The Way Forward in Newfoundland: Study and Stay

St. John's Harbour from Signal Hill, taken by Patrick Arsenault

Newfoundland and Labrador has developed The Way Forward on Immigration, a manifesto that will guide its action between 2018 and 2022 to secure: population growth, economic growth, increased diversity, and increased number of highly skilled residents.

One of the province's main strategies highlighted in the report is to focus on attracting international students that are likely to remain in the province upon graduation. It aims to attract and retain some of the brightest and the province is willing to help by:

• Providing the most affordable tuition for international students in North America at a university. An AACSB accredited  Master of Business Administration can be complete for a little over $5,000 and in many other cases, such as graduate programs in engineering, international students will receive enough funding to pay tuition and living expenses.
• Allowing more international students to transfer credits they completed at a college or university in their own country to complete their degree in the province. It started with the Newfoundland-based College of the North Atlantic that maintains a campus in Qatar, but quickly grew to include more partnerships.
• Developing a Study and Stay Program encouraging students to start thinking early about staying in the province when they graduate. This model is based on something that was successfully implemented in Nova Scotia and will include additional support services to a cohort of students that are the best fit for the province. More details on this initiative will be announced in the upcoming months.
• Having one of the least restrictive Provincial Nominee Program for international graduates in Canada, which allows for an accelerated transition to permanent resident status.

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Currently, less than 1% of all immigrants between the ages of 15 and 24 years old live in Newfoundland and Labrador. While this provinces holds great (untapped) potential for skilled immigrants or immigrants that are looking to update their skills, it can be an uncharted territory at times. Employers and organizations may not be familiar with immigration policies and be reluctant to hire foreigners, at first. Hiring a Regulated Immigration Consultant to prepare an immigration memorandum to provide to employers and work with them locally could be a game-changer. 

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