Saskatchewan seeks greater control over immigration

The Government of Saskatchewan has put forward a proposal that would give the province greater control over immigration.

The Saskatchewan Immigration Accord, which was put forward by Immigration Minister Jeremy Harrison on Thursday during a meeting with his federal and provincial counterparts, would give Saskatchewan “sole authority to nominate newcomers moving to Saskatchewan” as well as additional federal resources for settlement services and a guaranteed allocation of nominees every year that “would be proportionate to the population of Saskatchewan within Canada.”

According to the provincial government, the accord would give Saskatchewan a level of control over immigration similar to the autonomy long held by Quebec.

In a statement, Harrison said the added level of control over immigration would help the province meet its needs when it comes to labour.

“Saskatchewan requires more autonomy and flexibility over immigration in order to meet its economic needs and address gaps in the labour market,” Harrison said.

“Canada should be focusing its efforts on reducing processing times for applications and let the provinces select immigrants and ensure their effective settlement.”

This year, the government noted, Saskatchewan expects to exceed its current cap of 6,000 immigrants, while the proposed accord would result in a minimum of 13,000 positions allocated to Saskatchewan in 2022.

“When it comes to immigration Saskatchewan expects the same deal as Quebec,” Harrison said. “Immigration is a key component of our government’s plan to grow the province to 1.4 million people and create an additional 100,000 jobs by 2030.”