Saskatchewan

1
Saskatchewan Saskatoon Initiatives in
Immigration

• Joseph Garcea
• Presentation to PCERII
• Annual Planning Meeting
• February 2006

2
Organization of Presentation

• 1. Immigration Flows to Saskatchewan Saskatoon
• 2. Saskatchewan Immigration Initiatives
  (1998-2005)
• 3. Saskatoon Immigration Action Plan Initiative

3
Immigration Flows to Saskatchewan Saskatoon

• Immigration Flows
• Every 4-5 years Canada receives approximately the
  same number of immigrants as Saskatchewans
  entire population.
• Saskatchewan receives fewer immigrants than
  almost all other provinces in Canada (except
  Atlantic Provinces).
• During past 20 years Saskatchewan has received
  1,500-2,500 immigrants refugees per year.
• Approximately 75 of those arrived in Saskatoon
  and Regina
• Retention Rates
• From 1991-2001 the province of Saskatchewan had a
  retention rate of approximately 50.
• This compares to Manitoba 78, Alberta 86 and
  B.C. 88.
• From 1996-2001 Regina had a 57 retention rate.
• From 1996-2001 Saskatoon had a 76 retention rate.

4
Retention Rates by Province 1991-2001(This table
is drawn from the report produced by Goss Gilroy
Inc. Management Consultants in 2005 titled
Retention and Integration of Immigrants in
Newfoundland and Labrador Are we Ready?)
5
IMMIGRATION TO SASKATCHEWAN 1986-2003Source
Prepared by the Canadian Labour and Business
Centre using Citizenship and Immigration Canada
data
6
Retention Rates Recent Immigrants (1996-2001)
by CMAs Source Prepared by the Canadian Labour
and Business Centreusing Citizenship and
Immigration Canada data and Statistics Canada,
Census data
7
Saskatchewan Initiatives (1)

• During the past 8 years Saskatchewan has become
  increasingly interested and involved in
  immigration.
• Its involvement has focused on 10 key areas
• 1. Signing federal-provincial agreements
• 2. Expanding and resourcing of the Immigration
  Branch
• 3. Developing various components of the
  Saskatchewan Provincial
• Nominee Program (SNIP)
• 5. Creation of the Saskatchewan Settlement and
  Integration Planning Council
• 6. Initiating the Creation of Local Immigration
  Coordinating Committees in Regina, Saskatoon,
  Moose Jaw, and Prince Albert.
• 7. Establishing a process for assessing and
  developing capacity of medium to small sized
  communities to create welcoming and supportive
  environment for newcomers.
• 8. Survey of need for low skilled immigrants in
  various regions of the province.
• 9. Co-funding City of Saskatoon Immigration
  Integration Action Plan Project
• 10. Appointed new ADM responsible for the
  Saskatchewan Immigration Branch and its various
  agreements, partnerships and programs.

8
Saskatchewan Initiatives (2)

• 1998 Signed New Sask-Canada Immigration
  Agreement
• 2000-2002 Commissioned Public Consultations on
  Immigration and Integration which resulted in the
  report titled Meeting Needs and Making
  Connections A Report on the Saskatchewan
  Immigrant and Refugee Settlement Needs and
  Retention Study.
• 2001 Established a New Immigration Branch
• -Initially 2 full time employees
• -Now 8 full time employees
• -Target is 24 employees for the future
• 2002 Concluded Sask. Immigrant Nominee Program
  (SNIP) Agreement which included
• -Skilled workers
• -Doctors and Nurses
• -Farm owner-operator category

9
Saskatchewan Initiatives (3)

• 2003 Commissioned Pat Lorje (former MLA) to
  produce detailed recommendations on
• Immigration Integration. The report
  is titled Open Up Saskatchewan A Report on
  International Immigration and Inter-Provincial
  In-Migration to Increase the Population of the
  Province of Saskatchewan.
• 2003 Established the Saskatchewan Settlement and
  Integration Planning Council
• 2003 Established Pilot Project with Saskatchewan
  Trucking Association to attract
• 240 long haul truckers.
• 2004 Expanded the categories of eligible
  businesses venture under SNIP beyond key
• economic development sectors to
  include service and retail businesses.
• 2004 (May) Signed a 3 Year Agreement for
  Foreign Student Pilot Project ((increased
• number of years of work after
  graduation from 1 to 2)
• 2004 The SNIP program was changed to allow
  foreign students graduating in
• Saskatchewan and working in their field
  of study, who want to apply for permanent
• resident status, to continue working
  until their permanent resident application is
• processed.
• 2004 (November) Signed Sask-Can cost-sharing
  Agreement Enhanced Language Training Agreement
  to provide half of the 264K to support research
  and planning to improve language training for
  adult immigrants in Saskatchewan. (Agreement is
  for 4 years renewable annually).

10
Saskatchewan Initiatives (4)

• 2005 (January)
• Broadened the Skilled Worker Category by
  eliminating the designated skill shortage list
• thereby expanding SNIP from 2 of job market to
  45 of job market.
• 2005(June 1)
• Renegotiated the Canada-Saskatchewan Immigration
  Agreement
• -Included Provisions for Increase in Number of
  Nominees over time (from 500 in 2004-2005 to 5000
  by 2008-2009).
• 2005 (June 6)
• Increased funding for language training and
  employment Internship Program by approximately
  350K
• - 200K Enhanced Language Training to match
  200K by CIC
• -150K for Employment Pilot Internship (language
  and employment training)
• 2005 (October)
• Expanded Health Professional Category of Nominee
  Program to beyond doctors and
• nurses to include other health occupations
  (requiring at least one year of post-secondary
• education or job training)
• 2005 (December) Established New Family Member
  Category under SNIP

11
Current Initiatives

• Saskatchewan has commissioned a review of the
  capacities of medium and smaller sized
  communities in the province to receive and
  support newcomers.
• Saskatchewan is conducting a survey of needs of
  low skilled workers.
• The survey has been sent out to all Regional
  Economic Development Authorities. The results of
  the survey may have implications on scope of
  future immigration programs in the province
• It may lead to demands for the federal government
  to
• Direct more low-skilled immigrants to the
  province
• Broaden scope of Saskatchewans Nominee Program
  to include Low Skill Immigrants.
• Saskatchewan appointed a new Associate Deputy
  Minister Responsible for the Immigration Branch
  and all of its agreements, partnerships and
  programs.

12
SASKATOON INITIATIVE (IMMIGRATION ACTION PLAN)

• City of Saskatoon has awakened to the importance
  of Immigration and Integration
• It has done so largely due to the work of its
  Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee,
  which is a citizen advisory committee.
• The CDRR Committee and City Council are
  interested in three matters
• Attracting more newcomers both for community and
  economic development purposes,
• Meeting needs of newcomers, and
• Creating a more welcoming community.

13
Saskatoon Recommendation of Cultural Diversity
Race Relations Committee

• RECOMMENDATION OF CDRR
• That a report be forwarded to City Council
  recommending
• 1) That the City of Saskatoon develop a strategy
  and action plan to
• a) Accommodate more immigrants to Saskatoon
• b) Effectively address the difficulties facing
  newcomers to improve retention of immigrants
• c) Effectively address the challenges facing the
  community and
• d) Take full advantage of the many opportunities
  and benefits that increased immigration can
  offer and
• 2) That a qualified person be engaged to consult
  with the various stakeholders and resource
  persons, to produce a more detailed set of
  objectives, a proposed strategy and a community
  based action plan for consideration by City
  Council.
• Recommendation Approved by City Council
• City Council approved that recommendation in
  November 2004.
• City Council requested that the report be sent to
  the Provincial Government
• together with a request for information as to the
  status of immigration.

14
Purpose Focus of Issues Options Paper

• The purpose of the issue paper is to provide the
  basis for the City to produce an Action Plan.
• The Consultants will prepare a report that will
  define and describe the issues in Saskatoon,
  utilizing the issue paper as the foundation for
  developing a broad strategy for action for the
  City that, in the Consultants judgment
• will encourage and promote immigration to
  Saskatoon,
• will improve retention of immigrants who
  initially settle in the community,
• will enable the community to anticipate and deal
  effectively with the challenges and opportunities
  that an increased immigrant population will
  create.
• takes into account provincial and federal
  initiatives in these areas.

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Content of the Issues Options Paper

• Produce a report which provides the city with
  three key elements in producing an action plan
• A Conceptual Framework which highlights key
  elements of the system(s) of immigrant
  attraction, reception, integration, and retention
  in a city-region.
• A Needs Assessment of the needs of the community,
  of newcomers, and of organizations involved in
  receiving and integrating newcomers.
• A list of Issues and Options regarding what is
  needed for developing and implementing an action
  plan, including
• The Processes
• The Partnerships
• The Human and Financial Resources
• The Facilities
• The Models of Best Practices in Other Cities

16
Consultations Process

• The consultants are obliged to ensure that
  adequate input is received from
• Organizations (secular and religious) and
  individuals providing immigrant support,
• Intercultural relations organizations
• existing immigrant communities,
• representatives of Aboriginal communities,
• representatives of Community Associations,
• the business community including the Chamber of
  Commerce,
• the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development
  Authority,
• public sector employers,
• health service providers,
• regulators of trades and professions,
• institutions of primary, secondary and
  post-secondary education,
• representatives of the appropriate Federal,
  Provincial, and municipal departments and
  agencies.
• City Council members

17
Importance of Reconciling Immigration and
Aboriginal Policies and Programs

• In producing the Issues and 0ptions Paper the
  consultants are very mindful of an important
  issue noted in the Lorje Task Force Report
  (Meeting Needs and Making Connectionscommissioned
  by the provincial government in 2003.
• That report emphasized the following it is
  imperative to reconcile immigration and
  Aboriginal policies and programs. More
  specifically it stated that
• Immigration should not detract from
• Funding for Aboriginal programs
• Educational opportunities for Aboriginals
• Labour market participation by Aboriginals