The 2 main objectives of the new A-LMO Initiative are:

• improving the integrity of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and labour market outcomes;
• responding to the employers' need for more efficient and timely LMO processing.

• have been issued at least 1 positive LMO in the previous 2 years;
• have a clean record of compliance with the Program within the last 2 years;
• not have been the subject of an investigation, infraction or a serious complaint; and
• not have any unresolved violations or contraventions under provincial laws governing employment and recruitment.

• the genuineness of the job offer;
• the wage offered to the temporary foreign worker;
• whether the job offer is likely to fill a labour shortage.

HRSDC Launches Accelerated Labour Market Opinion Program

Initiative will process applications for managerial and skilled occupations

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN – Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has announced the launch of the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion (LMO) program.

The program, which will begin later this week, will allow the HRSDC to process LMO applications within 10 days from the date of submission for eligible employers who are seeking workers for managerial and high-skilled positions.

“We are thrilled to launch this Accelerated LMO program, which will allow us to process applications quickly for potential high-skilled workers who are seeking occupations in Canada,” said Adrian Schulz, spokesperson for Actyl Group. “By working with us now, you can be one of the first to use this unique, innovative process.”

The Accelerated LMO program comes just in time for the summer season, when many employers will be seeking individuals to fill key roles in their organizations. Actyl Group has many resumes for construction workers in its system, including for plumbers, electricians and carpenters who are based in Ireland.

“Despite the economic downturn, provincial and federal governments in Canada have recognized that there is a labour shortage in the western part of the country,” said Schulz. “We are providing a solution for those companies who have a significant need for skilled, talented workers.”

Actyl Recruiting provides international recruiting services by utilizing the Foreign Worker Program. The firm, along with its international country partners, is able to recruit well-educated, experienced candidates for Canadian firms. To learn more, please call Linda West at 306-501-8484

with SP Files

OTTAWA — The average weekly wage of Saskatchewan workers rose 3.3 per cent on a year-over-year basis, Statistics Canada reported.

Saskatchewan’s average weekly earnings for December 2011 were $893.21, second highest in Western Canada behind Alberta ($1,064.80) and above the national average of $888.26. This was the third highest increase among the provinces and above the national average of 2.4 per cent.

“Saskatchewan workers continue to benefit from our growing economy with competitive wages and a multitude of job opportunities,” Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris said. “With more than 10,000 jobs listed today on www.saskjobs.ca, opportunities are available in every corner of the province.”

Saskatchewan’s real wage rate (adjusted for inflation) increased by 0.8 per cent, compared to a national increase of 0.1 per cent, compared to December of last year.

The average weekly wage rose in all 10 provinces, led by Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and Saskatchewan, with Nova Scotia posting the smallest gains.

“The 2.4 per cent increase in average weekly earnings during the 12 months to December reflects a number of factors, such as wage growth and changes in the composition of employment by industry, occupation and level of job experience,”the report said.

That year-over-year growth exceeded the national average in retail trade (up 4.6 per cent to $527.61), educational services (up four per cent to $961.08), construction (a gain of 3.3 per cent to $1,122.96) and manufacturing (up 2.5 per cent to $1,000.55)

Average weekly earnings in the health care and social assistance sector fell for the third consecutive month in December, dropping 1.9 per cent year-over-year to $788.68, “largely driven by earnings declines in hospitals,” the agency said.

A slight decline in hours worked tempered the wage gains on both a month-over-month and year-over-year basis, with an average 32.8 hours worked per week in December, down from 32.9 in November and from 33.0 hours in December 2010.

Meanwhile, the number of people on non-farm payrolls increased by 3,000 in December, Statistics Canada said, with “modest” gains in 11 sectors, led by transportation and warehousing.

Year-over-year, payroll numbers rose by 206,200.

“Overall, the reports suggests that Canada’s jobs market, while growing, is moving forward at a tame pace, with underlying wage-inflationary pressures muted,” said CIBC World Markets economist Emanuella Enenajor.

December average weekly earnings Dec. 2010 Nov. 2011 Dec. 2011 % change m/m % change y/y

Newfoundland and Labrador $857.33 $893.02 $907.26 1.6 5.8

Prince Edward Island $725.66 $739.67 $733.46 -0.8 1.1

Nova Scotia $779.60 $780.72 $783.17 0.3 0.5

New Brunswick $775.86 $801.11 $799.05 -0.3 3.0

Quebec $804.75 $813.20 $827.95 1.8 2.9

Ontario $895.41 $896.48 $901.96 0.6 0.7

Manitoba $803.42 $811.79 $814.38 0.3 1.4

Saskatchewan $864.77 $897.69 $893.21 -0.5 3.3

Alberta $1,012.32 $1,047.64 $1,064.80 1.6 5.2

British Columbia $831.16 $851.46 $855.00 0.4 2.9

Source: Statistics Canada

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Average+Sask+wages+second+highest+Western+Canada/6200623/story.html#ixzz1naYX5fdV

The think tank's most recent provincial outlook predicts the demographic and economic clout of Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. will continue to grow.

It says those provinces are a magnet for new Canadians, lured west by job prospects in the resources industries, as indicated in the recent Census data.

The Conference Board suggests strong commodity prices will continue to boost the Western economies over the next two years.

It projects that economic growth in those provinces will be a full percentage point stronger than in the rest of the country this year and next.

The Canadian economy is forecast to post real gross domestic product growth of 2.1 per cent in 2012.

The Canadian Press

Hiring skilled and experienced employees and specialty trades is the key to the success of any construction project. A possible shortage of skilled trades is one of the primary issues facing industry and many sectors of the economy and one of the most essential sectors is the residential construction industry.

This labour supply dynamic represents an opportunity for those looking for a rewarding career and an improvement in quality of life, and an opportunity also for communities to sustain the momentum and benefits of growth.

The threat of a shortage of skilled workers in the residential construction industry creates a barrier to investment and growth for many other industries, and as a result would constrain the growth of both the local economy and the Province.

The residential construction industry contributes billions of dollars annually to Saskatchewan's economy while providing nearly 40,000 direct and indirect jobs through building and renovating over 14,000 homes per year.

Through the work of industries collaborating directly with employers to ensure training and education opportunities meet the specific labour market needs of the residential construction industry, employers are making sure that these many opportunities in the economy do not pass us by. The housing industry is challenged by the high demand for homes in all com-munities across Saskatchewan, a result of significant population increases over the last five years. Our province has not experienced population growth and housing demand at the current rate for over 30 years and builders and developers are challenged but succeeding in the quest to find employees to help in-crease construction capacity.

Not only do we compete with other industry sectors here in Saskatchewan; there are strong economies in the other western provinces facing similar retirement is-sues and a strong demand for skilled trades. For us in Saskatchewan, merely offering lateral moves and 'poaching' employees from other con-tractors or industries in the province is actually counter-productive. The resulting gain for the economy is nil. There is a real advantage for Saskatchewan business and the economy generally in leading a multi-faceted labour market development strategy.

The government, our premier, and the Ministry of Advanced Education Employment and Immigration have acted as much as government can and should to create a positive environment and climate which should encourage people to consider the high quality of life and opportunity in this great province. Is there more to do? Maybe, and certainly seeing Immigrant Nominee programs tailored to high demand sectors and regions is being considered and pursued. Undoubtedly, we could also find other deficiencies in various systems. How-ever, immigration or inter-provincial migration has its best success when businesses, with the most at stake, step up and take a proactive and competitive posture regarding the recruitment of new workers for industry and Saskatchewan.

Yes, there is no silver bullet and yes, there are challenges on the horizon and a multitude of solutions to ensure that we cash in on the real opportunities in this great period of growth. Ironically, most of us have known the story of demography, and the resultant issues and impacts on labour, health care, and the economy for decades now. They are compounding in Saskatchewan lately as we rise up to our own potential and become the strong self-sustaining economy we always felt we should be. The promise of Saskatchewan won't be realized from talking or dreaming. By planning for growth, encouraging investment and fostering leadership we will build a sound foundation and achieve the lasting results in job growth and economic development. If we do nothing, nothing happens. Government creates and is creating the environment for growth. Businesses need to take ad-vantage of the opportunity and create the jobs, recruit the workforce from abroad and grow this great province. The numbers from analyzing key economic indicators certainly tell us that many businesses are reaching across the globe to build this strong workforce and bring more families to Saskatchewan.

We are building a legacy for generations, for Saskatchewan, and for Canada, but many industries, in the home building industry or any business if we do nothing and nothing happens. If we truly believe in the future for Saskatchewan we must all consider our role in building a new workforce with open doors worldwide to the 'New Saskatchewan.' We must spread our reach beyond our borders and continue to welcome people from around the world. We must continue to focus on 'up skilling' and careers for life in all sectors of our economy.

We must see the goal of a province for many people, sharing in abundant richness and meeting the needs of the world and we must be deliberate in bringing people here from across the globe to build and maintain the momentum that has this city and province leading Canada as a dominant player on the world stage in the early stages of the 21st century and for generations to come.

We're growing because the path is clearer, business is creating new jobs, building more opportunities and building a stronger Saskatchewan.

By Alan Thomarat, The StarPhoenix February 18, 2012

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/meet+talent+challenge+Saskatchewan/6173033/story.html#ixzz1mlkbeMlN

Many advisers suggest investors supplement their US investments with stocks and bonds from fast-growing nations like China and Brazil. Growth prospects are grim in Europe, but there may be bargains to be found in the continent's depressed markets. But it can be easy to overlook opportunities much closer to home. Think Canada. The Canadian stock market has long been one of the world's top performers. The lone US mutual fund specializing in Canadian stocks, Fidelity Canada, has earned its investors an average annualized return of 12.2 percent over the last 10 years. By comparison, funds tracking the Standard & Poor's 500 index averaged about 3 percent a year. Fidelity Canada's five-year record ranks first among more than 100 of its foreign large growth fund peers, according to Morningstar.

Bond investors may also be missing out on an opportunity to the north. Although, 10-year government bonds in Canada and 10-year Treasury notes in the United States both offer yields of around 1.9 percent, the risks to achieve that return are arguably much smaller with Canada's bonds Canadian leaders have proved more fiscally
adept than their counterparts in Washington, where partisan dysfunction has left the US
government owing roughly as much as the nation's economy produces in a year. In contrast, Canada owes less than half the value Canada is very much in a sweet spot now.
Elaine Stokes comanager of Loomis
Say les Bond
BXsiness
Get full access to the new BostonGlobe.com; just 99„ for your first 4 weeks.of its economic output.
Canada¶s fiscal strength and political stability are key reasons why one top US
multisector bond fund holds about 9 percent of its portfolio in Canadian government
bonds, while avoiding US Treasurys.
“Canada is very much in a sweet spot now," says Elaine Stokes, a comanager of Loomis
Sayles Bond, which Morningstar currently gives a gold-medal rating.
Stokes views the US Treasury market as “scarier¶¶ than Canada¶s government debt
market. She cites Treasury market volatility, in part because of steps the Federal
Reserve has taken to prop up the economy, and uncertainty over the Fed¶s next moves.
Then there was last summer¶s downgrade by Standard & Poor¶s, which cut the US
government¶s credit rating to AA+ from the top rating, AAA.
Stokes sees plenty of other reasons to like Canada:
 The economic recovery from the recession has been more rapid in Canada than in the
United States.
 Canada¶s outlook is improving because the US recovery is gaining momentum. The
nations¶ fortunes are strongly linked because Canada is the largest trade partner of the
United States. It sends more than 70 percent of its exports across its southern border.
 She likes the long-term outlook for energy and materials producers, which make up
about half the market value of Canada¶s major stock index.
Despite those selling points, mutual fund investors have relatively few options to invest
in Canada. Besides the Fidelity Canada mutual fund, five exchange-traded funds track
segments of Canada¶s stock market. A sixth ETF, recently launched by PIMCO, invests
in Canadian bonds. The biggest is iShares MSCI Canada index, with $4.6 billion in assets.
There¶s plenty of emerging competition, however. Five of the Canadian ETFs have been
launched within the past two years.
Here are some considerations for US investors:
 Think small: Canada¶s stock market represents about 4 percent of the value of stocks
globally. Investors seeking broad diversification probably shouldn¶t allocate more than
that amount to their portfolio.‹ 2012 THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY
 Avoid overdoing it on commodities: Canada¶s economy is very dependent on
commodities, so its stocks closely track those of commodities producers globally,
Morningstar analyst Samuel Lee says. An investor who already has substantial
investments in companies that produce energy and raw materials should probably avoid
a Canada-focused fund.
 Buckle up: Expect volatility north of the border. That¶s because Canada¶s many
commodities stocks typically rise faster and fall harder than other stocks.
 Don¶t get overexposed to North America: Because economic links between Canada and
the United States are strong, stock markets in the two countries often work in sync.
Loomis Sayles¶ Stokes also cautions that Canada is vulnerable to risks from the
European debt crisis. But she still likes Canada¶s solid fiscal health, and strong prospects
for its energy and materials producers to profit from long-term global economic growth.
“We understand there will be volatility,¶¶ she says. “But if you take a long-term view, it¶s
hard to not make a case for a country like Canada.¶¶

By Mark Jewell | A S S O C IA T ED PRES S JA NU A RY 1 5 , 2 0 1 2

The Conference Board of Canada's annual metropolitan outlook of 27 cities also sees a deepening economic divide between the West and the rest. Growth in factory-heavy central Canada will be tepid and St. John's, which had led the country's growth in the prior two years, will tumble to the bottom of its economic growth ranking.

For this year, Saskatoon will tally the strongest expansion, pegged at 4 per cent. The country as a whole is seen growing a modest 2.4 per cent in the year.

Despite global economic turmoil, “high prices for agricultural products, minerals and oil are likely to continue,” said Mario Lefebvre, director of the board’s centre for municipal studies. “Canada’s prairie cities will reap the benefits of this global demand for commodities.”

Saskatoon’s growth this year, underpinned by a resource boom in the province, is actually a slowdown from an estimated 4.6-per-cent expansion last year. Still, the city’s jobless rate of 5.4 per cent is well below the national average, and the jobs boom has meant international migration to Saskatchewan in the third quarter of 2011 hit its highest level since 1971.

Calgary, meantime, is seen expanding 3.6 per cent this year. In 2013, the city is forecast to lead all Canadian cities with growth of 4.9 per cent.

In Edmonton, job growth of nearly 40,000 new positions last year alone is seen supporting domestic demand. A strong energy sector will drive growth of 3.4 per cent this year. Regina’s growth is pegged at 2.9 per cent.

It’s a different story elsewhere. “The outlook is not as promising for cities in central and eastern Canada,” Mr. Lefebvre said. “The uncertain global economy, a continued slow recovery in the manufacturing sector and the windup of fiscal stimulus introduced by governments in recent years will hamper overall economic growth.”

TAVIA GRANTGlobe and Mail BlogPosted on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:32AM EST

By Carol Todoruk, For L-P Specialty Products December 31, 2011  

It wouldn't be the first time Hollywood got it backwards. The fact is, these days in Saskatchewan, it's our growing population that's building homes of dreams across the province.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reports that new home construction in Regina, and Saskatchewan is, in total, on the rise.

In Regina, CMHC said there were 879 single detached new construction starts in the first 11 months of the year-a whopping 35 per cent increase from the same period last year. Multi-family unit construction also increased, with 651 new starts between January and November this year-a 17 per cent increase over the same months in 2010.

What's even more significant, according to Michael Fabiyi, the senior market analyst for CMHC in Saskatchewan, is that the multifamily starts are the highest they've been since 1983, and the 879 single detached starts is the second highest level since 1987. "This is very significant," Fabiyi said. "The Regina housing market is doing very well compared to other parts of the country, which haven't seen that kind of growth, but have even seen reductions in some areas.

Fabiyi said the strong housing market extends across the province, showing significant growth over the past two and a half years. He credits this to the increase in population that has been lured here by the strong economy, and resultant increase in investment and employment opportunities that the province has seen in the last few years. "It is directly linked back to job growth, in terms of what's happening in the economy here, and from the investment stream into the province- all leading to population growth." he said.

According to a Government of Saskatchewan news release, the province's population hit a new all-time high of 1,057,884 people this past July, growing by more than 5,000 people since April. That includes net inter-provincial migration of 1,239 and net international migration of 2,681.

Many of those coming from other provinces hailed from Alberta. "That's a complete reversal from as recently as 2006, when more than 5,000 people left the province; many of them heading to Alberta to take advantage of the opportunities available there at that time," said Fabiyi. Now, many of them are coming back, and their need for housing is spurring the growth in the market. "What's crucial is the fact that this is all directly related to on-going population gains. What's more impressive is the increase in population is responding to the vibrant economy," he said.

That driving factor can be expected to continue into the future, with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) predicting that Saskatchewan will lead the nation in economic growth until 2013. According to an RBC report, provincial gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to rise by 4.5 per cent in 2011, 4.2 per cent in 2012 and 4.7 per cent in 2013.

And, the RBC report also states that the Saskatchewan housing market will continue to be strong for the next few years. The report predicts we'll see 7,600 new housing units in 2012 and 7,900 in 2013, which would be the highest annual tally since 1979. Fabiyi makes the same prediction, expecting the provincial and city of Regina housing market strength to continue for the next two years, at least. "It's because people are choosing to move here to take advantage of the jobs and economic opportunity," he said.

With all of the housing product available, and with both federal and provincial governments offering tax credits for first-time home buyers (the provincial program will be effective Jan. 1, with details in the spring budget), home dreams can become reality.
Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Homes+building+community/5930901/story.html#ixzz1i86pkL3C