The Immigration Services Act came into force on July 1, 2024. Watch this video to learn about new employer roles and responsibilities.
Effective June 27, 2024, additional information requested for a Job Approval Form (JAF) assessment will be sent from saskimmigration@gov.sk.ca and not from the direct email address of the assessing officer. Please add this sender and domain to your safe senders list and/or add the email address to your contact list. Please see the SINP Online Application Guide for Saskatchewan Employers and educational video for instruction to submit the requested information under the new process function.
Effective May 2, 2024, Job Approval Form (JAF) requirements and processes have been updated. Additionally, some business types and occupations may no longer be eligible through this pathway. For additional details, please review the Job Offer Excluded Occupation List or the Occupation Restrictions and Requirements page.
The SINP is currently priority processing JAFs submitted with a Ukrainian candidate identified. Please contact employerservices@gov.sk.ca for more information.
Before you can hire foreign workers in Saskatchewan, you must obtain a Certificate of Registration (COR).
If you have any questions related to the COR process or The Immigration Services Act, please contact the Program Compliance Branch at 306-798-1350 or pcb@gov.sk.ca.
Foreign Workers would apply through the following SINP sub-categories:
Applying from outside Saskatchewan, Canada
Already Working in Saskatchewan
To submit a Job Approval Form (JAF), an employer must determine the appropriate National Occupation Code (NOC) for that position. NOCs are assigned based on the job duties and responsibilities of a position. To learn more about the NOC system, please visit: About the National Occupational Classification - Canada.ca (esdc.gc.ca), or review the 3-step tutorial on the NOC structure and frequently asked questions.
From the NOC main page you can search for your position to find the corresponding NOC. Search for the position using keywords. Review the job duties to see if they fit with the position you are looking to fill. Once you have found the NOC that most closely represents the primary duties of that position, then you can review the NOC Matrix to see which level the NOC falls under. This will assist you in determining if the position you are trying to fill is eligible for the SINP.
There are five Matrix levels which identify whether the position is high-skilled, semi-skilled or low-skilled. Learn more about the employment requirements.
High-skilled occupations:
Semi-skilled (i.e., intermediate-skilled) occupations:
Low-skilled (i.e., entry level) occupations:
The SINP Job Approval Letter (JAL) is a pre-approved authorization for an employer to hire a foreign worker that can apply to immigrate through the SINP. Employers must submit an online application for a SINP JAL for each occupation that you intend to fill with a foreign worker. Visit the SINP Online Application Guide for Saskatchewan Employers to learn how to use the online application system. Please note that the SINP application system or portal is not used for the work permit process (e.g., Labour Market Impact Assessments). For information on that process and the federal employer portal, see the Work Permit section under "Support Your Worker's Employment and Immigration."
To be eligible for approval, all online applications for a SINP JAL must:
Apply for a Job Approval letter
To apply for a JAL, submit a Job Approval Form (JAF) by accessing your online OASIS account that was used to apply for your Certificate of Registration: Click on the "Create New Preliminary Job Position Application" button to submit a job approval request to support a foreign worker for application to the SINP. Valid identification is required to submit a job approval request. Incomplete Job Approval Forms (JAFs) will not be accepted.
Ministry of Immigration and Career Training (ICT) will assess each online application to determine if the position meets SINP criteria for approval. If approved by Immigration Services, ICT will issue you a generic Job Approval Letter (JAL) if you did not identify a specific candidate or a candidate-specific JAL. ICT will expedite processing of the following for JAFs for: (1) candidates who are facing imminent work permit expiration (the SINP cannot guarantee that the form will be processed before the work permit expires), (2) candidates impacted by recent job loss with a new job offer, and (3) candidates holding a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) document. Employers must request expedited processing by emailing the relevant information to employerservices@gov.sk.ca. JAL processing times can be found on the SINP Processing Times page. The service standard is 6 weeks for processing.
You must provide a candidate-specific JAL to the foreign worker for inclusion in their application to the SINP.
If your workers have not yet been recruited or are not currently working for you in Saskatchewan, your JAL is valid for a period of 6 months from the date of approval. Extensions may be permitted.
If your workers are currently employed in Saskatchewan, your JAL will instead be valid for 60-days. No extensions will be provided.
Provide the Candidate a Job Approval Letter (JAL)
Through the online application portal, if an employer obtained a generic JAL (worker's name is not included), the employer must add a candidate's name to the position, creating a candidate-specific JAL. The candidate-specific JAL must be provided to the candidate.
They will include the candidate-specific JAL in their SINP application for nomination along with their Job Offer Letter. The Job Offer Letter needs to be addressed to the Principal Applicant and written on company letterhead and match the information in the Job Offer submitted to the SINP for the JAL (see the section above: Obtain SINP Approval for the position).
Please see Saskatchewan's Employment Standards for more information on employment standards and workplace rights and responsibilities for Saskatchewan employers and employees.
It is the employer's responsibility to make sure the candidate hired has the qualifications, skills and abilities for the position, including the language ability. Job offers must be made to persons to utilize the SINP who meet the required qualifications and licensing, and possess the skills, experience and language abilities for the position (see section - Assessing Language Skills).
Employers need to review the SINP criteria to ensure that the worker they are hiring meets criteria for their immigration application. An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is not a required document for applicants with job offers; however, an ECA can help to verify whether an international worker has the education required for their intended occupation in Canada.
If the worker is approved by the SINP, they can use the nomination to apply for permanent residency and work for your business on a permanent basis.
You must maintain the employment conditions in the JAL (hours of work, duties, location, wage, etc.). The wage can increase but it cannot be decreased. It must match or be greater than the wages and benefits outlined in the JAL. You must immediately notify the SINP if there is a change to the information submitted in the JAL. Failure to do so may result in further applications being deemed ineligible for the SINP.
If a JAL has been submitted by a foreign worker in a SINP immigration application and you have a change to the job offer or candidate, you must contact the SINP for your options. If a JAL has been submitted by a candidate who receives an ineligible decision on their immigration application, the same JAL cannot be used again. If your candidate’s application is sent back as ineligible for being incomplete, then the employer will need to contact the SINP to request a new JAL. It will need to be provided to the candidate within 15 days, to enable them to re-apply.
Supporting Your Employee's Work Permit
Nominated candidates with employment offers receive a Work Permit Support Letter along with their Nomination Certificate.
If the nominee is already working in Saskatchewan on a work permit they need to maintain the validity of their work permit. As the employer, you will be required to pay the Employer Compliance Fee of $230 prior to the nominee's application for a work permit if their initial work permit is expiring (when applicable).
If the nominee is not currently working in Saskatchewan, they will use the SINP Work Permit Support Letter to apply for a temporary work permit, through the International Mobility Program, to allow them to work in Saskatchewan while they apply for permanent residency. To enable the worker you hired to start working in Saskatchewan as soon as possible, you must support their application for a temporary work permit. The nominee must apply for a work permit immediately after nomination by the SINP.
To obtain a work permit for the nominee you have hired, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires employers to complete an online form and pay an Employer Compliance Fee of $230 for each foreign national requiring an Employer-specific Work Permit. Employers submit the offer of employment form and pay the employer compliance fee through the IRCC Employer Portal. Please see the IRCC Employer Portal User Guide for information about the process. In the Employer Portal, when you "Create an offer of employment," you will use the LMIA exemption title "T13" when you are hiring a SINP nominee. You will need to provide your candidate with the offer of employment number (A#######) generated by the system once you submit your application through the IRCC Employer Portal.
Visit IRCC to find out current processing times for IRCC issued work permits.
Most nominees must apply for a work permit online. If the nominee you hired doesn't require a temporary resident visa to enter Canada, or if they're from the U.S., Greenland or St. Pierre and Miquelon, they may be eligible to apply for a work permit at the port of entry into Canada, most often the airport of first landing. Visit IRCC's website to find out if you need a visa page for visa-exempt countries. If your candidate is from a country that is not visitor visa-exempt, they will need to apply for a work permit before leaving their country of origin. Please account for the work permit processing time in your plans.
Employer Responsibilities and Audits
Please note that the SINP may conduct employer site-visits to ensure compliance with program criteria. These visits may be conducted at any time without prior notice.
Employers who are found in non-compliance with the terms and conditions agreed to when applying for a JAL may be subject to consequences including warnings; suspensions from use of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP); suspension and/or cancellation of previously approved JALs; cancellation or suspension of their registration to recruit foreign workers; and/or other fines or other sanctions under The Immigration Services Act (ISA).
Immigration Application Process through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
Foreign workers submit applications to the SINP for nomination for permanent residency. You can view the SINP Average Processing Time, which is updated quarterly.
If a candidate meets program requirements, their application will be approved and they will receive a Nomination Certificate. You will receive a notification that your worker has been issued a Certificate of Nomination and Work Permit Support Letter.
To retain the foreign worker you hired in your workplace, it will be important to help support their integration into the workplace and to support their settlement in your community. For information on how to support your new employee, please visit Retaining Newcomer Employees.
Permanent Residence through the Government of Canada
The nominated candidates will apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a permanent resident visa with the provincial nomination. Processing times at Canadian embassies abroad will vary.
IRCC's permanent resident application process includes health, security, and criminal reviews. Additional information may also be requested, including International Language Testing System results.
A number of SINP program categories have a minimum language requirement. For language information specific to Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), see Language Requirements for SINP. This page also contains a number of language calculators that can be used to determine a worker’s Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB level).
The minimum language requirement for immigration purposes is not typically occupation specific and may not match with what you need for a particular position. You need to determine what the appropriate language level is for your position and it could be higher than the minimum requirement. As the employer, it's your responsibility to determine whether or not the language skills of your prospective employees will be suitable for their job duties and responsibilities. To support this, the CLB system provides a standardized scale that employers can use to understand the language skills of prospective international workers.
The CLB system aims to describe language proficiency levels across four key factors: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. It helps employers gauge an individual's ability to communicate effectively in English or French in various professional and everyday situations.
The CLB system consists of 12 proficiency levels, ranging from CLB 1 to CLB 12. Each level represents a different degree of language proficiency, from basic to advanced. The proficiency levels are described based on specific language tasks and the ability to use language in different contexts, such as giving directions, participating in discussions, reading complex texts, and writing reports.
Common language testing scores can be converted into CLB scores. Please see Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s language test equivalency charts for additional information.
See below for an example of how language proficiency varies from CLB 4 through CLB 8:
CLB Level | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
CLB 4 | Conversations on a range of topics,short paragraphs or simple letters | Ability to understand and engage in conversations on a range of everyday topics | Texts with some unfamiliar vocabulary, short paragraphs | Short paragraphs or simple letters on familiar topics |
CLB 5 | Complex conversations on a wide range of topics, clear and coherent paragraphs | Ability to understand and express oneself in more complex conversations | Longer texts, including those with specialized vocabulary | Clear and coherent paragraphs on various subjects |
CLB 6 | Extended conversations and discussions, well-organized, detailed compositions | Ability to engage in extended conversations and discussions | Moderately complex texts, articles or reports | Well-organized, detailed compositions |
CLB 7 | Most conversations, including those on abstract or unfamiliar topics, clear and well-structured essays or reports | Ability to understand and actively participate in most conversations | A wide range of texts, including academic or technical materials | Clear and well-structured essays or reports |
CLB 8 | Conversations in various contexts, including professional settings, coherent and detailed reports or essays | Ability to understand and contribute to conversations in various contexts | Complex texts, such as research papers or professional documents | Coherent and detailed reports or essays |
As the employer, it's your responsibility to cover the cost of recruiting foreign workers.
If there are grounds to believe that an applicant and/or their representative have provided false information on an application, then our Program Compliance Branch (PCB) will undertake an investigation for misrepresentation.
Reasons leading to this review may include, but are not limited to:
An investigation for misrepresentation can take place at any stage of the SINP process and it may include reviewing all of the information that was provided in an applicant's current and/or previous applications.
If misrepresentation is suspected, then the SINP will place the processing of the application on hold pending an investigation and notify the applicant or their representative. Before a determination is made on any misrepresentation finding, the applicant or their representative, if applicable, will be sent a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) by email outlining the grounds that we have to believe that misrepresentation has occurred.
Employer Non - Compliance
Employers agree to Terms and Conditions when they access the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) to recruit and support a foreign worker. If there are grounds to believe that employer non-compliance has occurred, then our Program Compliance Branch will undertake an investigation.
Reasons leading to this review may include, but are not limited to:
An investigation for non-compliance can take place at any stage of the SINP process and it may include reviewing all of the information that was provided in a Job Approval Form or a past Job Approval Form.
During an employer compliance review, or as a result of an investigation (criminal or related to fraudulent, unethical or illicit activities) from an external agency, pending JAFs submitted by an employer, as well as those submitted by affiliated employers, will be placed on hold until the review or investigation has been completed. Employer compliance reviews may be initiated where the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training (ICT) has reason to believe non-compliance with conditions of the program may have occurred. Employer compliance reviews will be prioritized to ensure timely decisions. Before a determination is made on any non-compliance finding, the employer will be sent a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) by email outlining the grounds that we have to believe that non-compliance has occurred.