Sask. adds 279 new job descriptions to immigrant nominee program

When Christina Skrynska came to Saskatchewan from Ukraine, it took her months to find a job.

Skrynska said many employers told her she needed to learn English before she could be hired. She also didn’t qualify for certain options under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).

Fast forward to today, and she and her colleague, Katerina Shebchenko, have full-time jobs at Saskatoon Fire and Flood, along with about 18 other Ukrainians who are new to Saskatchewan.

Under the provincial government’s SINP expansion, work permit holders can now apply for permanent residency provided they have worked in Saskatchewan and meet the remaining program criteria, including meeting language requirements and having a permanent, full-time job.

It’s something that Shebchenko says is a great comfort, because both she and Skrynska want to remain in the province.

“I am happy I found this work. It’s a very great company and a great team,” she said. “We plan to stay and grow with this company and to work here I think (a) long time.”

Brennen Mills, a partner at Saskatoon Fire and Flood, said the SINP expansion to include job descriptions like retail sales, farm labourers, equipment operators and nurse aides all helps companies like his fill vacancies.

“Any help with immigration is going to benefit our existing staff or potential new staff. There are questions that they don’t know to ask. Us as well, as an employer trying to help our new staff or potential staff through the permanent residency program is something that we’re learning the hard way,” he said.

“We have the work; we need the employees. That matter of helping them transition to Canada is the piece that we’re learning right now,” he added.

Ukrainian Canadian Congress Saskatchewan’s Danylo Puderak says the ability for more of the displaced Ukrainians who’ve arrived in Saskatchewan to be able to set their roots here, and find refuge and safety, is “incredibly important.”

“A high percentage of them are looking to stay,” he said.

With the war continuing in Ukraine, Puderak added that coming to Canada and making plans is now a longer-term decision.

“Many of the people that have arrived have a low knowledge of English, so those kinds of employment opportunities within say, the hospitality sector, has been the easiest way for them to transition into the Saskatchewan labour market,” he added.

Martensville-Warman MLA Terry Jenson said that previously in Saskatchewan, only newcomers in high-skilled occupations and designated trades were eligible for the Existing Work Permit stream.

“These changes will increase the retention of intermediate and lower-skilled workers and address labour market gaps Saskatchewan employers are currently facing,” he said.

According to SaskJobs, there are more than 16,000 positions currently available.

“As you grow a population from the different counties … that in itself lends to people staying longer or staying permanently. And that’s the goal of this, to open up more employment opportunities for permanent residency to occur,” he said.

Jenson said at this point, it’s difficult to say how many temporary foreign workers might be affected by the changes.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an amended version of this story, correcting the spelling of Brennen Mills’ name.