2026 Saskatchewan PNP distribution and upcoming changes in the nomination program
By the end of year 2025 the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) witnessed a total of 4,761 distribution of the nomination. For 2026, SINP will have the same number of nominations which can be increased as per the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidance and requirement by the province. With this, there will also be no restrictions to nominate only temporary residents.
Although there are significant changes for the upcoming year in the distribution of the SINP nominations.
For the candidates in the priority sectors 2,381 nominations which are at least 50% of the total 2026 nominations, are to be reserved. 1,190 nominations which are 25% to its maximum number of nominations will be reserved for the capped sectors and the remaining 25% is dedicated to the non-capped sectors.
Distribution of SINP nominations in each sector
Priority sectors
The nomination distribution of 2,381 provincial nominations of the total 50% nominations is to be reserved for the candidates working in the priority sectors. The Labor Market Strategy of the Government of Saskatchewan has distributed its nominations among the following sectors of the SINP’s priority sectors which include
- Healthcare
- Agriculture
- Skilled trades
- Mining (including clean energy minerals)
- Manufacturing
- Energy and
- Technology
Among the priority sectors’ nominations, 750 nominations will be reserved for graduates with higher education abroad in Saskatchewan, leading to jobs in priority sector occupations.
Priority sectors may cross the minimum 50% distribution allocation due to the increase in demand, which can reduce the distribution of the other nomination sectors. Conversely, if the target of 50% in priority sector is unmet, then the remaining nominations would be available for the other sectors.
Candidates in priority sectors can submit their application any time in contrast to the capped sector applicants as there is no fixed window for application time, and they will also be not subjected to the six-month work permit expiry rule with the eligibility to apply from abroad.
Capped sectors
With 1,190 nominations, Saskatchewan has decided to put a cap of 25% of the total percentage of nominations for its capped sectors. Each capped sector has a dedicated slot as follows:
- Accommodation and food services sector (with detailed categorization under NAICS 72): 714 nominations are reserved, which is 15% of the total 25%.
- Trucking sector (NAICS 48–49): 238 nominations are reserved, which is 5% of the total 25%.
- Retail trade sector (NAICS 44–45): 238 nominations are reserved, which is 5% of the total 25%.
The sectors are similar to those capped in 2025 SINP but it has been noted by the Government of Saskatchewan for the potential mid-year reallocations to the nomination distribution for its capped sectors.
Application windows for Capped Sector: Saskatchewan has decided for the candidates working in any of the above capped sectors to set six prescheduled application intake windows which will remain open for several days.
Decided dates scheduled for 2026 capped sector application window to open:
Application Window 1: January 6, 2026.
Application Window 2: March 2, 2026.
Application Window 3: May 4, 2026.
Application Window 4: July 6, 2026.
Application Window 5: September 7, 2026.
Application Window 6: November 2, 2026.
Applicants with work permit status less than 6 months are prioritized in capped sectors as applications for other workers with more than 6 months left on their work permit will not be accepted.
Applications for the capped sectors’ applicants will be processed throughout 2026 to treat all candidates fairly as every worker’s work permit status has a different expiry date.
2026 SINP changes specific to work permit holders and students
There have been specific changes in SINP which are specifically made for students and work permit holders.
SINP for International Students Category
Students need to graduate from a designated learning institute in Saskatchewan to be eligible for SINP while they continuously live in the province meanwhile working in the occupational field which is related to their degree.
SINP for Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders Category
Saskatchewan Experience pathways are closed for students who worked in their field of education for six months but studied outside the province of Saskatchewan with PGWP. Other available SINP subcategories, pathways or streams for such students with PGWP include
- Student, Health Talent pathway
- Agriculture Talent pathway
- Tech Talent pathway
- International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer sub-categories.
PGWP holders can no longer work for restricted occupations which were exempted from them before. The following are the list of excluded occupation with their National Occupational Classification (NOC)
NOC of 9 occupations related to Government, Public Administration & Policy
00010, 00011, 00014, 10019, 40010, 40011, 40012, 40019, 41407
NOC of 5 occupations related to Legal, Judiciary & Compliance
14103, 41100, 41101, 42200, 43200
NOC of 7 occupations related to Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
11100, 11103, 12104, 12201, 12203, 63100, 63101
NOC of 9 occupations related to Science, Engineering & Environment
21100, 21102, 21103, 21109, 21111, 21201, 21202, 21332, 21390
NOC of 25 occupations related to Healthcare & Medical
30010, 31100, 31101, 31102, 31110, 31111, 31112, 31120, 31121, 31202, 31204, 31209, 31300, 31301, 31302, 31303, 32100, 32101, 32103, 32109, 32110, 32111, 32200, 32201, 32209
NOC of 4 occupations related to Education & Academia
40021, 41201, 41220, 41221
NOC of 4 occupations related to Social, Community & Religious Services
41301, 41302, 42201, 42204
NOC of 13 occupations related to Law Enforcement, Public Safety & Military
40040, 40041, 40042, 41310, 41311, 42100, 42101, 42102, 43201, 43202, 43203, 43204, 44200
NOC of 33 occupations related to Arts, Culture, Media & Creative Industries
50010, 50011, 50012, 51100, 51101, 51102, 51110, 51111, 51112, 51113, 51114, 51120, 51121, 51122, 52100, 52110, 52111, 52112, 52113, 52114, 52119, 52120, 52121, 53100, 53110, 53111, 53120, 53121, 53122, 53123, 53124, 53125, 55109
NOC of 4 occupations related to Sports & Recreation
53200, 53201, 53202, 54100
NOC of 8 occupations related to Sales, Customer Service & Personal Services
62010, 62020, 62023, 62201, 63210, 63211, 63220, 64100
NOC of 19 occupations related to Trades, Transport & Utilities
72022, 72102, 72204, 72205, 72302, 72405, 72406, 72420, 72600, 72602, 72603, 72604, 73202, 73300, 73301, 73310, 73400, 73402, 92101
NOC of 11 occupations related to Manufacturing, Industrial & Resource
80022, 83101, 83120, 83121, 2013, 92015, 92020, 92021, 92022, 92024, 93102
Proof of your work history used for eligibility or points:
- Complete employment history (job titles, dates, duties)
- Reference letters from employers detailing roles, hours, salary, and responsibilities
- Pay slips, tax records, or employment contracts to support the letters
- For those with Canadian experience: T4s, NOAs, Canadian employment contracts
SINP for candidates in Open Work Permits (OWPs) Category
Holders of spousal OWPs can still apply for the following categories that do not require a work permit for these pathways criteria
- Agriculture Talent pathway
- Tech Talent pathway
- International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer sub-categories.
Moreover, an additional proof of documents related to Saskatchewan residency history for you and if applicable for your closest family may be required.
Note: On January 7, 2026 at 3 p.m. CST, SINP will be hold a virtual information session for prospective candidates with additional information regarding the changes in its program
Key comparisons of SINP nominations for 2025 to Saskatchewan’s 2026 Nomination Plan
The SINP initially held 3,625 nomination allocation for 2025 but in August it received 1,136 more nomination spots from the federal government. By the end of the year, the total number of nominations were increased to 4,761
Although Saskatchewan’s 2026 nomination allocation plan remains the same to 2025 nomination allocations after the increment in spots, the province may receive additional nomination spots over the year by the federal government.
With more nominations received by the SINP in 2026, it may follow the 2025 redistribution pattern to the number of nominations to priority and capped sectors.
Saskatchewan’s priority sectors were healthcare, agriculture, and skilled trades in 2025, which was a list that has noticeably expanded in 2026 with 50% of the nominations dedicated to this sector.
The capped sectors in 2026 are more or less the same as in 2025 with variations in the distributions of nominations in each sector.
The 2026 SINP nomination plan has witnessed 40.5% nomination allocation lower than its 2024 nomination allocation of total 8,000 spots.
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