Sask. changing immigrant nominee program after feds cut allocations

The Government of Saskatchewan is making some changes to its immigrant nominee program.

Saskatchewan paused its intake of job approval forms on February 19, but that pause is ending “immediately,” the provincial government said.

According to the province, the federal government cut nomination allocations to provincial nominee programs – including the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) – by 50 per cent earlier this year, and added a requirement that 75 per cent of the provincial nominees must already be living in Canada as temporary residents.

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That leaves Saskatchewan with 3,625 nominations, the provincial government noted, the lowest since 2009.

The government said the changes – which take effect immediately – are designed to make the most effective use of the remaining nominations “in a way that prioritizes building our economy.”

Another one of the changes will see the province prioritizing approvals for overseas candidates in the fields of health, agriculture and skilled trades. Recruitment for all other sectors will come from candidates already living in Canada on valid temporary visas.

Nominations for accommodation, food services, retail trade and trucking will be capped at 25 per cent of the province’s annual nominations, while spas, salons and pet-care services (with the exception of veterinarians) will no longer be eligible to recruit through SINP. At the same time, the categories for entrepreneurs, international graduate entrepreneurs and farm owner/operators will be closed.

“These changes will ensure fair access across sectors while maintaining program integrity and aligning with Saskatchewan’s long-term labour market needs,” the provincial government said in a statement.

Jim Reiter, Saskatchewan’s deputy premier and minister of immigration and career training, said the province is “disappointed” with Ottawa’s decision to cut the provincial nominee program allocations.

“The SINP has been essential for Saskatchewan employers seeking to hire international workers when qualified Canadians are unavailable,” Reiter sad in a statement.

“The changes announced today will ensure that our reduced number of nominations is used effectively and in a way that prioritizes building our economy.”

The provincial government said SINP is responsible for more than 90 per cent of Saskatchewan’s economic immigration.

More details on the changes can be found on the provincial government’s website.