Saskatchewan looking to remove employment barriers for newcomers

Saskatchewan is trying to make it easier for newcomers to the province to work here.

On Tuesday, the provincial government announced new regulations aimed at reducing what it called “administrative credential recognition barriers” that keep newcomers from finding jobs quickly in regulated occupations.

That includes doctors, registered nurses, engineers, lawyers and teachers. With Saskatchewan trying to recruit health-care workers from around the world, the move could make things easier for those people to start working sooner in the province.

The provincial government and the Saskatchewan Health Authority recently went on a recruiting mission to the Philippines. As well, the province has welcomed nearly 3,000 people fleeing Ukraine after the Russian invasion of that country.

“Under these regulations, regulatory bodies will have 50 days to assess an internationally trained applicant’s training, experience and qualifications and indicate if they are qualified to work in Saskatchewan or what specific steps they need to take to become qualified,” Jeremy Harrison, the province’s minister of immigration and career training, said in a media release.

“Additionally, workers certified in other provinces or territories will receive recognition of their certification within 20 days. These will be the fastest processing times in Canada.”

The province also is developing the International Credential Recognition Grant to help newcomers pay the costs of getting their foreign qualification recognized in order to get licences.

“Providing up to $6,000 per application, this program will target internationally trained, health-care workers who already reside in Saskatchewan but have been unable to obtain licensure,” the release said.

More information about the program can be found here.