Second intake window for Saskatchewan’s Nominee Program has opened for applications

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has officially opened its second intake window for capped sector applications.

Beginning March 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. EST, employers in capped sectors may submit applications for SINP candidates in the following sectors:

• Accommodation and food services;
• Retail trade; and
• Trucking.

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Almost all capped sectors have already met their full per-sector quota for their second intake window. More details are provided below.

For capped sectors, employers are permitted to submit applications only for candidates whose work permits will expire within six months or less.

Intake distribution by capped sector

Under its second capped-sector intake of 2026, the SINP will be accepting employer-submitted applications until it reaches its established 400-position limit across all capped sectors (100 more than were available in the first intake, which opened on January 13).

At the time of this writing, the SINP has met its per-sector cap for the accommodation and food services sector and the trucking sector. A total of 40 positions remain for the retail trades sector.

Each of Saskatchewan’s three capped sectors has its own position quota for every intake window. In the second (March 2) intake, the SINP set the following limits for each sector:

• Accommodation and food services: 240 positions.
• Retail trade: 80 positions.
• Trucking: 80 positions.

The increase in positions available for the SINP’s second intake may be attributable to the accommodation and food services sector meeting its position cap on the first day of opening, during the first intake.

The position caps for the remaining two sectors were met within one week.

To compare, here is a per-sector limit for the SINP’s first intake window:

• Accommodation and food services: 180 positions.
• Retail trade: 60 positions.
• Trucking: 60 positions.

At the time of this writing, there is no closure date set for the March 2 intake window, or any of its upcoming intakes. Following the release of its intake schedule in December 2025, the province noted that each intake would remain open “for several days.”

The SINP’s intake windows for 2026

For 2026, the SINP has scheduled a total of six intake windows—two of which have already opened, and one of which has already closed (January 13).

The remaining intake openings fall on the following dates:

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

The number of positions available per upcoming intake window has yet to be published by the province, as “intake distribution may vary if a sector cap is reached or if the total number of nominations [granted to the province] changes.”

Allocations across the SINP

This year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) allocated 4,761 nomination spaces to the SINP. Of these, 25% of nominations have been allocated to capped sectors, with the potential for adjustments later in the year.

This 25% figure is broken down as such (per intake window), for each capped sector—along with the percentage of nominations allotted for each capped sector in 2026 as a whole:

Capped sector	Nominations allocated per intake window	Nominations allocated in 2026
Accommodation and food services	60%	15%
Retail trade	20%	5%
Trucking	20%	5%

In 2026, the province has allotted the accommodation sector 714 spots, while the trucking and retail trade sector each have allocations of 238 spots.

Unlike capped sectors, there are no designated intake periods for employers wishing to secure workers in “priority” or “other sectors,” meaning employers can submit an application at any time.

Priority sectors for the year include:

• Healthcare;
• Agriculture;
• Skilled trades;
• Mining;
• Manufacturing;
• Energy; and
• Technology.

“Other sectors” include any sectors that have not been designated as priority or capped.

Priority sectors will receive 50% of nominations for the year, and “other sectors” have been allotted 25%.

Note: Demand fluctuations may cause priority sectors to exceed their 50% minimum allocation, reducing nominations for other sectors. Conversely, if the 50% priority sector target is not achieved, any remaining nominations can be reallocated to ensure full utilization.

Background context

For job-offer streams, SINP applicants must hold a valid Job Approval Letter (JAL) confirming employment with an approved Saskatchewan employer. Employers are required to submit a separate JAL application for every position they intend to fill with a worker.

Prior to the issuance of a JAL, employers must complete a Job Approval Form (JAF) and submit it to the SINP for assessment to confirm that the position(s) listed satisfy program criteria.

Each position listed on a JAF is counted toward the intake window cap. JAFs submitted outside an active intake period will not be processed (i.e., will be returned).

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