What is the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)?

The SINP is an immigration program under which the Province of Saskatchewan selects individuals from other countries who intend to settle in Saskatchewan and nominates them to the federal government for landed immigrant status.  The SINP eligibility criteria reflect the specific needs of Saskatchewan's labour market and economy.

How do I apply under the SINP?

You must complete the SINP application in one of eight categories:  Skilled Workers, Family Members, Health Professions, Entrepreneurs, Farm Owner/Operators, Students, Long Haul Truck Driver, and Hospitality Sector Pilot Project.  At the same time, you must also complete the federal application forms.  Your SINP and federal applications will be reviewed by SINP program officers.  If you meet the SINP eligibility criteria, you will be nominated to the federal government.

When you receive notice of your nomination, you must then submit the federal application to the appropriate visa office of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).  CIC will then review your file and complete health, security and criminal background checks. 

Do I need to meet the eligibility requirements of federal immigration classes?

If you are refused at the federal level, you will not receive your landed immigrant status.

How long will it take to get a visa through the SINP?

Processing times vary, however, successful SINP applications typically receive their landed immigrant status considerably quicker than individuals applying through federal immigration classes. 

Am I required to get a medical check done?

Yes, CIC will require medical checks for you and your family members.  CIC will send you instructions on how and when you should complete your medical exams.  It is important to note that all family members must complete a medical exam even if they are not accompanying you.

Will background checks be done on me?

Yes.  SINP nominees and their adult family members undergo security and criminality screening as well as checks for fraud and misrepresentation by CIC, as do all other immigrants to Canada.  This will occur when your application is sent to the federal visa office processing for your country after receiving a nomination from the SINP.

Do I need to declare all of my immediate family members (spouse and children) even if they are not accompanying me to Saskatchewan?

Yes.  You must declare all immediate family members whether or not they are accompanying you to Saskatchewan.

What financial assets do I need under the SINP?

This varies among the seven SINP categories.  There are no financial requirements under the Skilled Workers, Health Professions, Students and Long Haul Truck Driver categories, but federal guidelines recommend that immigrants arrive with a minimum of $10,000 plus $2,000 for each dependent, or some other source of financial support in Canada.

Under the Family Members Category, if the applicant does not have a permanent full-time job offer in Saskatchewan, the principal applicant must have proof of $10,000 plus $2,000 for each dependant.  These funds can come from the principal applicant, their supporting family member, or a combination of both.

Entrepreneurs should have financial resources appropriate for their business plans in Saskatchewan and have a minimum personal net worth of CDN $250,000;  Farmers must prove a net worth of CDN $500,000.

I have submitted an application to CIC.  This application has not been assessed yet.  Would it be beneficial for me to apply to the SINP?

Generally speaking, the processing time for applicants to apply for permanent resident status through the SINP will be shorter than the processing time for going through the federal process without provincial nomination.  Most SINP applicants will complete the full process in approximately 12-18 months if all the required documents are provided with the initial application.  You should check the average processing time for federal applicants at the visa office where you submitted your federal application.  You should also contact the relevant visa office for further details about their specific requirements to process your application as a provincial nominee.  Visa offices in different countries may have different requirements and practices related to this issue.

You should also consider the following:

•        If you decide to apply to the provincial nominee program while you have an application waiting for processing in another federal class, you may be charged twice by CIC;  once for your current application in the federal visa office, and again for your application as an SINP nominee.  The SINP, however, does not change a fee.
•        You may have to fill out your forms and prepare your supporting documents again because the federal immigration office may not return your application documents for you to use in order to file your application to the SINP.

If you believe you will benefit from submitting a provincial nomination application to the visa office, you can apply to the SINP.  Once you receive a nomination letter from us, you must notify the visa office that is currently processing your federal application for further instructions on paying fees and submitting your new application.

Do the principal applicant and their accompanying spouse both need to meet the SINP criteria?

No.  Only the principal applicant needs to meet the SINP criteria.

Skilled Workers

I meet the 35 points requirement under the Skilled Workers Category, but I do not have a job offer in Saskatchewan.  Can I still apply under this category?

No.  In order to be eligible under this category you must have a permanent full-time job offer from a Saskatchewan Employer in a NOC level 0, A or B on the NOC Matrix or in a Designated trade in Saskatchewan.

Is there a list of jobs approved under the Skilled Workers Category?

No.  To check if a job would be acceptable under the Skilled Workers Category, please find the NOC code that best fits the job under the National Occupational Classification system and then check if this job is in the NOC level 0, A or B on the NOC matrix or is considered a Designated trade in Saskatchewan.

My occupation is in a Designated Trade in Saskatchewan in a NOC classification covered by the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project.   Can I apply to the skilled workers category?

No.  There are some Hospitality Section occupations that are Designated Trades.  Applicants in these jobs must apply under the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project.

Does the SINP have a list of employers who are willing to hire foreigners?

Do I need to get my trade or professional credentials recognized in Saskatchewan before applying to the SINP as a Skilled Worker?

You must provide documented proof of your education, training, occupational credentials and/or work experience that show you are eligible to work in your occupation in Saskatchewan after your arrival.  If you want to work in a regulated occupation, a SINP program officer may ask you to have your credentials reviewed by the regulatory body responsible for your occupation in Saskatchewan.

Family Members

I am applying under the Family Members Category.  Does my job offer need to be in the NOC level 0, A or B or be a Designated trade in Saskatchewan?

No.  Under the Family Members Category, the SINP will accept a job offer at any NOC level.

Live-in-Caregivers are not eligible jobs under this program.  See Citizenship and Immigration Canada's (CIC) Live-in Caregiver program.

My family member wants to apply and has many years of experience in a skilled job but they do not meet the educational requirements.  Are they eligible?

No.  However, if your family member has a job offer from a Saskatchewan Employer in a NOC level 0, A or B or in a Designated trade and they can make the 35 points requirement in the self assessment, they may be eligible to apply under the Skilled Workers Category.

Applicants to all categories of the SINP must have work experience in a skilled job before they are eligible to apply.  In the Family Members Category, the applicant must also be able to prove that their work experience is related to their post-secondary education.

How many family members can I support?

There currently is no limit to the number of family members you can support;  however, you must be able to prove that these family members can all meet the settlement criteria either through a job offer in Saskatchewan or by meeting the financial requirements of $10,000 for each primary applicant and $2000 for each accompanying family member.  You should also consider that becoming a supporting family member is a continuing commitment to the family you support.

Because of the enormity of this commitment, we recommend that supporting family members in Saskatchewan thoroughly assess their resources and limit their support to one or two family members at a time.

How much do I need to earn before I can support a family member?

The SINP does not require that a family member earns a minimum income before being eligible to support a family member.  We require proof that you are self-supporting (have not received financial support through the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan, Employment Insurance, the Resettlement Assistance Program, or other income support program within the last six months).