Saskjobs.ca being wound down, moving to national site

Finding a new job can often necessitate a move, and one of Saskatchewan’s biggest job boards will soon doing a move of its own. Saskjobs.ca is in the process of transitioning to a partnership with the National Job Bank.

The website stopped taking new postings on March 30, and all accounts on Saskjobs.ca will be inaccessible starting May 1.

Minister of Immigration and Careers Training Jeremy Harrison said that this transition has been in the works for some time.

“As a part of the new Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA)… one of the provisions is that if you are to use LMDA funding you have to sign up to National Job Bank,” Harrison said.

“You would find provinces across the country that are migrating their provincial websites to the National Job Bank.”

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Jobs critic Vicki Mowat says she’s heard a number of complaints from both employers and job seekers about the transition. She said that many of these concerns have to do with functionality and localization.

“I’ve heard concerns from employers who say that the National Job Bank is costly and cumbersome they’ve talked specifically to me about the fact you can’t have a free form text to describe what the job looks like,” Mowat said.

“So they’re concerned about being able to find potential applicants that are appropriate for the job that they are advertising.”

Harrison said that he understands employer concern about functionality, as the two websites have different features, but he believes they will get used to it.

“We’re happy to hear submissions and pass that along to the Government of Canada,” Harrison said.

“I think ultimately, we’re going to end up with a better site. A better service, and better functionality for employers and potential employees.”

Harrison said that no jobs are being lost as a result of this transition.