. MLT Aikins will continue to monitor the status of the JAF process and provide updates as they become available.
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