Labour minister says immigration essential to Sask.

Saskatchewan is serious about attracting and retaining more immigrants, according to the provincial cabinet minister responsible for immigration.
"Immigration is absolutely essential for us to invest in growth and sustain our communities," Labour and Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris told a Moose Jaw conference on newcomer settlement in smaller centres Tuesday.
"We need more people in Saskatchewan, we need more people with skills training and education and we need a more fair and balanced labour environment."
A new era in Saskatchewan has more jobs than people, said Norris.
"We see immigration as a gateway for the success of our province. We're experiencing record job creation . . . and over the next four to five years, if everything stays the same, we're going to be between 9,000 and 13,000 workers short," Norris said.
That does not account for the fast approaching retirement of many workers.
"(When baby boomer retirements are included) those numbers ramp up exponentially," the minister said.
The provincial government sees lots of room and need to welcome newcomers, not only to increase numbers but to improve capacity for innovation.
"They bring us new perspectives. They see our community in new ways and they help us to see new opportunities (as well as help to build a more cosmopolitan province)."
Economic integration of immigrants can be more rapid in smaller cities and rural areas than in larger cities, said Norris.
Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver attract the overwhelming majority of immigrants in Canada.
But rural immigrants have better incomes, he said.
"(According to a recent Statistics Canada report), the average income of immigrants is 16 per cent higher in small cities than in larger cities. It's 12 per cent higher in rural communities.
"That message needs to get out."
Senior levels of government and various agencies need to do better at recognizing and appreciating immigrant credentials, Norris said.
On average Canada takes 250,000 immigrants per year. Last year Saskatchewan took in under 2,700 - about one per cent.
"That is not acceptable," he said. Saskatchewan had 8,000 new immigrants arrive in the last census period compared with 30,000 in Manitoba and 100,000 in Alberta.
Canada Immigration and Citizenship regional director Rob Cullum said new immigrants must feel welcome and they need community assistance learning about the culture and acquiring skills.
If those supports do not exist the immigrants will leave for larger cities with communities of their culture, he said.
The conference workshops include sessions on the immigrant nominee program, immigrant attraction and retention and a small centre support model.

Ron Walter can be reached at 691-1264.