The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has revealed its nomination allocation for 2026 along with several major updates to how the program will operate in the coming year. Saskatchewan has been assigned a total of 4,761 nomination spaces for 2026, which matches the number of nominations it had available at the end of 2025. This allocation outlines how many individuals the province can nominate for permanent residence through its provincial immigration pathways.
To effectively use its nomination allocation and align with provincial priorities, the SINP is implementing a number of significant changes to selection criteria and distribution of nominations. These changes are part of Saskatchewan’s effort to focus on long-term labour market needs while managing the finite number of spots available under its provincial nomination program.
Priority Sectors Get Maximum Focus in 2026
One of the key reforms announced for 2026 is that at least 50 percent of the available nominations—which translates to 2,381 spots—will be reserved for candidates working in designated priority sectors. These priority areas have been identified based on Saskatchewan’s labour market strategy and include:
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Healthcare
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Agriculture
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Skilled trades
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Mining
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Manufacturing
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Energy
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Technology
Within this priority allocation, Saskatchewan has set aside 750 nominations specifically for graduates of Saskatchewan-based colleges or universities who are currently employed in jobs within these priority sectors. Workers in priority areas benefit from greater flexibility under the SINP: they can apply at any time throughout the year, do not need to apply within fixed intake windows, are not restricted by the usual work permit expiry rules, and can submit applications even if they are living outside of Canada.
If there is strong demand from priority sectors that exceeds the minimum 50 percent target, those unused nominations may be allocated from other categories. Likewise, if the priority sector threshold is not fully met, the remaining nominations could be redirected to other areas as needed.
Caps on Certain Sectors
For 2026, Saskatchewan is also continuing with a cap system for specific sectors that traditionally receive a high volume of applications. These capped sectors are limited to a maximum of 25 percent of the total nomination allocation. Within this cap, the numbers for each sector are:
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Accommodation and food services: up to 714 nominations
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Trucking: up to 238 nominations
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Retail trade: up to 238 nominations
These sectors will have designated application intake periods throughout the year, with several scheduled windows in which interested candidates employed in these fields can submit their applications. To help prioritize workers who are at risk of losing their temporary status, these applicants must apply during the final six months of their permitted work period. All such capped sector applications will be processed during 2026.
Eligibility and Rule Changes Affecting Students and Work Permit Holders
Alongside these allocation and quota changes, the SINP is introducing a set of new eligibility rules for 2026 that will impact both international students and work permit holders:
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Under the Student category, applicants must be graduates of a Saskatchewan designated learning institution (DLI), live in the province, and be employed in a job directly related to their field of study.
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Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders who studied outside Saskatchewan and have been working in their field for at least six months will no longer be eligible for all of the province’s experience-based pathways.
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PGWP holders may still apply under specific streams including Student, Health Talent, Agriculture Talent, Tech Talent, and the International Skilled Worker category if they have a qualifying job offer.
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Exemptions that previously allowed certain restricted occupations for PGWP holders have been removed.
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Some types of open work permits, such as spousal open work permits, are no longer eligible for certain SINP pathways, although holders can still apply to categories that do not require a work permit as part of eligibility, provided they can show a history of residing in Saskatchewan.
These changes are designed to ensure that applicants are more directly connected to Saskatchewan’s provincial needs and labour market priorities.
Comparison With 2025 and Future Outlook
When comparing the 2026 nomination allocation with the previous year, the total number of available spots remains the same as the adjusted total at the end of 2025. In 2025, Saskatchewan began the year with 3,625 nomination spaces and later received an additional 1,136 spots during the year, bringing the total to 4,761 by the end of that year. However, the 2026 allocation is still significantly lower than the number of nominations available in previous years, particularly compared to the 2024 allocation, which was around 8,000 spaces. This reflects broader tightening of provincial nomination quotas across Canada.
The province has indicated that if additional nominations are granted during 2026, it may reassess how nominations are distributed among sectors, potentially adjusting priorities to better meet labour market needs as the year progresses.
