On November 25, Saskatchewan unveiled a new immigration pilot program.

Employers in Saskatchewan will be able to recruit overseas talent for certain in-demand occupations as part of the Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot. Entry-level positions that may require on-the-job training will be eligible for this trial. Health, manufacturing, agriculture, ag-tech, construction, hospitality, and retail are the industries with the largest labor demand in Saskatchewan.

In a press statement, Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said, “The need for labor in our province is great, and it’s only going to get stronger with the substantial economic developments just announced in Saskatchewan.” “This new Hard-To-Fill Skills Pilot, which was developed in Saskatchewan for Saskatchewan, is a step forward in our autonomy talks with the federal government, and it will help firms have more international alternatives for recruiting people.” In addition, as we approach a period of robust growth following the worldwide epidemic, we have made record investments in training and upskilling our provincial workforce.”

Employers and the community will support workers nominated through this Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) stream. The pilot is set to begin in December of 2021.

In a statement, Hospitality Saskatchewan President and CEO Jim Bence said, “This is very excellent news for enterprises in the hospitality industry in Saskatchewan.” “This pilot initiative is aimed to attract talent and is an excellent program for all sectors in the province that are currently experiencing labor shortages.” While we always try to hire locally wherever possible, we need to be innovative to ensure we have the necessary labor supply to assist our businesses and communities grow and develop in Saskatchewan, which is something this very unique initiative will be very helpful with post-COVID.”

Candidates must meet the following criteria in order to be considered:

• Have a full-time, permanent offer of work from a registered Saskatchewan employer, as well as a SINP job approval letter for an approved occupation;

• Meet a minimal level of proficiency in a Canadian official language; and

• Meet the minimal educational and work experience criteria, which include at least one year of experience in the same occupation as the job offer or six months in that position in Saskatchewan.

Currently, the press release does not specify which occupations are eligible, the requisite amount of schooling, or the exact language competency.

The Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot will allow Saskatchewan firms to recruit individuals for chosen positions that have considerable recruitment issues through abroad missions or other international recruitment initiatives. The employment that is qualified for this pilot will allow for the application of low and entry-level positions and may require on-the-job training, but they are necessary for businesses to continue to operate and expand. Health, manufacturing, agriculture, ag-tech, construction, hospitality, and retail are among the industries with the highest labor demand.

Employers must demonstrate that they have made significant efforts to hire domestically before they can utilize the pilot for recruitment. They must also demonstrate the necessity for and benefit to their organization, as well as meet standards for providing workers with settlement assistance. There have been no further details revealed.