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Newfoundland and Labrador: New immigration program for skilled workers

Wed Feb 03, 2021

Newfoundland and Labrador will begin accepting applications for a new program on January 2.

Priority Skills Newfoundland and Labrador is a new immigration program for highly educated and skilled newcomers with specialized expertise in areas where demand has outpaced local training and recruiting, such as ocean science and technology occupations.

The program's agenda was to help address the local labour market shortage. It will be open to newcomers who have at least one year of work experience in highly skilled and high-demand occupations, as well as postgraduates who completed a Master's or Ph.D. at Memorial University in three years.

"Newfoundland and Labrador invest a great deal of time, effort and money to bring newcomers to our shores," said the province's immigration minister, Gerry Byrne, in a release. “Once we attract newcomers, we invest even more in our own Memorial University for education and training. Driven by the premier leadership, our government is now investing to help more highly skilled and highly educated newcomers to stay, right here, and have a full career and raise families in Newfoundland and Labrador. "

How the new program works

Priority Skills Newfoundland and Labrador will function as an Expression of Interest (EOI) system. Interested candidates will complete an EOI and receive an invitation to apply through the province's online portal.

Invited persons will receive a provincial nomination if they meet all the criteria for the Skilled Worker or Skilled Worker Fast Entry categories. This nomination will support a subsequent Canadian permanent residence application to the federal government.

Newfoundland and Labrador is currently accepting EOIs from individuals who have at least one year of qualified work experience in an in-demand occupation. They are also accepting applications from individuals who have completed a Memorial University doctorate or master's degree in the past three years in one of the following four specialties: technology, healthcare, aquaculture, and agriculture.

Applicants will complete a questionnaire to obtain their EOI score. Those who score more than 60 points will be visible to local employers who have accounts with the province's Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism.

You do not need to have a job offer to apply for the province's new Provincial Nominee Program. Applicants must score high on the EOI system and have received interest from local employers.

There are some eligibility criteria that all candidates must follow. Candidates need a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of at least five to be eligible. The results of the language test should be less than 12 months old.

Candidates must also be at least 21 years old and intend to live permanently in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Sources: https://www.cicnews.com/2020/12/newfoundland-and-labrador-to-open-new-immigration-program-for-skilled-workers-1216648.html#gs.rxgqqv