Federal cuts halve SINP allocations, prioritizing temporary residents

(SASKATCHEWAN) Saskatchewan’s provincial immigration system is operating under its tightest rules in years after Ottawa cut the province’s 2025 Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program allocation in half and ordered that 75% of nominees must already be temporary residents in Canada. As of August 25, 2025, the SINP is prioritizing people already living and working in Saskatchewan, while sharply limiting overseas recruitment to a short list of critical sectors. Provincial officials say the changes are slowing hiring and keeping labour shortages in place across the economy.

Deputy Premier and Immigration and Career Training Minister Jim Reiter has said he’s disappointed by the federal decision, arguing the SINP helps employers fill jobs when qualified Canadians aren’t available. Employers report that the shift is pushing them to recruit almost entirely inside Canada, even for jobs that once relied on overseas talent pipelines.

Sector Caps and Priority Streams

Under a provincial order effective March 27, 2025, Saskatchewan set a 25% cap on nominations for the following sectors:

• Transportation
• Retail
• Accommodation
• Food services
• Trucking

Once the cap in any of these sectors is reached, the province returns applications. Officials may reallocate unused spots later in the year, but there’s no guarantee. Employers in these industries describe a stop‑start hiring cycle that complicates scheduling, budgeting, and service levels, especially in rural areas.

Overseas recruitment is now permitted primarily for:

• Healthcare
• Agriculture
• Skilled trades

Employers outside those priority sectors must look to candidates who already hold valid temporary resident status in Canada. For many companies this means relying on:

• International graduates who previously studied in Canada
• Spousal open work permit holders
• Existing work permit holders changing jobs

However, new limits on international students and some spousal work permit holders have further narrowed the pool, according to provincial notices.

Business Immigration and Program Changes

The province also shut the door on business immigration. On March 27, 2025, Saskatchewan permanently closed these categories to new applications:

• Entrepreneur
• International Graduate Entrepreneur
• Farm Owner/Operator

Files already in the system and signed Business Performance Agreements will be processed, but no new Expressions of Interest are accepted. Community leaders worry the closures will slow small‑town investment and farm transitions that these pathways have long supported.

Processing remains relatively steady: in Q2 2024–25, finalized SINP applications for people on existing work permits and for international students both averaged 7 weeks. That predictability offers little comfort to applicants in capped sectors whose files are returned once caps are hit.

Federal Context and Additional Steps

National policy is moving in a similar direction. Ottawa plans to welcome:

• 395,000 new permanent residents in 2025
• 380,000 in 2026
• 365,000 in 2027

By 2027, about 62% of new permanent residents are expected through economic programs, with extra attention on health and trades. Federal officials argue that transitions from temporary to permanent status lead to better long‑term results.

Starting August 21, 2025, Express Entry applicants must complete an upfront Immigration Medical Exam before submitting their profile—adding another step for those exploring federal options.

Job Approval Forms and Employer Guidance

The SINP briefly paused intake of employer Job Approval Forms (JAFs) between February 18 and March 27, 2025, then reopened with new priorities. The province says it does not plan more pauses this year. Employers are urged to:

• Keep submitting Job Approval Forms
• Monitor NAICS industry and NOC occupation codes to confirm whether job offers fall inside a cap or an eligible stream

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, some employers are staggering submissions to avoid hitting sector caps early in the quarter, while others are shifting recruitment to roles that remain uncapped.

The province recommends that employers in capped industries should concentrate on candidates already in Canada and continue submitting Job Approval Forms where eligible. Applicants should prepare early for the required Job Approval Letter (JAL), which most SINP categories need before a nomination application can proceed. Official program details and employer steps are posted at the Government of Saskatchewan’s website: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/sinp.

Practical Impact on Employers and Workers

Policy changes are felt most on the shop floor. Examples include:

• A Regina grocer may have an overseas candidate ready to relocate, but the retail cap blocks that path until seats reopen.
• A trucking firm in Prince Albert might be forced to hire only drivers already in Canada, even if overseas drivers with years of experience are available.
• A rural clinic may succeed recruiting a foreign nurse because healthcare is a priority sector, but still struggle to fill support roles covered by the services cap.

Provincial officials argue the reduced SINP allocation limits growth just as the province tries to meet demand in hospitals, farms, and construction sites. Employers and industry groups say caps in services and trucking worsen an already tight market, raising costs and squeezing small businesses. The federal view favors shifting more temporary residents to permanent status, slowing overall immigration growth in later years, and keeping pressure on employers to hire people already in Canada.

Policy Changes Reshape 2025 Intake (Summary)

• Allocation cut by 50% (2025) with 75% in‑Canada nominee requirement.
• Sector caps (25%) for transportation, retail, accommodation, food services, and trucking, effective March 27, 2025.
• Priority overseas sectors: healthcare, agriculture, skilled trades.
• Business immigration streams closed permanently to new applicants on March 27, 2025.
• Processing times: 7 weeks for existing work permit holders and international students (Q2 2024–25).
• No further JAF intake pauses expected in 2025, per provincial guidance.
• Express Entry now requires an upfront medical exam as of August 21, 2025.

Recommended Employer Playbook

Employers in Saskatchewan who depend on the SINP now face a narrower lane. The practical steps are:

1. Confirm sector status. Check if your NAICS industry falls under the 25% cap and whether any space remains.
2. Line up a Job Approval Letter (JAL). Most streams require a valid JAL tied to the offered position.
3. File a Job Approval Form (JAF) early. Submissions in capped sectors risk being returned if the cap is reached.
4. Recruit in‑Canada wherever possible. Given the 75% rule, focus on temporary residents already in Saskatchewan or elsewhere in Canada.
5. Watch for reallocations. Unused nomination spots may move later in the year, but timing is uncertain.
6. Consider federal backup routes. Some candidates may try Express Entry or other federal programs, keeping in mind the new medical exam step.
7. Get proper advice. Rapid changes can lead to mistakes; employers and candidates should rely on official guidance and qualified representatives.

Guidance for Workers and Applicants

• If you’re overseas and not in healthcare, agriculture, or skilled trades, Saskatchewan is largely closed for now.
• If you’re already in the province on a work or study pathway, your odds are better—especially if your occupation avoids a capped sector and you secure a JAL early.
• International students and spousal work permit holders should check the latest SINP rules, as new limits now apply to some roles and sectors.

Employment agencies advise clients to plan for longer timelines and to keep backup candidates ready. Some are steering recruits toward other provinces with more room, while others encourage workers to build Canadian experience first, then return to Saskatchewan pathways when rules allow.

Important: The province may revisit caps later in 2025 if unused spaces appear, but no reopening is guaranteed.

In the meantime, Saskatchewan’s economy keeps moving—with fewer tools. Employers in capped sectors will likely continue facing returned files, while priority sectors will still see steady SINP nominations. Whether that balance can match real demand remains the province’s biggest immigration test this year.