Saskatchewan Population – Citizens vs Immigrants

Are you immigrating to the Saskatchewan province of Canada? You might want to know about the demographics, structure of the population between citizens and immigrants, among other useful information.

Saskatchewan is far more diverse today than it was even five years ago. Although the province has always had a diverse immigrant population, with immigrants from many European countries, there have recently been other large immigrant communities arriving from various parts of the world.

Some as refugees, some as guest workers, and some as international students with their families, thanks to various significant government initiatives and policies.

Not only is the immigrant population becoming more diverse, but the social makeup of the newcomers is also shifting.

This article discusses the history of immigration in Saskatchewan, the current immigrant situation, Saskatchewan population density, growth rate, age, gender, among other others.

Saskatchewan History

Many indigenous peoples of North America have lived in Saskatchewan, including the Lakota Sioux, Blackfeet, Sarcee, Cree, and Atsina.

Henry Kelsey, who came up the Saskatchewan River in 1690 to begin a fur trade with indigenous, was the first European to explore Saskatchewan.

later on, a Hudson’s Bay Company post at Cumberland House, constructed in 1774, was the first European settlement.

Many parts of present-day Saskatchewan and Alberta were transferred to the United States from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

In 1818, it was given to the United Kingdom. Until 1870, when Canada purchased the Hudson Bay Company’s territory and founded the North-West Territories, much of present-day Saskatchewan was part of Rupert’s Land and administered by the Hudson Bay Company.

During the 20th century, many people moved to the prairies on the railway, with the population growing swiftly.

In 1905, Saskatchewan became a province. In 1910, immigration peaked, and farming became the mainstay of the economy.

The Ku Klux Klan arrived from the United States and Ontario in the 1920s and briefly gained popularity in the area.

Saskatchewan Population 2021

Saskatchewan has a population of 1.12 million people. The majority of Saskatchewan’s population is in the southern half of the province, with 258,000 people living in Saskatoon, the largest city.

The province is the seventh-largest province by size and the sixth-largest by population, with a population density of around 2 people per square kilometer (5 people per square mile).

Saskatoon, Canada’s 16th most populous city, is located here. Regina, Saskatchewan’s capital city, is also one of Canada’s top 20 largest cities.

Saskatchewan is one of Canada’s thirteen provinces, located in the south, having a total area of 588,243.54 km2.

According to estimates, the population of Saskatchewan will reach 1,164,658 (about 1.16 million) by the end of 2021.

The calculation is based on a 1.20 percent average annual growth rate for the last ten years since 2011.

The prairie province borders the U.S states North Dakota and Montana to the south, the northwest territories to the north, the province of Alberta to the west, and Manitoba to the east.

Saskatchewan Population Growth Rate

Looking back over the last ten years, Saskatchewan’s population has grown at a steady and strong rate of 1.12 percent to 1.32 percent every year, adding approximately 11,865 to 13,782 individuals to the entire population.

A large number of employees have relocated to Saskatchewan in order to take advantage of job opportunities, which has resulted in population growth.

On the other hand, Saskatchewan is a favorite destination for newcomers. In 2013, Saskatchewan had the fastest population growth (1.32 percent ).

Saskatchewan’s population increased by 64,971 individuals, or 6.31 percent, between 2011 and 2016, which is more than the national average.

The table below explains the population growth rate by year.

Saskatchewan Population Density and Demographics

Saskatchewan’s population density is 1.90 people per kilo square meter.

According to the Canadian census, Saskatchewan is a very varied city, with a large variety of ethnic and cultural groups residing there.

As reported by the 2011 census, the largest ethnic group in Saskatchewan is German (28.6%), followed by English (24.9%), Scottish (18.9%), Canadian (18.8%), Irish (15.5%), Ukrainian (13.5%), French (Fransaskois) (12.2%), First Nations (12.1%), Norwegian (6.9%), and Polish (6.9%). (5.8 percent).

Also, in line with the 2016 census, the most commonly spoken languages in Saskatchewan are English (82.4 percent), French (1.4 percent), Other languages (14.5 percent), and Multiple languages (1.7 percent ).

Saskatchewan Population by Age

According to the 2016 census, the population is 1,098,352, up 64,971 from the 2011 census, which showed a population of 1,033,381.

There are 215,685 people aged 0 to 14, 712,240 people aged 15 to 64, 170,425 people aged 65 and over, and 26,940 people aged 85 and above.

The table below explains the population growth rate by age.

Saskatchewan Population by Gender

In the 2011 Census, 50.5 percent of the population was female and 49.5 percent was male.

While In 2016, females made up 50.3 percent of the Saskatchewan Census population, while males made up 49.7%.

According to statista.com, this graph depicts the population of Saskatchewan, Canada in 2020 by age and gender. In Saskatchewan, there were 102,332 females aged 65 and up in 2020.

Population of Immigrants in Saskatchewan

Positive foreign immigration was eclipsed by inter-provincial movement losses, resulting in a net population decline of 1,588 persons in Saskatchewan in the second quarter of 2021.

In the second quarter of 2021, 5,394 persons relocated to Saskatchewan from other provinces. This was up 23.6 percent from the previous year.

In comparison to a year before, more people arrived in Saskatchewan from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario.

While, in the second quarter, a total of 8,756 persons departed the province for other parts of Canada, up 19.9% over the same time in 2020.

This rise was due to more persons departing for all provinces except Manitoba.

As a result, Saskatchewan’s population decreased by 3,362 persons in the second quarter.

Population of International Students in Saskatchewan

Clearly, Saskatchewan truly provides international students with a world-class education.

The University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic are just a few of the province’s top post-secondary institutions.

Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions are all publicly sponsored, resulting in lower tuition rates and greater diversity on campus.

In 2021, it is estimated that almost 24,000 international students will be studying in Saskatchewan province, on campuses in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, and Regina.

Largest 5 Cities in Saskatchewan by Population

According to 2016 Census data, here are the most populated cities in Saskatchewan.

They are classified as population areas by Canadian Statistics, which means they must have a population of at least 1,000 people and a population density of at least 400 persons per square km2.

Saskatoon

With a population of 253,000, Saskatoon is the largest city in Saskatchewan.

In 2014, Saskatoon’s metropolitan population was expected to be 300,000, with a population density of roughly 1,060 people per square kilometer, or 2,746 people per square mile.

Regina

Regina, Saskatchewan’s provincial capital and second-largest city, with a population of 232,000 people. The city is southern Saskatchewan’s commercial and cultural hub.

Regina is estimated to have a population of 195,000 people, which ranks it 24th in Canada, while the metropolitan region is the country’s 18th largest.

The population density of Regina is around 1,328 people per square kilometer or 3,438 people per square mile.

Prince Albert

On the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, Prince Albert is Saskatchewan’s third-largest city.

It’s the last major center along the path to northern Saskatchewan, and it’s known as the “Gateway to the North.”

The population of Prince Albert is projected to be 36,000 people, with a metro population of 43,000.

Moose Jaw

Moose Jaw is 48 miles west of Regina on the Trans-Canada Highway in south-central Saskatchewan.

With a population of around 34,000 people and a density of 711 persons per square kilometer (1,841 people per square mile), Moose Jaw is recognized as a tourist city and retirement village.

Yorkton

Yorkton is a city in southeastern Saskatchewan, close to Manitoba’s border. The cty is a town of 16,000 people that have hosted the Yorkton Film Festival since 1947.

Swift Current

Swift Current, with a population of 16,000 people, is located in southwestern Saskatchewan, about 110 kilometers west of Moose Jaw.

The table below explains the population of Saskatchewan province by city.

Facts About Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is a landlocked province with significant distances between bodies of water that act as a buffer.

In 1941, the western red lily was chosen as Saskatchewan’s state flower.

In 1988, the white birch was designated as Saskatchewan’s state tree

Saskatchewan is located in western Canada and has a unique shape, as it intersects the longitude and latitude axes, giving it a geometric shape.

With 26,000 km of roadways spanning the length and breadth of the province, Saskatchewan has more roads than any other Canadian province.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, and each recruit does their initial training there before being sent across the country.

Because Saskatchewan is the sunniest place in Canada, with more than 2,000 hours of sunlight each year, spectacular sunshine is nearly guaranteed.

In conclusion, Saskatchewan is one of Canada’s popular provinces. Foreign immigration, no doubt contributed greatly to the size of the population. Saskatchewan has put in place many immigration program initiatives aimed at attracting foreign nationals to its domain.

In recent years, the province has made significant investments in its Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) and immigrant settlement programs, assisting in the development of a robust immigrant community in the province.