Saskatchewan pauses intake for job offer-based pathways to PR. The SINP declared this temporary pause on all new Job Approval Forms (JAF), effective February 18, 2025.
Foreign nationals and employers who have not yet submitted Job Approval Forms to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) can no longer pursue provincial nominations through the SINP’s job offer-based streams as of the time of writing.
The province has not declared when they will resume the intake of the JAFs, but said the pause is anticipated to last ‘several weeks’.
JAF applications that have been obtained prior to February 18 will continue to be reviewed.
The declaration also hints at changes coming to SINP by stating that the pause gives the team time to ‘implement necessary program changes.’
The province stated that the pause is a result of the federal government’s decision to cut SINP nomination allocations by 50% in 2025.
The reduced allocations of nominations given to the provinces in 2025 is in line with the federal government’s reduced landings targets for the PNP programs in 2025, as stated in the Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027.
What Is A Job Approval Form?
SINP is Saskatchewan’s Provincial Nominee Program, providing pathways for permanent residence. Many foreign workers can apply to be nominated by the province for PR if they have a job offer from an eligible employer.
The Job Approval Letter (JAL)is a pre-approved authorization for an employer so that they can hire a foreign worker.
For an employer to obtain a JAL, they need to submit a Job Approval Form (JAF) by accessing their online OASIS account.
Saskatchewan pauses intake for job offer-based pathways to PR. This implies that employers will not be able to submit the JAFs. This will consequently delay the issuance of new JALs, which are necessary for foreign workers to apply for provincial nomination under SINP’s job offer-based streams.
Which Streams Are Affected?
This pause will affect all streams that require a Job Approval Letter.
This includes:
The International Skilled Worker Category
- Agriculture Talent Pathway
- Employment Offer
- Tech Talent Pathway
- Health Talent Pathway
Saskatchewan Work Experience Category
- Skilled Worker With Existing Work Permit
- Agriculture Talent Pathway
- Tech Talent Pathway
- Health Talent Pathway
- Students
A number of business types are not eligible to obtain JALs through the SINP. Likewise, a number of professions are also ineligible for SINP pathways that require a job offer and a JAL unless certain requirements are met.
What Are The Options If One Still Wants To Immigrate To Saskatchewan?
Saskatchewan pauses intake for job offer-based pathways to PR. However, there are some pathways that do not require a job offer in Saskatchewan. These include:
International Skilled Worker: Occupation In-Demand
This is a pathway for foreign workers, both within and outside Canada, who meet certain criteria, including having a minimum of one year of full-time experience in a high-skilled profession that is in-demand in Saskatchewan at the time of application.
In order to apply for this sub-category, you must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). You will then enter into a pool of eligible applicants. The SINP periodically selects applicants from the pool and invites them to apply to the province for nomination. Not all applicants who submit an International Skilled Worker EOI will be invited to apply to the SINP.
After obtaining a provincial nomination, a successful nominee can apply to the Canadian federal government for permanent residence.
Express Entry
Another way to obtain an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence is by creating an online profile in the federal government’s Express Entry system.
Express Entry invites top-ranking applicants to apply for PR based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which is determined by factors such as their age, educational qualifications, work experience, and language proficiency.
In order to be eligible, applicants should meet the requirements of one of Canada’s three federally managed immigration programs:
Applicants with high CRS scores and/ or who qualify for category-based draws have the highest chances of obtaining an ITA through Express Entry.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot
Applicants might also be eligible for the new Rural Community Immigration Pilot. This is an employer-focused pathway for applicants who obtain job offers from designated employers in specific communities.
Also, of the 14 communities listed by the pilot, one is in Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw.
While the website for the community hasn’t been launched yet, foreign skilled workers who meet certain criteria and get a job offer from a designated employer in Moose Jaw might be eligible to apply for Canadian PR.
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