Saskatoon— Refugee claims in Saskatchewan have surged by 98 per cent over the past year, according to new Statistics Canada data, as federal and provincial immigration cuts sharply reduce permanent residency opportunities and leave many temporary residents with no clear path to stay in Canada.
Between April and June 2024, Saskatchewan recorded 683 refugee claims. A year later, that number had soared to 1,344. Immigration lawyer Chris Veeman of Saskatoon says the increase reflects desperation among temporary residents — including international students and skilled workers — who have exhausted all other options.
“This is a person that’s been a student, so they don’t have work experience, but it’s kind of the only option now for her,” said Veeman, noting that most claimants are simply seeking time to work legally and support families back home. “If someone files a claim today, they probably won’t get a hearing for about a year and a half,” he said.
Across Canada, asylum claims have risen 32 per cent year-over-year, reaching nearly 480,000. Other provinces are also seeing sharp jumps — Manitoba up 87 per cent, Alberta up 57 per cent, and B.C. up 53 per cent.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan has suffered the steepest decline in new permanent residents among all provinces, tied with Prince Edward Island. Between April and June 2025, the province admitted just 3,467 new permanent residents, down from 7,414 during the same period last year — a 53 per cent drop.
Nationwide, arrivals fell 23 per cent, from 134,172 to 103,507. Ottawa’s recent immigration plan promises Saskatchewan about 1,000 more provincial nominee spots for 2026, but experts say the increase — from roughly 5,000 to 6,000 — will barely make a dent in the growing backlog.
“It’s wreaking havoc with people’s lives,” said Veeman. “Families have sold their homes to send loved ones here for education and the hope of permanent residency.”
That hope is fading for many, including Subbiah S., a software developer who moved to Saskatoon with his family in 2023. After completing two years of Canadian work experience, Subbiah expected to qualify for permanent residency under the Canadian Experience Class, but new federal rules raised the eligibility threshold.
“I bought a house, thinking I was close to getting my PR,” he said. “Then this bomb dropped. It hit me so hard.”
Statistics Canada data also shows Saskatchewan’s non-permanent resident population — including students and temporary foreign workers — has started to shrink. The province saw a net loss of 803 temporary residents this spring, compared to a gain of over 2,000 a year earlier.
Analyst Stacey Hallman of Statistics Canada’s Centre for Demography said the data reflects how quickly policy shifts are reshaping migration patterns. “In Saskatchewan, the largest drop we see is in the number of permanent residents,” she said.
Saskatchewan’s retention challenge adds another layer to the problem. The province posted a net loss of 1,022 people to Alberta, B.C., and Ontario earlier this year.
Deputy immigration minister Drew Wilby said the province is working to improve retention by connecting newcomers to communities and the job market. “We’re trying to make sure they want to stay, build families, and continue contributing to Saskatchewan,” he said.
But for many newcomers, the uncertainty has become unbearable. Subbiah is now considering moving to Alberta, where his employer is based and the provincial nominee program offers slightly better odds.
“We just want stability,” he said. “If nothing works out, we’ll have to look for other opportunities elsewhere.”