As immigration tensions continue to take centre stage in political discussions across Canada, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister and Deputy Premier Jim Reiter says the issue should not be viewed through a partisan lens.
“To me this isn’t about left or right,” Reiter said during a visit to Moose Jaw yesterday. “This is about doing what’s best for the economy and what’s best for Saskatchewan citizens.”
Reiter’s comments (he is also the Minister of Immigration and Career Training, and of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety) come at a time when pressure is building on provinces to address labour shortages without inflaming political divisions around population growth, foreign credentials, and wages.
When asked about the argument that immigration suppresses wages for Canadians or outpaces housing and social infrastructure, Reiter said the current debate should focus squarely on economic pragmatism, not ideology.
“I don’t think anybody in this province — or very few people — would argue, you know, when I mentioned the three areas we're targeting like the skilled trades and healthcare ... and in agriculture, as well,” he said. “Those are absolutely needed.
"We're in a situation, when you talk to business leaders, we try to find that balance. Obviously, we want Saskatchewan residents and citizens to have all kinds of job availability. It's about finding balance ... in certain sectors."
Federal cuts and provincial pushback
Reiter said his office has been in regular contact with Ottawa and is urging the federal government to reconsider sharp reductions in immigration allocations under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program.
“They’ve cut the nominee allocations from 7,200 down to 3,600, and of those, 75 per cent have to come from people already here temporarily. That means only about 900 spots are available for new international immigrants,” he said. “That’s a dramatic drop — and it’s impacting what we can do.”
Reiter emphasized that Saskatchewan’s economy is facing clear labour constraints, particularly in construction and healthcare. With record-low unemployment, business groups have been sounding alarms about workforce shortages.
“The skilled trades, there's a number of those that are in need, especially with some of the huge capital projects going on around the province. Look at the BHP mine for example — that's always the first thing that comes up when we meet with them."
At a recent virtual meeting of provincial and federal immigration ministers, Reiter said Saskatchewan pressed the case for greater provincial say over nominee programs.
“We are partners, not stakeholders,” he said. “The federal government caused problems on the temporary and student visa side. Now they’re trying to fix that by restricting the very programs we rely on to fill needed jobs. It’s the wrong tool for the wrong problem.”
Provincial requests for a two-year work permit extension — aimed at letting temporary residents stay longer while waiting on permanent status — has been granted in Manitoba and Yukon, but not yet in Saskatchewan. Reiter said the province remains hopeful the federal immigration ministry will grant similar flexibility in time for fall meetings.
Training and long-term planning
Reiter acknowledged that immigration alone won’t solve Saskatchewan’s workforce challenges. He said the province is also expanding domestic training in areas like nursing, medicine, and electrical trades.
“It’s about attacking it from all fronts — increasing training and filling gaps with immigration where needed,” he said.
While Reiter did not offer a timeline on possible changes to training capacity in Moose Jaw or other communities, he noted that seat expansions are already underway in multiple health and trades programs.
A message for Moose Jaw
Reiter visited Moose Jaw this week to meet with the Chamber of Commerce and other industry stakeholders. Immigration, workforce development, and federal-provincial coordination were among the dominant topics.
Business owners are saying the same thing over and over again, Reiter reiterated. “Let's be pragmatic and let's do what's best for the economy.”
Reiter also defended his government’s record on fiscal responsibility and service delivery, noting that stable finances allow Saskatchewan to continue targeted investments in healthcare, public safety, and education.
"Politics is politics. People watch Question Period or watch a news conference, and the opposition — everything's always a crisis to them, right? I would just say to people, look at the actual numbers.
"You can always cherry-pick some stats and go well, this is awful or this is great. But when you look at the big picture ... I feel pretty good about where we're at."