Delivering Essential Skills Training Despite Federal Government Cuts

CANADA, March 20 - Released on March 19, 2025

Guided by Building the Workforce for a Growing Economy: the Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy, the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training is investing more than $117.0 million in programs and services to prepare Saskatchewan people to benefit from the high-quality jobs being created by our economy.

“We continue to make training available for Saskatchewan people to prepare for the record number of jobs being created by our growing economy,” Deputy Premier and Immigration and Career Training Minister Jim Reiter said. “While the federal government is cutting funding, our government is continuing to deliver for you by investing in programs that assist individuals to gain the skills and education required for employment.”

Provincial investments continue to be made in the wake of the federal government’s cutting of $17.6 million of Labour Market Transfer Agreement (LMTA) funding and their reduction of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program’s (SINP) nomination allocation by 50 per cent. Due to those reductions, some programs have been impacted. 

The 2025-26 Budget includes funding for workforce development programs that support unemployed and underemployed people, including:

• Support for skills training programs and services for unemployed or underemployed persons. Specific investments include:
  • $24.1 million for adult essential skills training;
  • $22.6 million for credentialled skills training programs delivered through post-secondary institutions (an increase of $716,000 compared to 2024-25);
  • $17.8 million for pre-employment programs and services (a reduction of $5.2 million compared to 2024-25 due to the federal LMTA funding cut); and
  • $10.4 million to support employment for persons with disabilities to make and prepare for transitions into the workforce (an increase of $500,000 compared to 2024-25).

• An increase of $2.0 million to support the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission to add 150 apprentice training seats for skilled trades people, bringing the total investment in apprenticeship training to $24.9 million and increasing the total number of training seats to 5,000.
• An increase of $320,000 for Northern Skills Training, bringing total funding to $1.2 million. This additional funding will support workforce development training in the north and address growing labour demand in the natural resources sector.
• An investment of $3.7 million for training and settlement supports for in-demand health occupations, which will support the province's Health Human Resource Action Plan. Priority investments include:
  • $2.8 million to support training seats for continuing care aides, licensed practical nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and medical sonographers; and
  • $900,000 for credential recognition programming to support workforce development and retention initiatives.

As a result of the federal government’s LMTA funding cut, the Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant will be eliminated.

The Ministry of Immigration and Career Training’s 2025-26 Budget is investing in programs and services in support of the three-point plan outlined in Building the Workforce for a Growing Economy: the Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy. By preparing Saskatchewan people for jobs, recognizing skills in Saskatchewan, and through the use of targeted international recruitment, Saskatchewan employers will have the labour force required to grow our economy.

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