Harrison heading to Philippines and Singapore to recruit, improve trade ties

Saskatchewan is on a mission to recruit workers in the Philippines and strengthen trade ties in Singapore.

Jeremy Harrison, who serves as the province’s minister for trade and export development and also has the immigration and career training portfolio, is expected to depart Friday and return the following week.

He’s to be joined by a delegation of 26 Saskatchewan employers, from sectors including manufacturing, value-added agriculture and construction.

According to the government, the trip to Manila, Philippines, will support efforts to recruit up to 400 people to fill “critical vacancies,” and will build on the health-care recruitment efforts of two previous trips to the country.

“The huge contributions of the Filipino-Canadian population in Saskatchewan play an important role in growing our economy, and building strong, dynamic communities,” Harrison said in a statement.

“With more than 36,000 Filipino-Canadians choosing to make Saskatchewan home, this is an excellent opportunity to attract skilled workers to the province – many of whom have friends or family living and working in Saskatchewan.”

The government noted it will work directly with candidates to help them navigate immigration and make arrangements to be settled prior to their arrival “to ensure a seamless transition to the province.”

Karen Gallais, a human resources team leader with Bourgault Industries, said her company has recruited 90 people from the Philippines since 2012.

“These individuals joined our manufacturing team and have demonstrated a strong work ethic and a willingness to make our community their home,” Gallais said in a statement. “Many of their spouses are also now employees of Bourgault.”

The trip will also include a stop in Singapore – where Saskatchewan maintains a trade office – in order to strengthen the province’s trade and investment ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“As Canada’s premier exporter to the region, Saskatchewan achieved a record $2.9 billion in exports in 2022, marking a 119 per cent increase since 2018,” the government explained.

“Key exports include $2.4 billion in potash, $431.5 million in non-durum wheat, $44.7 million in semi-chemical wood pulp, and $33.2 million in peas.”

The provincial government’s international travel has come under criticism recently, primarily over a trip to the United Nations’ climate-change conference in Dubai. That trip cost the government more than a million dollars, including $238,000 to advertise Saskatchewan’s pavilion at the event.