SINP Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot Update

The Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot is closed as of January 11, 2024, for a program evaluation, which will be completed in Spring 2024. The shutdown does not apply to jobs in healthcare, agriculture, or value-added agriculture. Job Acceptance Forms received before January 11, 2024, will be handled if candidates qualify were identified at the time of submission, or if existing Saskatchewan employees are added by January 22, 2024. 

What occupations are affected?

As of January 11, 2024, intake caps have been set on 22 of the 33 jobs. After an evaluation of the pilot, the restrictions may be eased.

• The following occupations are not restricted: healthcare, agriculture, and value-added agriculture. The pilot program includes eleven occupations:

• Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment 

• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient associates

• Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants 

• Other assisting occupations in support of health services 

• Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations 

• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators 

• Livestock laborers 

• Harvesting labourers 

• Process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated processing

• Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers 

• Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing

Job Approval Forms filed after January 11 with candidates identified will be handled as normal for the eleven occupations that will remain eligible. 

What will happen to the positions I’ve submitted to the SINP and the workers I’ve recruited? 

Worker Already Recruited/Identified

• Positions filed by companies prior to January 11, 2024, will be handled by the SINP if candidates have already been recruited and identified in the Job Approval Form, or if current Saskatchewan employees are identified to the SINP by January 22, 2024.

• Job Approval Forms that meet extra conditions may be completed for Job Approval Forms received before January 11 when candidates were not identified but there are workers working in those roles in the province. These are some examples:

• Only those who have already worked in Saskatchewan will be permitted. Their names must be included on Job Approval Forms by January 22, 2024.

• Employers must give the workers' names, dates of birth, work permits, and pay stubs as proof that they have been working for them. When adding their name to a Job Approval Form, they must supply this information.

• Any remaining posts will be closed if existing employees are not added by January 22nd and the appropriate information is not submitted. When the pilot reopens, employers may resubmit for these additional roles. 

• To add existing employees to the Job Approval Forms, employers must provide the name, date of birth, work permit, and pay stubs as proof of these workers' previous employment to employerservices@gov.sk.ca. The Job Approval Letters for these candidates will expire within 30 days of issuance. 

• Candidate-specific Job Approval Letters will no longer be transferable after January 11, 2024.

• Worker immigration applications with approved Job Approval Letters will be accepted and processed.

• New applications are still being accepted for the Long Haul Truck Driver Project and the Hospitality Sector Project.

Worker Not Yet Recruited/Identified 

• Positions filed before January 11, 2024, will be closed if no workers have been recruited; employers may resubmit for these positions when the pilot reopens.

• Job Approval Forms (JAF) are still being accepted for the SINP's Long Haul Truck Driver Project and Hospitality Sector Project. If you hire a worker with an acceptable work visa, they may be eligible for a JAF through the SINP's Existing Work visa stream after working for your company for at least six months.

If the Employee’s work permit is expiring before Spring 2024 and I haven’t submitted my Job Approval Form yet. What are my options? 

• If you did not submit a Job Approval Form before January 11, 2024, you will need to wait for the reopening of the pilot. 

• The SINP's Long Haul Truck Driver Project and Hospitality Sector Project are still accepting Job Approval Forms (JAF). If you hire a worker with an acceptable work visa, they may be eligible for a JAF via the SINP's Existing Work visa stream after working for your company for at least six months.

To learn more information about the SINP, you can contact Immigration consultant in Edmonton. 

We can help you find the right pathway to your Canadian Immigration Journey.