Yesterday, 31 new Canadians took the Oath of Citizenship in front of family and friends at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).
Since the SINP was introduced in 1998, around seven out of every 10 newcomers have immigrated to the province through the program. Between 2007 and 2017, more than 108,300 newcomers arrived in more than 400 communities across the province. A total of 77,300 of these were SINP nominees and their family members.
“We are pleased to welcome these new citizens to the Canadian and Saskatchewan family, as we also take the time to recognize the role of immigration in creating opportunity and spurring growth in Saskatchewan,” said Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison. “Immigration has helped to enrich our province, bringing in new residents to live, work, raise families and start businesses here.”
Over the past decade, the SINP has contributed to strong outcomes for newcomers and the province, including:
– The highest employment rate for newcomers in Canada. In 2017, the employment rate for new immigrants (less than five years in Canada) aged between 25 to 54, was 76 per cent in Saskatchewan, compared to 70 per cent nationally. The province has also consistently retained more than 80 per cent of its newcomers since 2007.
– Population growth, with nearly 1.2 million people now calling Saskatchewan home – the highest number of residents in the province’s history.
Article published 19th September 2018