(file photo/CKOM News Staff)

By CKOM News Staff

Nearly 130 job offers made during Sask. recruitment mission to Philippines

Dec 7, 2022 | 11:33 AM

The Saskatchewan government says its recruiting trip to the Philippines to add health-care workers resulted in nearly 130 job offers being made.

In a media release Wednesday, the government said the Saskatchewan Health Authority offered 128 conditional offers to qualified Filipino registered nurses and one to a continuing care aide.

“Saskatchewan has an innovative plan that demonstrates our serious commitment and sincere intent to the people of the Philippines,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said in a media release.

“To achieve these outstanding results, we took bold steps by going to the Philippines to engage in-person with more than 1,200 interested and available health-care workers. Filipino people travelled from every corner of their country to attend our information sessions.”

The recruiting mission was part of Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources Action Plan, the aim of which is to add 1,000 employees to the province’s health-care workforce.

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In her report Tuesday, Saskatchewan’s auditor said the SHA has to do more to address a shortage of health-care workers in the province.

Tara Clemett said there are expected to be 2,200 staff shortages in hard-to-recruit positions over the next five years, including 840 continuing care assistants, 520 registered nurses and 180 medical lab technicians.

During the trip, the SHA was to interview people interested in moving to Saskatchewan. There also were 10 workshops and information sessions during which possible recruits were to learn about the licensing and regulatory process, immigration process, relocation supports and other information.

The government said the SHA extended 128 conditional offers to registered nurses, some of whom have friends and relatives already living in Saskatchewan.

Members of the delegation also met with education officials to discuss the creation of “more streamlined and efficient training pathways” between Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions and those in the Philippines.

To that end, Saskatchewan Polytechnic has opened a Manila-based office and has signed Memorandum of Understanding agreements with nine Philippine State Universities.