REGINA – Ritu Rajmahat moved to Canada six years ago through the temporary foreign workers program in Alberta. After his term was up, he wanted to stay – so he moved east to Saskatchewan.
“Nepal is a poor country and there are no big opportunities. So here, my children, my life, my future,” said Rajmahat.
There are currently more than 11,000 temporary foreign workers in the province. Work terms last up to four years – just enough time for most newcomers to get accustomed to a new language, and a new lifestyle.
“A lot of them come and tell us that even though it’s so cold, and they don’t like the cold, they like the opportunities, they want to raise their children here, they like the community,” said Neelu Sachdev, executive director of the Regina Immigrant Women Centre.
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The problem is, not everyone can stay.
“Some of them, we hear, are leaving for other opportunities in other parts of the country,” said Sachdev.
And labour unions believe the program isn’t the most effective way to draw people into the province.
“When the temporary foreign workers visa expires after four years, unless they’ve found a path to citizenship through normal immigration channels, they’re simply sent back to their country of origin. We’re concerned that there may be a number who are actually in violation of the law,” said Larry Hubich, president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour.
For those that do want to stay, the province says there are some options.
“Temporary foreign workers program is a federal program that the province doesn’t have control over. However, the province does have the Saskatchewan immigrant nominee program that gives them the option to become permanent residents,” said Kirk Westgard, executive director of immigration services in Saskatchewan.
That’s the program Rajmahat is in now, and hopes to call himself a Canadian by the end of the year.
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