Saskatchewan is touting its new immigration legislation, the Immigration Services Act (ISA), as providing the highest level of program integrity in Canada.
That act came into effect Sept. 1 and replaces the former Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act, introducing tougher fines to ensure compliance with the regulations.
“With these new regulations coming into force, Saskatchewan’s immigration system will have the highest level of program integrity and set a new standard in Canada,” says provincial Immigration Minister Jeremy Harrison.
“The new regulations under the Immigration Services Act will protect newcomers to our province and ensure we are able to attract and retain the labour force needed to grow our economy and support our strong and vibrant communities.”
Fees and penalties under the new legislation repeal and replace the Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Regulations and the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program Application Fee Regulations.
The new legislation lays down:
- administrative penalties which can be as high as $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for corporations who are not in compliance with the act and regulations;
- new eligibility requirements for immigration consultants, recruiters and employers recruiting internationally that will strengthen protections for workers;
- a new code of conduct for registered employers and foreign worker recruiters, and;
- new application fees for a foreign worker recruiter or immigration consultant license: $300 for a new license and $50 for renewal, which is required every two years.
The new requirements, which are part of Saskatchewan’s attempt to combat fraud, include fines up to $750,000 for individuals and $1,250,000 for corporations.
So far, employer groups have given the new immigration legislation two thumbs up.
“We are pleased to see the new regulations under The Immigration Services Act come into effect,” said Susan Ewart, executive director of the Saskatchewan Trucking Association.
“These changes demonstrate a strong commitment to workforce development while protecting the rights of employees,” she said. “The trucking industry in general welcomes these regulations, which will help ensure a fair and supportive environment for all parties involved, allowing us to better meet the growing demand for skilled workers while maintaining the integrity of our industry.”
With the new legislation, Saskatchewan is giving itself the investigative authority and enforcement measures to tackle immigration fraud, including the highest fines for violations in the country.
The province’s newly-created program compliance branch will investigate complaints and work to protect foreign workers in Saskatchewan while keeping information about the complainant confidential.
Canada operates a two-tier immigration system which allows foreign nationals to gain their permanent residency through the federal Express Entry system’s Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program, Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) with all provide other pathways for foreign nationals to gain their permanent residency in New Brunswick.
Saskatchewan Launches Two New Immigration Pathways
In Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) launched two new pathways for foreign nationals to gain their permanent residency earlier this month, one for the agricultural industry and the other for the healthcare sector, under its
“Saskatchewan continues to align its immigration program with current labour market needs, and these new pathways will attract international skilled workers with industry specific experience to fill in-demand jobs in healthcare and agriculture,” said Harrison.
“With labour shortages reported across the country, creating new provincial immigration pathways and streamlining our credential recognition process will help employers in Saskatchewan acquire the workforce needed to grow their businesses.”
The Agriculture Talent pathway was launched to help meet farmers and other employers in the agricultural sector cope with the current labour shortages.
“A skilled and flexible agricultural workforce is essential to our increasing role in global food security as a supplier our markets can rely on which keeps our producers competitive and profitable and keeps our economy strong and growing,” said Agriculture Minister David Marit.
“Labour shortages are a constraint to growth for agricultural producers and by supporting them in filling critical jobs through this new pathway we will strengthen the agricultural sector and enable producers to meet growing demands.”
The Health Talent pathway was launched as an important resource for the healthcare sector to recruit and retain skilled workers. All healthcare recruitment through the SINP will be consolidated and streamlined under this single stream.
“The SINP plays an important role in building a stronger healthcare system,” said Health Minister Everett Hindley.
“Streamlining immigration and credential recognition processes for internationally-trained healthcare workers will help improve our recruitment efforts and enhance access to healthcare services for Saskatchewan residents.”
