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By Katrice R. Jalbuena, Reporter
FILIPINOS seeking job and migration
opportunities in Canada should consider migrating to Saskatchewan
province, now in the midst of a large recruitment drive.
Job opportunities await some 5,000 to 12,000
Filipinos in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the next five
years. The province is now enjoying a booming economy and is
welcoming migrants.
“It is a time of tremendous optimism and
opportunity for Saskatchewan,” said Rob Norris, Saskatchewan
Minister for Immigration, Advanced Education and Employment, who was
recently in the country for a visit.
Norris was in the country recently as head of a
one-week recruitment mission composed of representatives from 11
major businesses based in Saskatchewan.
“We are hoping to sustain this economic
development and growth, not just for growths sake but for the
improvement of the lives of our people,” Norris added.
Saskatchewan is recruiting skilled laborers not
just for short-term work. Through the Provincial Immigrant Nominee
program, it is also looking for persons who would settle, bring or
create family, and integrate themselves permanently into the
Saskatchewan community.
“The fact that we are in the midst of economic
growth, as opposed to some other provinces which are going through a
disruption where people are being laid off, means that in
Saskatchewan, immigrants have a chance at a higher quality of life
with higher paying jobs,” said the minister.
Saskatchewan has become the first province of
Canada to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Department of
Labor and Employment to facilitate the hiring of Filipino workers.
Recruitment will be through Philippine licensed
agencies selected by the Saskatchewan government. The Canadian
employers, mostly from the cities of Regina and Saskatoon, will
interview applicants pre-selected by the licensed recruitment
agencies. No placement fees will be charged from applicants.
Norris also said that his government recently
met with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and other
Philippine government officials to discuss Saskatchewan’s need for
more workers in the coming years.
Situated in western Canada, Saskatchewan is the
fastest growing province in North America, with major industries in
mining, services, agriculture and livestock picking up the slack
from neighboring Canadian federal states.
Large projects coming into the province,
particularly in construction, mining, fertilizer production, natural
resources development and renewable energy industries, have
increased the province’s need for a bigger labor force.
“We are committed to having a high-quality of
life, a dynamic, diverse and cosmopolitan community. It’s not
simply about labor market needs. This is helping to ensure that
Saskatchewan can be more cosmopolitan. We need to catch up, attract
people from other Canadian provinces and around the world,” Norris
said.
At present, he said, there are about 1,000 to
2,000 Filipino families living in Saskatchewan. Every year, the
Canada immigration office approves some 600 nominees whose
applications are processed in less than one year.
Currently, there are at least 9,000 jobs
available for immigrants to the province posted at the website
www.sasjobs.com.
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