Canada's Saskatchewan province needs more Pinoys

The Canadian province of Saskatchewan has renewed its agreement with the Philippine government, a development that is expected to benefit the growing number of Filipino migrants there.

“Our kids are growing up together. I think there's a great promise in that, in terms of a relationship that goes beyond job openings, trade, commerce, or business,” said Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Manila on Monday.

“If you talk to not only Saskatchewan employers, but (the) Saskatchewan community, they would all tell you that our communities are so much better for the immigration of great people from the Philippines,” added Wall, who signed the MOU with Philippine Labor undersecretary Danilo Cruz

The MOU renewed a labor agreement earlier inked by the Philippines and Saskatchewan. The country also has the same MOUs with British Columbia and Manitoba.

Cruz said the implementation of laws formed from this agreement can only be effective if both sides were in synergy.

He said the challenge faced by Filipino workers abroad “cannot be addressed through unilateral means.”

“We highly believe that countries of origin and destination have a shared responsibility to work together in addressing the issues affecting the management of regulation of migrant workers,” he said.

The highlights of the MOU include skills training and matching for working immigrants, increased transparency and equability of Saskatchewan immigration rules, and the protection of labor rights, which gives migrant workers the right to information regarding recruitment policies and how they may be protected.

Under the MOU, projects are set to be enacted to implement and sustain these measures.

Pinoys in Saskatchewan

Wall, during the MOU signing held in Makati City, noted the growing population of Filipinos in Saskatchewan.

“In 2001, there were 92 Filipinos who moved to Saskatchewan to help build our province,” he said. “Ten years later, last year, there were 300.”

He said a full one-third of the Saskatchewan's immigrants were from the Philippines.

Wall went as far as saying that Saskatchewan's growth could be attributed to the influx of Filipinos, which he said only means that future immigrants should be given an effective, ethical entry into the province.

“We have the most comprehensive protection for foreign nationals offered by any Canadian province,” he added.

He mentioned that it was mandatory for immigration consultants and recruiters to have a valid license. A ban on certain fees was also put to prevent unscrupulous middle men from taking advantage of migrants by imposing recruitment fees.

Migrant safety

In an interview, Deputy Administrator Liberty Casco of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administratin (POEA) said the Philippine immigration law already has provisions that disallow the imposition of recruitment/placement fees.

She said local recruitment agencies are liable to the safety of migrant workers because of the license needed from the POEA.

“(If) there are employment violations that they commit against the worker, (or) there are employment violations of the employers that these workers are not able to seek or address in the host country, then we always have the licensed recruitment agency to run after,” said Casco.

POEA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said in June that a complete prohibition on collecting placement fees exists, based on POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 6, Series of 2006. Violators face fines and the possibility of a cancelled license.

The Philippines is the second stop of the Saskatchewan party on its 10-day Asian tour. The mission started in Japan, a country with factories active in the province, and will end in Singapore. — KBK, GMA News