Canada has been seeing significant job growth across the country for the past few months; however, compared to other provinces and territories, Saskatchewan recorded the highest job growth rate.
According to the December Labour Force Survey, Saskatchewan has the maximum month-over-month job gains compared to all other provinces in Canada.
In December 2021, the Canadian province of Saskatchewan recorded an increase of 1.1% in job creation, which is equivalent to 6,000 more jobs.
Some of the major sectors that observed a significant increase in jobs include professional, scientific, and technical services sectors, and these gains were experienced in full-time employment, majorly among men aged 25 to 54.
Saskatchewan had an unemployment rate of 5.4%, and it has reached the pre-pandemic levels in the urban regions of Saskatoon and Regina.
The provincial data shows that the largest year-over-year gains were recorded in health care and social assistance contributing to 8,000 more jobs, followed by 7,400 more jobs in trade and 4,700 more jobs in construction. Furthermore, according to this data, during the same period, 10,800 jobs were created by the private sector, female employment increased by 10,600, and youth employment also increased by 7,700 jobs.
In a press release, the Minister of Immigration and Career Training, Jeremy Harrison, said, “Even with the global economic volatility in 2021, Saskatchewan continued to create jobs and consistently had among the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. Our province is in an enviable position for economic growth in 2022”. Harrison further added, “Our success is due to the incredible work ethic and resiliency of Saskatchewan job creators who, despite unprecedented challenges, have continued to create jobs and opportunity.”
Meanwhile, a total of 55,000 jobs were added in December by the Canadian economy, as a result of which, the unemployment rate decreased to a 22-month low of 5.9 percent from 6 percent in November.
The survey shows that the count of very recent immigrants to Canada has just recovered to pre-pandemic levels, which earlier dropped due to international travel restrictions. The total number of very recent working-age immigrants (ages 25 to 54) increased by 0.6 percent, or 5,000, in December compared to the numbers from two years back.
In addition, Canada achieved its goal of landing 401,000 new permanent residents in the country in 2021. Moreover, the federal government plans to increase this goal to 411,000 in 2022.
Immigration Programs to Saskatchewan
There are multiple immigration programs for people who are willing to reside and work in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.
Moreover, Canada’s main immigration pathway, Express Entry, allows candidates to apply for immigration to any Canadian province other than Quebec. In order to apply through Express Entry, the candidate must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the federal immigration programs, which are the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Federal Skilled Worker Program. After submission of an Express Entry profile, the candidate is assessed on the basis of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and then given a score. There are regular Express Entry draws held by the federal department of IRCC, in which the candidates with the highest CRS scores are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
In addition, the province of Saskatchewan also has its own provincial nominee program (PNP), known as the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). Saskatchewan Express Entry, one of the streams of SINP, is aligned with the Express Entry system, which means that if a candidate receives a provincial nomination, then they will receive additional 600 CRS points, which will improve their chances of receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency in Canada.
The province also offers multiple other streams under its PNP, which are not linked to the Express Entry System, and the candidates who receive a provincial nomination under any of these streams are required to make a direct application to the federal department of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The streams are as below:
- International Skilled Worker Category: This stream targets the skilled workers who are willing to stay and work in this Canadian province. There are also subcategories in this stream for candidates who already have a job offer and those who do not have one.
- Entrepreneur and Farm Category: This stream targets the candidates who are willing to own and operate a business or a farming operation in the province.
- Saskatchewan Experience Category: This stream is for foreign workers who are already residing in Saskatchewan, which includes the current work permit holders and international graduates.
- International Graduate Entrepreneur Category: This stream is designed for international students who have completed their graduation from an eligible post-secondary institution in the province and wish to start a business in this province.
In November 2021, the province also announced the launch of a new immigration pilot project, known as the Hard-To-Fill Skills Project. This pilot will allow the employers in Saskatchewan to bring in international talent for certain in-demand job positions. Under this pilot project, entry-level job positions that may need on-the-job training will be considered eligible. Currently, in Saskatchewan, the health, agriculture, ag-tech, manufacturing, construction, hospitality, and retail sectors have the maximum labour demands.
Furthermore, the province has also just introduced a new International Healthcare Worker Expression of Interest (EOI) pool as part of SINP. That allows applicants to submit a form showing that they are willing to work in a particular health care profession in the province.
