SASKATCHEWAN NDP CALLS ON SCOTT MOE TO FIX IMMIGRATION RULES EXCLUDING UKRAINIANS FROM PERMANENT RESIDENCY

MLA Keith Jorgenson Holds Roundtable Discussion with Concerned Community
SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on Scott Moe's Sask. Party government to reverse recent changes to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) that are preventing the vast majority of Ukrainians in Saskatchewan from accessing permanent residency.

In early January 2026, the government introduced new restrictions to the Job Approval Letter (JAL) process. Employers in key sectors are no longer permitted to apply for a JAL if a worker’s permit is valid for more than 6 months. This requirement excludes nearly all Ukrainians who arrived under the federal Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program because unlike standard temporary work permits, CUAET permits are designed to be long-term and renewable, meaning most Ukrainians do not have permits that are close to expiry.
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“The people who came to Saskatchewan from Ukraine did everything they were asked to do. They found work, put down roots, and started building new lives here,” said Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP MLA for Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood. “Now, Scott Moe has changed the rules and shut the door on their hopes to start a new life here.”
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Ukrainians affected by the changes say the constant shifts in immigration policy have left their families stuck in uncertainty.
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Volodymyr, a Ukrainian worker who has lived and worked in Saskatchewan since 2022, wrote: “We like living here and already feel like part of the community.”
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But he warned that recent changes have closed off realistic pathways forward: “Under the updated SINP program, very few Ukrainians will be able to apply (if anyone at all).”
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Another Saskatoon resident, Tetiana, described repeated setbacks over several years: “This is now the third time we have found ourselves in a situation where we are unable to apply for permanent residence.
“With children approaching adulthood, the stakes are growing higher. We have only one year left during which we can include our children in a permanent residence application.”
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The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the Sask. Party to immediately revise the JAL eligibility rules to include individuals holding CUAET work permits, or to remove the requirement that a work permit be close to ‎expiry.
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Alternatively, Saskatchewan could create a separate stream for Ukrainian nationals, similar to the approach taken by the Government of Manitoba in September 2025. Either option would acknowledge the unique circumstances of Ukrainians and align provincial policy with federal humanitarian measures.
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“Saskatchewan has a long and proud history of welcoming Ukrainians,” Jorgenson said. “At a time when our province needs workers and families need stability, this government should be fixing the problem — not making it worse.”
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