International students who graduate in Saskatchewan may have a stronger provincial nomination opportunity in 2026. The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program has reserved a minimum of 750 nominations for graduates of Saskatchewan post-secondary designated learning institutions who secure qualifying employment in one of the province’s priority sectors.

The reserved allocation is not a separate immigration stream, automatic nomination or open draw. Graduates must still qualify through an existing SINP pathway, obtain an eligible Saskatchewan job offer and provide all required evidence.

The 750 spaces form part of Saskatchewan’s broader 2026 nomination allocation of 4,761. At least half of the provincial allocation is directed to healthcare, agriculture, skilled trades, mining, manufacturing, energy and technology. The graduate reservation sits within this priority-sector allocation.

What Does “750 Reserved Nominations” Actually Mean?

The Saskatchewan government has set aside at least 750 nomination certificates for eligible Saskatchewan post-secondary graduates who obtain employment in priority sectors.

This policy gives qualifying graduates a protected share within a limited annual provincial allocation. It does not mean Saskatchewan will invite 750 students through one draw or automatically approve the first 750 applications.

Every applicant must:

• Qualify under an existing SINP subcategory
• Hold an eligible job offer
• Obtain employer support
• Satisfy work-experience and immigration-status requirements
• Submit a complete application
• Demonstrate a genuine intention to live in Saskatchewan

The federal government controls how many people Saskatchewan can nominate annually. Meeting the published eligibility criteria therefore does not guarantee that an application will be accepted or approved.

Which Employment Sectors Qualify?

The seven priority sectors for 2026 are:

The employer’s sector determines whether the graduate can benefit from the 750 reserved nominations. Saskatchewan uses the employer’s sector classification shown on its provincial Certificate of Registration rather than simply looking at the graduate’s academic program or job title.

For example, an accounting graduate working in an eligible financial role for a mining-sector employer may be employed in a priority sector because the employer is classified under mining. However, the applicant must still satisfy the requirements of the specific SINP pathway being used, including any rule requiring the job to relate to the graduate’s education.

Main SINP Student Category Requirements

The SINP Student Category is the most direct pathway for many Post-Graduation Work Permit holders who studied in Saskatchewan.

An applicant may qualify when they:

1. Graduated from a Saskatchewan designated learning institution with a certificate, diploma or degree.
2. Hold a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit or an eligible CUAET open work permit.
3. Completed at least six months, or 780 hours, of paid work in Saskatchewan related to their field of study.
4. Have a permanent, full-time Saskatchewan job offer related to their field of study.
5. Have an offer in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, or in an eligible designated trade.
6. Have a valid Employer Position Assessment connected to the job.
7. Intend to continue living and working in Saskatchewan.

A minimum CLB 4 language score applies when the qualifying job is in an eligible designated trade classified under TEER 4 or 5. Higher language ability may still be required by an employer, regulator or another immigration pathway.

What Work Experience Counts Toward the 780 Hours?

The required six months of Saskatchewan work experience does not necessarily have to come entirely from employment after graduation.

Eligible paid experience may include:

• On-campus employment
• Off-campus employment
• Co-op work terms
• Verifiable graduate fellowships
• Employment completed while holding a Post-Graduation Work Permit

The work must be paid, completed in Saskatchewan and related to the applicant’s field of study. Graduates should maintain detailed records because SINP officers may need to verify the employer, dates, hours, duties and relationship between the employment and academic program.

A Job Offer Is Mandatory

The reserved allocation is not a job-offer-free permanent residence option.

Graduates must secure a qualifying permanent, full-time position from an approved Saskatchewan employer. Under the Student Category, the position must generally relate to the graduate’s field of study and require post-secondary education.

The employer must register with Saskatchewan and obtain approval for the position through an Employer Position Assessment. The EPA is the provincial authorization connecting the employer, the position and the immigration candidate.

Once the EPA is conditionally approved, the graduate must sign in to the OASIS system and confirm the employer-submitted information within 10 days of notification or before the EPA expires, whichever occurs first.

Priority Sector Does Not Replace Field-of-Study Rules

Two separate tests may apply:

A graduate does not qualify merely because the employer operates in healthcare, mining or technology. The applicant must also satisfy the conditions of the immigration subcategory through which the application is submitted.

For example:

• A nursing graduate employed as a registered nurse by a Saskatchewan healthcare employer may satisfy both tests.
• An engineering technology graduate working in an industrial role for a manufacturing employer may also satisfy both.
• A graduate working in an unrelated entry-level position for a technology company may meet the employer-sector test but fail the Student Category’s field-of-study requirement.

Applicants should compare their education, job duties, NOC classification and employer sector before treating a position as eligible.

Can Graduates Apply Through Other SINP Pathways?

Yes. Saskatchewan graduates are not limited to the Student Category.

Depending on their occupation, work permit and job offer, they may qualify through:

• Health Talent Pathway
• Agriculture Talent Pathway
• Innovation and Tech Talent Pathway
• International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer
• Student Category

Post-Graduation Work Permit holders are generally restricted to these designated SINP pathways. Saskatchewan removed earlier exemptions that allowed PGWP holders to apply more broadly through restricted occupations.

The most suitable pathway depends on the applicant’s occupation and sector. For example, a nurse may fit the Health Talent Pathway, while a software professional may qualify through the Innovation and Tech Talent Pathway.

What About Graduates Without a PGWP?

Some graduates may still hold a study permit after completing their Saskatchewan program.

Saskatchewan states that study permit holders may apply only after completing their education and securing an eligible permanent, full-time offer from an employer in a priority sector. Depending on the position, they may apply through:

• Agriculture Talent Pathway
• Health Talent Pathway
• Innovation and Tech Talent Pathway
• International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer

A study permit by itself does not provide unrestricted access to SINP pathways. The graduate must satisfy the work authorization, education, job-offer and pathway-specific requirements applying to their circumstances.

Current SINP Allocation Data for 2026

Saskatchewan’s initial 2026 nomination allocation is 4,761.

The province’s statistics for the first two quarters of 2026 reported:

The figures include nominations issued to date but not applications still being processed. Actual availability may therefore be lower than the published balance.

The government’s current target is to finalize complete International Skilled Worker and Saskatchewan Experience applications within 16 weeks. During the second quarter of 2026, 80% of finalized International Student applications included in the published measure were completed in approximately two weeks. This is historical performance, not a guaranteed processing time for a new application.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Confirm Saskatchewan graduation

Ensure the certificate, diploma or degree was issued by a qualifying Saskatchewan DLI. Keep the completion letter, transcript and graduation credential.

Step 2: Confirm immigration and work status

The applicant should hold a valid PGWP or another work permit accepted under the selected pathway. Work completed without authorization cannot be relied upon as valid qualifying employment.

Step 3: Complete the required Saskatchewan work experience

For the Student Category, document at least 780 hours of paid Saskatchewan employment related to the field of study.

Step 4: Secure a permanent, full-time job offer

The position must meet the NOC, education and field-of-study conditions of the selected category.

Step 5: Have the employer obtain an EPA

The employer must maintain an active Saskatchewan Certificate of Registration and obtain provincial approval for the position.

Step 6: Validate the position in OASIS

After receiving notification, the candidate reviews and confirms the information submitted by the employer.

Step 7: Submit a complete SINP application

Upload the required identity, education, employment, language, work permit and settlement documents. Missing or untranslated documents can result in the application being closed and returned.

Step 8: Apply to IRCC after nomination

An SINP nomination is not permanent residence. After nomination, the applicant must submit a separate PR application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and pass federal medical, criminal and admissibility checks. IRCC provides Express Entry and non-Express Entry PNP processes, and the nomination documents indicate which process applies.

Documents Graduates Should Prepare

A well-prepared application may include:

• Passport and current immigration documents
• Study permit and Post-Graduation Work Permit
• Saskatchewan graduation certificate
• Official transcripts
• Program completion letter
• Employment reference letters
• Pay statements and tax records
• Job-offer letter
• Employer Position Assessment details
• Language test results, where required
• Professional licensing evidence, where applicable
• Documents supporting the intention to remain in Saskatchewan

The employment letter should clearly state the position, duties, salary, hours, start date and permanent full-time nature of the offer.

Common Reasons a Graduate May Not Qualify

A candidate may have difficulty qualifying when:

• The program was completed outside Saskatchewan.
• The applicant has not yet completed the academic program.
• The job is temporary, seasonal or part-time.
• The position is unrelated to the field of study under the Student Category.
• The applicant has not accumulated 780 hours of eligible Saskatchewan work.
• The employer has not obtained an approved EPA.
• The job falls under an excluded or restricted occupation.
• A regulated professional has not addressed licensing requirements.
• The applicant cannot show an intention to continue living in Saskatchewan.
• Required documents are missing or inconsistent.

Applicants should not rely only on the employer’s verbal assurance that a position is eligible. The employer sector, NOC code, job duties, work permit and selected SINP pathway must all align.

Final Takeaway

The 750 reserved SINP nominations are a meaningful advantage for international graduates who have studied, worked and established employer connections in Saskatchewan. They provide a protected allocation within the province’s most important economic sectors, but they do not remove the standard eligibility requirements.

The strongest candidate will usually have:

• A completed credential from a Saskatchewan DLI
• Valid work authorization
• At least 780 hours of relevant Saskatchewan employment
• A permanent, full-time job offer
• An approved employer position
• Employment linked to both the graduate’s education and a priority-sector employer
• Complete, consistent documentation
• A genuine plan to remain in Saskatchewan

Graduates working outside the seven priority sectors may still have SINP options, but they will not receive the allocation advantage attached to the 750 reserved nominations. For that reason, students planning their transition from study to permanent residence should evaluate the employer’s sector, their intended occupation and the appropriate SINP pathway before accepting a position.