Saskatchewan launches new strategy to expand workforce

The Saskatchewan government has developed a plan to shore up the workforce in the province.

On the first day of the spring session, the government launched The Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy.

According to a release from the government, the strategy “outlines how the province will ensure Saskatchewan people benefit from the jobs our economy is creating, and that Saskatchewan employers have access to the workforce needed to succeed.”

Premier Scott Moe and Jeremy Harrison, the province’s minister of immigration and career training, were at Youngs Equipment in Regina on Monday to kick off the plan.

Moe said the new program shines a light on two very distinct things.

“One is to recognize the growth that has already occurred and the growth that is going to occur in the Saskatchewan economy and what that means with respect to a brighter future for all of us and wherever and whichever community we might live in, but also recognizing what some of the challenges are and how we can find opportunities amidst those challenges,” said Moe.

Moe said that the new program will help bring some relief to some of the understaffed fields in the province.

“We have offered just over 400 job offers to a number of Filipino nurses as well as other health-care professionals in that space, but I think it’s important to recognize as well (that) there’s over 960 folks that have been hired from one of the graduating Saskatchewan post-secondary institutes or one of the Canadian institutes that we have,” he said.

“All told, that’s hiring about seven or eight per cent of our entire nursing workforce just in one year. They are starting to arrive in Saskatchewan communities and limit some of the interruptions that we have seen.”

In recent years, the province has been trying to attract nurses from the Philippines to fill vacancies in the health-care system.

The Statistics Canada labour force review for January showed the province’s unemployment rate was 4.7 per cent — down 5.0 per cent in December — due to the addition of 12,900 new jobs compared to January of 2023.

There are three pillars in the strategy: Preparing Saskatchewan people for jobs; recognizing skills in Saskatchewan; and, international recruitment.

The goal of the first two pillars is to get people trained for current and emerging jobs in the province, and getting post-secondary institutions to offer training opportunities that fit with the needs of businesses in the province.

“This ensures employers have the steady supply of the skilled labour employees they need, while also providing job seekers the opportunity to train for in-demand and available jobs,” the release said.

“The Strategy also includes targeted programing designed to increase Indigenous engagement in the workforce, and increase opportunities for persons with disabilities to find employment.”

The plan also will make sure newcomers to the province can work in the field in which they were trained, primarily by removing red tape to allow for the recognition of the credentials they obtained elsewhere.

As well, there will be a framework for employers to recruit internationally through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program.

According to the government, the strategy is aimed at helping sectors that are growing, including energy, mining and minerals, manufacturing, agriculture and technology.

“The Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada are proud to support the Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy, sharing a common mission to cultivate, advocate, and collaborate for the growth of the agricultural manufacturing industry in Canada,” AMC president Donna Boyd said in the release.

“Recognizing the pivotal role of a robust labour force in fostering healthy economies and communities, our strategic investments and Careers in Ag initiative mirror the province’s commitment to aligning the workforce with industry needs.

“AMC echoes the strategy’s inclusive approach, supporting initiatives to increase Indigenous engagement and enhance opportunities for persons with disabilities. We stand united in reducing barriers and fostering an environment where newcomers to the agricultural manufacturing sector can contribute their skills, enriching our industry.”

More information about the plan can be found below.