Immigrate to Saskatchewan: SINP Categories, Jobs and Settling In

Saskatchewan is a prairie province between Alberta and Manitoba. Its economy runs on agriculture, potash and uranium mining, oil and gas, and manufacturing, and its health system recruits heavily from abroad. People choose it for affordable housing, short commutes, a friendly small-city feel, and a nominee program that rewards people who already work in the province.

Winters are very cold and long, and the two main cities are much smaller than Toronto or Vancouver. Many newcomers settle in Saskatoon or Regina, but there are jobs across smaller towns, especially in farming, health care, and trades.

Moose Jaw takes part in the federal Rural Community Immigration Pilot, which is a separate route from the SINP.

Saskatchewan's 2026 allocation is 4,761 nominations, which is much lower than in earlier years. To manage the smaller number, the SINP now sorts every worker application by the sector of the job:

In the capped sectors, employers can submit Employer Position Assessment requests only during intake windows (January, March, May, July, September, and November), and only for workers with six months or less left on their work permit. Saskatchewan also reserves 750 spaces for graduates of Saskatchewan post-secondary schools with job offers in priority sectors.

Saskatchewan permanently closed all Entrepreneur and Farm pathways on March 27, 2025. Applications already in the system are still being processed. Earlier, on August 30, 2024, the SINP closed the Hospitality Sector Project, the Long Haul Truck Driver Project, the Healthcare sub-category, the Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot, and the semi-skilled agriculture category; those workers now apply through Existing Work Permit, Health Talent, or Agriculture Talent.

Most SINP routes are employer-driven:

1. Your employer registers with the SINP and asks for an Employer Position Assessment (EPA) for your job.
2. You validate the job in your OASIS account within 10 days after the EPA is approved.
3. You apply with your documents and pay the $500 fee (all worker applicants since April 1, 2026). A second review of a refusal costs $250.
4. If nominated, you apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence. Nominees through the Saskatchewan Express Entry route get 600 extra points in Express Entry.

The Occupation In-Demand and Saskatchewan Express Entry categories use an Expression of Interest (EOI) instead. You need at least 60 out of 110 points on the SINP grid (education, skilled work experience, language, age, and connection to Saskatchewan). As of September 2026, Saskatchewan says there are no scheduled EOI draws, so a profile may sit in the pool without an invitation.

Do not pay anyone for a job offer or an EPA; a real employer does not sell jobs. See our scam protection guide.

The priority sectors are the clearest signal of demand:

• Health care: nurses, physicians, continuing care assistants, and technologists (through the Health Talent Pathway).
• Agriculture and food: livestock workers, farm machinery operators, greenhouse workers, and food processing staff.
• Skilled trades: electricians, welders, heavy-duty mechanics, and other trades.
• Mining, energy, and manufacturing: potash, uranium, oil and gas, and equipment manufacturing.
• Technology: software, data, and engineering roles (Innovation and Tech Talent Pathway).

Major cities: Saskatoon (the largest city, with the University of Saskatchewan and mining head offices), Regina (the capital), Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton, North Battleford, and Lloydminster on the Alberta border.

Employers can learn about sponsoring workers in our guide to PNP employer streams.

Saskatchewan health coverage

eHealth Saskatchewan runs health card registration. If you move to Saskatchewan from outside Canada, you may qualify for coverage on or before the first day of the third month after you arrive in Canada. Apply for your health card right after you arrive, and buy private insurance for the gap. Work permit holders can qualify in many cases; eHealth Saskatchewan lists the documents you need.

Driver's license

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) issues driver's licenses. If you hold a license from a place with an exchange agreement with Saskatchewan, you can usually swap it. Otherwise, you take a knowledge test and a road test, and SGI may give credit for past driving experience. You can drive on a valid foreign license only for a short time after you become a resident, so book early.

Free settlement agencies help with housing, jobs, English classes, and paperwork. Examples include the Regina Open Door Society, the Saskatoon Open Door Society, and Global Gathering Place in Saskatoon, plus newcomer centers in many smaller cities. IRCC's online tool lists federally funded services near you.

Cost of living: Housing in Saskatoon and Regina costs much less than in Vancouver, Toronto, or Calgary, and smaller towns are cheaper still. Saskatchewan charges a provincial sales tax on top of the federal GST. Winter costs are real: warm clothing, winter tires, and heating. Outside the two main cities, you will usually need a car.

If your job is regulated in Saskatchewan, the SINP expects proof that you are eligible to be licensed when you apply. Examples:

• Nurses: College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan.
• Physicians: College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.
• Engineers: Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS).
• Trades: Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) for trade certification.

Most SINP categories need at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4, some need CLB 5 or 7, and regulators often want more. See our guides to language tests and credential assessment.

• Express Entry: federal selection. Saskatchewan Express Entry draws are not scheduled, so a federal invitation (for example in a health care or trades draw) may be faster.
• Rural Community Immigration Pilot: Moose Jaw.
• Study permit at a Saskatchewan school, then the Post-Graduation Work Permit and the SINP Students category.
• LMIA work permit, then the Existing Work Permit category after six months.

If you want to start a business, Saskatchewan's business routes are closed. Look at Manitoba's Entrepreneur Pathway or Alberta's Rural Entrepreneur Stream instead.

If you have a past refusal, a criminal record, or status problems, speak with a lawyer or a licensed consultant (RCIC) first. See how to verify a lawyer or consultant.