the CanadaVisa Team - 18 July, 2015
Both rural and urban communities in the province of Saskatchewan saw significant increases in immigration in the past year. The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) attracted over one thousand nominations in 2006, the largest number to date, which added to the 26 per cent rise in the annual number of immigrants landing in the province. With 2,658 landed immigrants in 2006, the government of Saskatchewan is continuing to implement its “bold strategy to attract 5,000 newcomers annually by 2008.”
This strategy has recently been infused with $977,000 to improve settlement supports and language instruction programs for newcomers across Saskatchewan. Pat Atkinson, minister responsible for immigration in the province, has devoted this money to regional colleges and immigrant service provider organizations “to provide the comprehensive, coordinated and high-quality services that meet the unique needs of newcomers in the area.”
The spending will be aimed at helping immigrant services providers develop their ability to assist immigrants as they settle in Saskatchewan. Specifically, these organizations will aid in newcomers’ orientation to communities and workplaces, coordinate their access to health, education, and housing services, and ensure that newcomers are properly represented in program planning and policy development. Regional colleges will also receive some funding to deliver language training programs.
Atkinson highlighted that, beyond supporting immigrants as their settle in the province, these initiatives are also beneficial to Saskatchewan employers as they facilitate the transition for newcomers into their new workplaces and communities.
