SINP Agriculture Talent Pathway: Saskatchewan PR for Farm and Food Workers

Saskatchewan's economy leans on farming, livestock and food processing, and many of those jobs are hard to fill locally. The Agriculture Talent Pathway lets Saskatchewan agricultural employers support workers for permanent residence through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).

The pathway took over from an older SINP route for semi-skilled agricultural workers with an existing work permit. Saskatchewan closed that route on August 30, 2024, and pointed those workers here.

Agriculture is one of Saskatchewan's priority sectors in 2026. At least half of the province's 4,761 nominations go to priority sectors, and priority-sector jobs have no intake windows. A nomination is a recommendation to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which makes the final permanent residence decision. See our Saskatchewan guide and the Provincial Nominee Program overview for context.

The pathway covers 10 National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes. They include:

• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators (NOC 84120)
• Harvesting laborers
• Nursery and greenhouse workers
• Some food processing roles

For some of these jobs, the employer must be in a specific industry, such as agriculture, food manufacturing, agricultural implement manufacturing, farm product wholesaling, or warehousing. That rule stops, for example, a general warehouse from using the pathway for a job that has nothing to do with farming or food.

The SINP page lists all 10 NOC codes and the industry rule for each. Check your exact code, and make sure your actual duties match the NOC description, before your employer applies.

According to the SINP (as of September 2026), you need:

• A permanent, full-time job offer in one of the eligible occupations, with wages that match Canadian standards for the job.
• An employer registered with the SINP that has an approved Employer Position Assessment (EPA) for your position.
• Work experience, meeting one of these:
  • at least one year of full-time work experience in the past three years in your intended occupation, or
  • at least six months (780 hours) of full-time work (30 or more hours a week) with the employer supporting you.
• Language: at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in English or French, with test results less than two years old.

Your experience does not have to be continuous. Remote work does not count, which makes sense for hands-on farm and food jobs. Keep pay stubs, tax records and reference letters that show your hours and duties.

For the language test, CLB 4 is a basic level, but you still need an approved test such as CELPIP-General or IELTS General Training in English, or TEF Canada or TCF Canada in French. Our guide to language tests explains the options, and the CLB converter shows how test scores match CLB levels.

The employer side is the same as for other SINP worker routes:

1. The employer registers with the SINP.
2. The employer applies for an Employer Position Assessment (EPA) for your job.
3. You receive a notice and must validate the position in your SINP online account (OASIS) within 10 days.

After that, you complete your own application and pay the $500 non-refundable fee (as of September 2026). Farm employers who want to understand their options can read our page on hiring agricultural workers from abroad and our overview of PNP employer streams.

No one should charge you for a farm job offer or for SINP paperwork beyond official fees. Report offers that ask for money, and read our guide to immigration scams.

Many people start in Saskatchewan agriculture on a temporary permit, such as through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program or an LMIA-based work permit. The Agriculture Talent Pathway needs a permanent, full-time job offer, so a seasonal contract on its own is not enough.

If your employer offers you a year-round position, you may qualify once you meet the experience rule. Six months of full-time work with that same employer is one way to meet it.

The federal Agri-Food Pilot was another route for some meat processing, mushroom and greenhouse workers. Check its page for its current status before relying on it.

When the SINP approves your application, you get a provincial nomination. You then apply to IRCC for permanent residence through the base (non-Express Entry) process. IRCC will ask for:

• a medical exam from an IRCC panel physician
• police certificates from countries where you have lived
• biometrics (fingerprints and a photo)
• proof of your identity, family members and work history

You can include your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children in the application. IRCC sets its own fees and processing times, and you can track typical times with our processing times tool.

While IRCC processes your file, keep your work permit valid. If it will expire, apply for an extension in time, or look at a bridging open work permit once IRCC has your permanent residence application. Stay with your supporting employer if you can. If you must change jobs, contact the SINP first, because your nomination was based on that job in Saskatchewan.

• Skilled Worker With Existing Work Permit covers workers already in Saskatchewan in other sectors.
• Employment Offer may fit skilled TEER 0 to 3 farm jobs that are not in the 10 listed occupations, if you meet its 60-point grid.
• Rural Community Immigration Pilot: Moose Jaw is one of the participating communities.
• Other provinces: Alberta's Rural Renewal Stream and Manitoba's Skilled Worker in Manitoba stream also serve many farm and food workers.

If you have overstayed a permit or worked without authorization, get advice from a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) before you apply.