the CanadaVisa Team - 23 July, 2015
Saskatchewan's Immigration Minister Rob Norris has announced the details of the province's new immigration strategy, entitled Strengthening our Communities and Economy.
The new strategy was built in consultation with 300 stakeholders from around the province and responds to important social and economic changes in Saskatchewan. The focus of the new immigration strategy is to help create jobs and renew communities.
"Ultimately, our plan is about neighbours, not numbers," said Minister Norris. "Immigrants do much more than increase our population; they help create more diverse, dynamic and cosmopolitan communities, while strengthening our labour market, stimulating economic investment and creating jobs."
Saskatchewan's Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has grown significantly in recent years. Last year, the province nominated 2,914 individuals for fast-track Canadian Permanent Residency. This year, they have increased their targets to 3,400 nominees, which with spouses and children, would translate to nearly 10,000 new Saskatchewan residents in 2009-2010. The province has invested an additional $2.96 million in the SINP to realize these goals for 2009-2010.
The new funding will go towards initiatives to better attract skilled workers and entrepreneur immigrants to the province, as well as increased settlement and integration support for newcomers.
"Quite simply, this new strategy draws on our multicultural heritage to strengthen our communities, create greater prosperity and foster new jobs in Saskatchewan," said Minister Norris. "When you can bring people together with different backgrounds, cultures, world views and ideas, they all have something special to contribute."
Largely thanks to immigration, the population of Saskatchewan is currently at its highest number in over two decades, at 1,027,092. The provincial population grew by 3,282 people in the first quarter of 2009, nearly 2,000 of which were from outside Canada.
