Saskatchewan Government Secures 7,250 Allocations for 2023
On March 10, 2023, Jeremy Harrison, who is responsible for Immigration and Career Training in Saskatchewan, attended the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) in Halifax. At the meeting, IRCC agreed to modify federal regulations and the Canada-Saskatchewan Immigration Agreement, providing Saskatchewan exclusive jurisdiction over evaluating a candidate’s economic potential and their willingness to reside in Saskatchewan.
Furthermore, IRCC has also made a commitment to increase the annual allocation of provincial nominees for 2023 and has declared plans to raise notional allocations for both 2024 and 2025. These actions are favorable developments that promote greater independence for the province.
Let’s explore Saskatchewan’s allocations and improvements for 2023.
New allocations for the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
On Monday 13, 2023, Saskatchewan’s Minister announced the annual allocation would rise to 7,250 in 2023. It is the largest allocation in the SINPs history. Moreover, the province notional allocation for 2024 is 8,000 nominees, and 8,500 for 2025.
“I am pleased to see that our proposal for a significant increase in our SINP allocation has been accepted by the Government of Canada,” Harrison said. “I am also encouraged by the positive commitments toward reducing federal processing times for SINP nominees and reducing administrative duplication.”
Saskatchewan has made significant efforts to promote immigration, such as international healthcare recruitment missions, providing support for chartered flights for displaced Ukrainians, and implementing comprehensive foreign credential recognition legislation in Canada. However, these actions do not completely satisfy the province’s desire for more autonomy over immigration, as outlined in the Saskatchewan Immigration Accord.
In July 2022, the Government of Saskatchewan proposed the Saskatchewan Immigration Accord to have more control over immigration. The proposed accord will enable Saskatchewan to set its own immigration levels, select skilled immigrants aligned with labor market needs, re-establish a family class immigration stream, and have control over settlement and integration services.
The province will continue to advocate and negotiate with the federal government for greater control over immigration.
Saskatchewan’s labour demands
Immigration plays a vital role in supporting Saskatchewan’s growing economy and labour demands. The province currently has more than 15,600 job vacancies posted on SaskJobs and National Job Bank. In addition, the province estimates that there will be total of 135,800 job openings over the next five years.
It is also important to mention that Saskatchewan’s population growth is currently at a record high. Moreover, the province believe that immigration has been a significant contributing factor. Further, the province is aiming to reach a population of 1.4 million by 2030 and believes that it would be best for them to be in charge of deploying these funds.
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