Saskatchewan hits cap for worker nominations in three sectors

author avatar
Caroline Minks
Published: January 31, 2026

As of January 20, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) officially reached its job position limits for all capped sectors, for its first intake window.

The SINP’s capped sectors include accommodation and food services, retail trade, and trucking.

Its first intake window (out of six total for the year) opened on January 13 and was filled within one day for the first two sectors mentioned above, whereas the position cap for the trucking sector was reached on January 20.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams

The next intake window opens on March 2.

Intake distribution by capped sector

The SINP received enough employer-submitted applications to meet its 300-position limit across all capped sectors during its first intake window (January 13–20).

Saskatchewan’s three capped sectors each have their own respective position limits per intake window. For its first intake window, the SINP limited each sector to the following number of positions:

  • Accommodation and Food Services: 180 positions.
  • Retail Trade: 60 positions.
  • Trucking: 60 positions.

The SINP notes that the intake windows for capped sectors aim to reflect nomination allocation distributions (both for all nominations in 2026, and per intake window).

This year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada granted the SINP 4,761 nomination spaces—with 25% of nominations going to capped sectors, with a possibility for mid-year adjustments.

The SINP’s intake windows for capped sectors aim to reflect how nominations are distributed:

Capped sectorNominations allotted per intake windowNominations allotted per year
Accommodation and food services60%15%
Retail Trade20%5%
Trucking20%5%

Saskatchewan notes that future intake distributions may vary if a given sector’s cap is reached or if the province’s total nomination allocation for the year is adjusted (as was in 2025).

For capped sectors, employers can only submit an application if the candidate(s) for which they are applying has a work permit with six months validity or less.

For job-offer streams, SINP candidates must obtain a valid SINP Job Approval Letter (JAL) showing proof of employment from their employer. Employers must submit a JAL application for each position they intend to fill with a temporary foreign worker.

Before a candidate can receive a JAL, their employer must first fill out a Job Approval Form (JAF) and submit it to the SINP to ensure the position(s) included meet SINP requirements.

Each position on a JAF counts towards an intake widow limit. Any JAFs submitted outside an active intake window will be returned.

The SINP’s intake windows for 2026

This year, the SINP has five more intake windows for employers wanting to submit applications for employees in capped sectors, each spaced about two months apart.

The first capped sector intake window was initially set to open on January 6, but didn’t open until a week later.

Here are the upcoming intake windows:

  • Window 2: March 2, 2026.
  • Window 3: May 4, 2026.
  • Window 4: July 6, 2026.
  • Window 5: September 7, 2026.
  • Window 6: November 2, 2026.

The province notes that all candidate applications submitted by employers in 2026 will be processed this year (i.e., none will roll over to next year).

For more information on the SINP’s nomination allocation and distribution, as well as changes implemented by the SINP in 2026, view our previous coverage.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams

Share this article
Share your voice
Did you find this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Did you find this article helpful?
Please provide a response
Thank you for your helpful feedback
Please contact us if you would like to share additional feedback, have a question, or would like Canadian immigration assistance.
  • Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
  • Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
Related articles
Canada invites 3,500 tradespeople to apply for permanent residence
The Toronto skyline.
Canada invites 2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates to pursue permanent residence
A Canadian flag with a panoramic view of Banff and rocky mountains in the background.
Newfoundland and Labrador selects 41 workers for provincial immigration
Aerial shot of scenery in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Alberta selects 380 workers for provincial immigration
View of downtown of Calgary, Alberta photographed from Prince's Island Park.
Top Stories
Hit a wall in your records search for Canadian citizenship by descent? These 5 tools can help you trace your ancestors
How long proof of Canadian citizenship really takes, and other common timeline questions answered
Work permit freeze expands to six more labour markets across the Maritimes, Ontario, and the Prairies
Join our free newsletter. Get Canada's top immigration stories delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe
More in Work
Work permit freeze expands to six more labour markets across the Maritimes, Ontario, and the Prairies
Work permit freeze now includes Halifax, Fredericton, Kingston, St. Catharines-Niagara, Regina, and Lethbridge, as well as 24 previously affected regions.
Canada launches personalized processing times for work permit extensions and PGWPs
Many applicants can now look up processing times for work permit extensions based on the date they applied.
Canada curbs summary refusal of employer-specific work permits
Canada has barred immigration officers from summarily refusing work permit applications relying on dubious job offers.
Canada trims list of partners providing access to fast-track hiring under Global Talent Stream of TFWP
A business man showing a businesswoman some documents, serious faces.
Link copied to clipboard