Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador extend immigration agreement
KING'S POINT, NL, Aug. 12, 2021 /CNW/ - Over the past years, the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador have worked together closely to help more newcomers choose, settle and thrive in the province. Central to these efforts is the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Agreement. First signed in 2016, the agreement sets out joint objectives and lays a blueprint for federal-provincial cooperation on immigration.
Building on this success, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, and the Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the extension of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Agreement. This extension will deepen the already close partnership between the federal and provincial governments and ensure that immigration policies respond to the province's needs, support its labour market requirements and help its communities grow and prosper.
This immigration agreement extended today will govern the federal-provincial relationship on immigration until July 31, 2022. It will allow the provincial government to nominate aspiring Canadians who will help grow Newfoundland and Labrador's economy and population, and meet both federal and provincial immigration objectives.
The agreement complements the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which includes the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP). Launched in 2017, the AIP helps employers in Atlantic Canada hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven't been able to fill locally. It has been an incredible success in both attracting and retaining talent. As of May 2021, AIP employers have made over 9,200 job offers in sectors from manufacturing to health care and welcomed over 8,000 newcomers and their families to the region. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada evaluation of the pilot found that over 90% of surveyed AIP newcomers were still living in Atlantic Canada after 1 year.
To date this year, 275 new employees and 300 of their family members were assisted toward permanent residency in Newfoundland and Labrador through the AIP and Provincial Nominee Program. Further, the province has invited almost 400 individuals in the health care sector to apply for permanent residency as part of the Priority Skills NL pathway, and will be extending invitations to professionals in the technology and aquaculture sectors in the coming weeks. This success will lead to the AIP becoming a permanent program in 2022 once the pilot is completed.
Quotes
"In our efforts to build Canada through immigration, Newfoundland and Labrador is an invaluable ally. I want to salute the leadership of my friend Premier Furey, who has put immigration at the heart of the province's economic growth. The extension of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Agreement sets the stage for many more years of fruitful cooperation, as we work together to help more of the world's best and brightest come to Newfoundland and Labrador."
—The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
"Newfoundland and Labrador is welcoming more newcomers than ever before to join us as we build a prosperous future together, and they are critical to our population growth and future prosperity. The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Agreement sets us on a shared course for a more diverse and inclusive Canada."
—The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
"We want more newcomers to choose Newfoundland and Labrador to work and settle in our increasingly welcoming and diverse communities. This extension of the existing Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Agreement allows us time to negotiate a new agreement, one that will accelerate our work with federal partners to achieve this province's ambitious goal for immigration by welcoming 5,100 newcomers annually by 2026."
—The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills
"Newcomers will always be welcomed with open arms to Newfoundland and Labrador, just like my grandfather was. Newcomers make our communities stronger. That's what this agreement will do."
—The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Natural Resources
Quick facts :
- Bilateral framework agreements are put in place with provinces and territories in order to define respective roles and responsibilities with respect to immigration.
- Extending the 2016 agreement ensures that a valid agreement will be in place throughout the entire process of negotiating a new agreement, therefore ensuring that Newfoundland and Labrador is able to continue attracting skilled immigrants to the province without interruption.
Related links:
- Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Agreement
- Atlantic Growth Strategy
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot
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SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Contacts for media only: Alexander Cohen, Minister's Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-954-1064, [email protected]; Media Relations, Communications Branch, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-952-1650, [email protected]
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