Newfoundland and Labrador are looking to attract and retain new immigrants to address its aging and declining population.

The province may not typically be an immigrant’s first choice when immigrating to Canada. That is reserved for the more popular provinces such as Ontario and B.C.

As a consequence, the province is looking to boost its immigration efforts. Immigration has become a priority among political party campaigns as we approach the provincial election date on February 13.

The Liberal Party in the province is promising that they will welcome triple the number of newcomers in the next five years. The Progressive Conservatives also promised to have high immigration targets.

Immigrants in the province are arguably the best placed to offer ideas to address the immigration problem. CBC’s Here & Now, a television news program based in the province, held an immigration-focused panel.

Those who appeared on the panel suggested that the lack of job opportunities in the province plays a huge role as to why people may be discouraged from immigrating to the Newfoundland and Labrador.

In addition, it was suggested that it is not only up to the province to help newcomers integrate, but it should also be the people’s responsibility. One person said that the province needs a long-term retention plan, and that the province needs to educate students in schools and universities about racism, oppression and cultural sensitivity.

How to immigrate to Newfoundland and Labrador?

If you wish to make Newfoundland and Labrador your new home, you have two main options:

• The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP), and
• The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP).

The NLPNP has categories for skilled workers, international graduates, entrepreneurs and international graduate entrepreneurs.

Skilled workers who have valid Express Entry profiles need to have a full-time job or job offer from an employer in the province, meet the minimum education and work experience requirements, and have enough money to support themselves and their families.

If they do not have a valid Express Entry profile, skilled workers will also need to prove their language proficiency in English or French.

International graduates need to have completed at least half of their studies in Canada and must have graduated from an eligible college or university. They must also have a full-time job offer from an eligible employer, meet language requirements and have enough money to support themselves.

The AIPP is a fast-track program that helps employers in Canada’s Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island) to hire foreign workers. Employers do not need to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under the AIPP.