SINP Innovation and Tech Talent Pathway: Saskatchewan PR for Tech Workers

The Innovation and Tech Talent Pathway is part of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). It helps Saskatchewan employers in technology and innovation keep or hire high-skilled workers and support them for permanent residence. Older guides may refer to a SINP Tech Talent Pathway; check the current SINP page for today's name and rules.

Technology is one of Saskatchewan's priority sectors in 2026, along with health care, agriculture, skilled trades, mining, manufacturing and energy. At least half of the province's 4,761 nominations go to priority sectors, and there are no intake windows for these jobs.

The pathway has two options. The Express Entry option gives an enhanced nomination that adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The non-Express Entry option gives a base nomination and a separate application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Either way, IRCC makes the final decision. See our Saskatchewan guide and the Provincial Nominee Program overview for the full picture.

The pathway covers 32 National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes. The list includes roles such as:

• Software engineers and designers
• Data scientists
• Cybersecurity specialists
• Electrical and electronics engineers
• Technologists and technicians in computing and the physical sciences

All of the eligible jobs are high-skilled. The SINP publishes the full list of 32 codes, and your job title matters less than your actual duties. Compare your duties with the NOC description before your employer applies. If your job is not on the list, the general Employment Offer sub-category may still fit, since it covers most TEER 0 to 3 jobs. Saskatchewan updates its occupation lists from time to time, so check the list again just before your employer applies.

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

• A job offer from a Saskatchewan employer in one of the 32 eligible occupations. The employer must be registered with the SINP and have an approved Employer Position Assessment (EPA).
• Work experience, depending on where you are:

• Language:
  • Non-Express Entry option: CLB 5 or higher if you are not already employed by the employer supporting you.
  • Express Entry option: the federal Express Entry language requirement for your program.
• Language test results less than two years old when you apply.

If your job is regulated, for example as a professional engineer, you may also need proof that you can be licensed in Saskatchewan. See our guides to language tests and credential assessments.

IRCC usually processes Express Entry applications faster than base provincial nominee applications. If you already qualify for Express Entry through the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class, the Express Entry option is often the better choice. Check your score with the CRS calculator.

1. The employer registers with the SINP.
2. The employer applies for an Employer Position Assessment (EPA) for your position.
3. When the EPA is approved, you must validate the position in your SINP online account (OASIS) within 10 days of the notice.

Then you submit your application and pay the $500 non-refundable fee (as of September 2026). Employers can read our page on hiring tech workers from abroad. If your employer needs you to start before permanent residence, the Global Talent Stream is a fast work permit option for some tech jobs.

What happens next depends on your option:

• Express Entry option: you accept the nomination in your IRCC Express Entry account. The 600 extra points almost always lead to an invitation in a later provincial nominee draw. You then have a fixed federal deadline to submit your full permanent residence application.
• Non-Express Entry option: you submit a base provincial nominee application directly to IRCC.

In both cases, IRCC asks for a medical exam, police certificates and biometrics. You can include your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children. Our guide on going from invitation to COPR walks through the federal steps.

If you are already in Canada, keep your work permit valid while you wait. A bridging open work permit can help if your permit ends after IRCC has your permanent residence application. If you have a past refusal or a gap in status, talk to a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) before applying.

Tech-specific provincial routes have changed a lot since 2024:

• British Columbia stopped its tech-only draws. The former BC PNP Tech draws are closed, and B.C. now picks tech workers through targeted high economic impact invitations.
• Alberta runs an Accelerated Tech Pathway inside its Alberta Express Entry Stream.
• Saskatchewan keeps technology as a priority sector with this dedicated pathway.

A job offer is the common thread. Without one, federal Express Entry is the main route for tech workers, since Saskatchewan's own Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category had no scheduled draws as of September 2026.