The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) is the province's main route to nominate people for Canadian permanent residence based on Saskatchewan's labour market needs. It is one of Canada's Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): the province nominates you, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes the final decision on permanent residence. The SINP is organized around two open worker categories in 2026, the International Skilled Worker category (for skilled workers abroad or in Canada) and the Saskatchewan Experience category (for people already working in the province), each with its own sub-categories and rules. The province also ran an Entrepreneur and Farm category, but the Government of Saskatchewan announced it permanently closed those business pathways effective March 27, 2025, so they are no longer accepting new applications. For the International Skilled Worker sub-categories that use the Expression of Interest (EOI) system, candidates are scored on a points grid and must meet a minimum score to be eligible to submit an EOI. A key advantage of the Express Entry sub-category: if Saskatchewan nominates you, your federal Express Entry profile gains 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, which in practice almost always leads to an invitation to apply. The SINP changes often, so confirm the current categories, points and criteria on the SINP and Government of Saskatchewan website before you rely on anything here.
SINP categories and main streams in 2026
The SINP is built around worker categories rather than a single application form. The International Skilled Worker category is for skilled workers and includes three sub-categories: Express Entry (for candidates who already have an active federal Express Entry profile), Occupations In-Demand (for skilled workers with experience in an occupation Saskatchewan needs, without requiring a job offer), and Employment Offer (for those with a job offer from a Saskatchewan employer). The Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-categories use the Expression of Interest (EOI) pool described below.
The Saskatchewan Experience category is for people who are already living and working in the province on a valid work permit. It contains sub-categories for different situations, such as existing skilled workers, health professionals, hospitality workers, long-haul truck drivers, and students who graduated from a Saskatchewan institution. Because these applicants already have Saskatchewan work experience, the requirements focus on your current job and time worked in the province rather than an EOI score.
Saskatchewan also operated an Entrepreneur and Farm category for business owners and investors. The Government of Saskatchewan announced that the Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur and Farm Owner and Operator pathways permanently closed effective March 27, 2025: no new applications or Expressions of Interest are accepted, though applications already in the system continue to be processed. If you are researching a business route to Canada, this means SINP is generally no longer an option, so confirm the current list of open programs on the SINP website.
The SINP points grid (Expression of Interest)
For the two International Skilled Worker sub-categories that use the EOI system (Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand), Saskatchewan assesses candidates against a points grid. Government of Saskatchewan materials describe a 100-point grid with a minimum of 60 points needed to be eligible to submit an Expression of Interest. Meeting the minimum makes you eligible to enter the pool; it does not guarantee an invitation, because the province invites candidates from the pool in periodic draws.
The grid awards points across several factors that signal your ability to settle and work successfully in Saskatchewan. These typically include your education and training, your skilled work experience, your language ability in English or French, your age, and your connection to the Saskatchewan labour market (for example existing work experience, a job offer, family in the province, or past study or work there). The exact maximum for each factor and how connection points are awarded can change, so treat any breakdown you see online as a snapshot.
Because the points grid is reviewed and the cut-off scores in draws move over time, do not assume a score that qualified in the past still qualifies today. Confirm the current points grid, the minimum eligibility score, and recent invitation cut-offs on the SINP and Government of Saskatchewan website, and remember that an officer assesses every application against the program rules in force when you are invited.
How a nomination works with Express Entry (600 CRS points)
The Express Entry sub-category links the SINP to Canada's federal Express Entry system. To use it you generally need an active Express Entry profile and work experience in an occupation Saskatchewan is accepting. If Saskatchewan selects you from the EOI pool and you receive and accept a provincial nomination, that nomination adds 600 points to your federal Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Because federal draw cut-offs are far below 600, a provincial nomination in practice almost always results in an invitation to apply for permanent residence in a later Express Entry draw.
This is the practical reason many candidates target a PNP like the SINP: it is one of the most reliable ways to overcome a CRS score that is too low for a federal-only draw. The trade-off is that you commit to settling in the nominating province, and you must continue to meet both the provincial and the federal requirements. The Occupations In-Demand sub-category does not run through Express Entry, so it does not add CRS points, but it can lead directly to a nomination and then to a permanent residence application.
Keep the two systems separate in your mind: the SINP points grid decides whether Saskatchewan invites and nominates you, while the CRS score decides whether IRCC invites you in a federal Express Entry draw. The 600 CRS points are the bridge between them for the Express Entry sub-category only. Confirm current eligibility and processing details on both the SINP and IRCC websites, because each program sets its own criteria.
What changed for 2026
Saskatchewan's nomination capacity dropped sharply. Following reductions in the federal Immigration Levels Plan, the province's 2026 allocation was set at 4,761 nominations, well below the roughly 8,000 it had in earlier years. Reporting also notes a federal expectation that a large share of nominees already be living in Canada as temporary residents, which affects who provinces prioritize. With far fewer spaces, competition for invitations is tighter than in the past.
For 2026 the province moved to a sector-based allocation model. Reporting on the announcement indicates that at least 50 percent of nominations are reserved for priority sectors (described as healthcare, agriculture, skilled trades, mining, manufacturing, energy and technology, with technology added to the priority list), no more than 25 percent go to capped sectors such as accommodation and food services, trucking and retail, and the remainder to other sectors. A portion of the priority allocation is set aside for graduates of Saskatchewan designated learning institutions working in priority occupations. These figures come from reporting on the province's announcement; confirm the exact percentages and sector lists on the Government of Saskatchewan website.
Because allocations, sector caps and program rules are being adjusted, the safest approach is to verify the current criteria on the SINP and Government of Saskatchewan website before you act. None of this is legal advice; for help with your specific situation, consider speaking with a licensed Canadian immigration lawyer or a regulated CICC consultant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main SINP streams in 2026?
The two open worker categories are International Skilled Worker (with Express Entry, Occupations In-Demand and Employment Offer sub-categories) and Saskatchewan Experience (for people already working in the province). The Entrepreneur and Farm business pathways were permanently closed effective March 27, 2025. Confirm the current list of open programs on the SINP website.
How many points do I need for the SINP?
For the International Skilled Worker sub-categories that use the Expression of Interest system, Government of Saskatchewan materials describe a 100-point grid with a minimum of 60 points to be eligible to submit an EOI. Meeting the minimum lets you enter the pool but does not guarantee an invitation. Confirm the current points grid and cut-offs on the SINP website.
Does an SINP nomination add 600 CRS points?
Yes, for the Express Entry sub-category. If Saskatchewan nominates a candidate who has an active Express Entry profile and the candidate accepts, the nomination adds 600 points to their federal CRS score, which in practice almost always leads to an invitation to apply. The Occupations In-Demand sub-category does not run through Express Entry and does not add CRS points.
Is the SINP Entrepreneur or Farm stream still open?
No. The Government of Saskatchewan announced that the Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur and Farm Owner and Operator pathways permanently closed effective March 27, 2025. No new applications or Expressions of Interest are accepted, although applications already in the system continue to be processed. Verify the current status on the SINP website.
What factors does the SINP points grid measure?
The grid typically scores education and training, skilled work experience, language ability, age, and your connection to the Saskatchewan labour market, such as existing work experience, a job offer, family in the province, or past study or work there. The maximum for each factor can change, so confirm the current breakdown on the Government of Saskatchewan website.
Do I need a job offer for the SINP?
Not always. The Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry sub-categories do not require a job offer, though your experience must be in an occupation Saskatchewan is accepting. The Employment Offer sub-category does require a job offer from a Saskatchewan employer. Saskatchewan Experience sub-categories are based on work you are already doing in the province. Confirm the requirement for your specific sub-category.
What changed about the SINP in 2026?
Saskatchewan's 2026 nomination allocation was set at 4,761, well below earlier years, following federal reductions. The province also moved to a sector-based model that reserves at least half of nominations for priority sectors (including healthcare, agriculture, skilled trades, mining, manufacturing, energy and technology) and caps others. These figures come from reporting on the announcement; confirm the exact numbers on the Government of Saskatchewan website.
How is the SINP different from Express Entry?
Express Entry is the federal system IRCC uses to manage skilled-worker applications and rank candidates by CRS score. The SINP is a provincial program: Saskatchewan nominates you, and the nomination can add 600 CRS points if you are in the Express Entry sub-category. The province decides who it nominates using its own points grid; IRCC makes the final permanent residence decision.
Guides
Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.