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With a new federal cabinet announced and a new federal immigration minister getting settled in, Saskatchewan’s immigration minister is looking to put together a deal.
Tuesday morning, Lena Metlege Diab was announced as the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship as Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his new cabinet.
Saskatchewan Minister of Immigration and Career Training Jim Reiter said he’ll be planning to talk with the new minister about immigration numbers and the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).
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Last year, it was announced Canada would be reducing immigration numbers and as a result, the number Saskatchewan would be allowed to bring in through its own program was cut in half, to about 3,600.
As a result, some who are in the province on work permits are worried they won’t be able to get into a more permanent track before their permit runs out, resulting in them having to leave.
Reiter said he’ll look to get a similar deal to extend permits in Saskatchewan for two years, similar to a deal announced last month in Manitoba.
“We’ve had businesspeople in Saskatchewan approach the ministry saying that that would be helpful here as well, so the ministry’s working on that,” said Reiter.
The announcement in Manitoba was for an extension specifically for people who are prospective candidates for that province’s immigration program and whose work permits expired in 2024 or will in 2025.
Reiter said it’s the federal government that does those extensions, not the provinces, so he has to go through the upper level of government.
“They are apparently extending those in Manitoba, so we’re optimistic that they may do that here as well,” said Reiter.
The Sask. NDP’s immigration critic agreed, saying something needs to be done for those in limbo.
“People are really very stressed and businesses are really relying on those foreign workers, they are really in a very tense situation, they can’t plan, they aren’t thinking that we will grow and will be expanding their businesses,” said Noor Burki.
Burki raised the question during Question Period on Monday.
He said newcomers and those on work permits play an important part in Saskatchewan’s economy and the growth of the province relies on those people.
