Increasing immigration is a hot topic across Canada and nowhere more than in a high-opportunity low-population province like Saskatchewan.

In early November, we wrote a blog about expansion to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).

On November 30, 2023, Saskatchewan's Ministry of Immigration announced a further increase of SINP nominations to 7,350 in 2023. Aiming to address the growing needs of its economy, this is the highest number of newcomers in the Prairie province's history.

The province also added 279 more occupations eligible for permanent residency through the SINP in early November. The target was multiple economic sectors, including agriculture, arts and entertainment, sales and service, manufacturing and transportation.

Saskatchewan receives about 6,000 new immigrants each year through federal programs and used its full federal allocation of 6,040 nominations in 2022. Going forward, the province reached an agreement with the federal government to increase its SINP allocation to 8,000 in 2024 and 8,500 in 2025. According to the Saskatchewan government, "immigration plays a vital role in supporting Saskatchewan's growing economy and labour demands and the SINP drives immigration to Saskatchewan, accounting for three-quarters of Saskatchewan's newcomers."

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