Province focuses on recognizing immigrants’ credentials
It was the second immigration agreement signed with the federal government in less than a month for Advanced Education and Skills Minister Gerry Byrne — this one focused on recognizing foreign credentials of immigrants.
MaryAnn Mihychuk, the federal minister responsible for employment, workforce development and labour, brought $800,000 to the event, which will be used to fund mentorship and internship programs for immigrants, as well as pay for work between the provincial government regulatory bodies to streamline credential recognition.
Mihychuk said attracting immigrants is a national imperative.
“When we have skills that we choose to leave because we’re not able to capture those skills, that’s a loss to Canada,” she said.
Byrne said that as the government works on making credential recognition easier for immigrants, it’s important to note that doesn’t mean relaxing Canadian qualifications standards.
More broadly, he acknowledged there’s a concerted effort to more aggressively court immigrants to come to Newfoundland and Labrador.
The previous government published a population growth strategy just before it was voted out of office, and Byrne said the Liberal administration is using parts of that, but with a different focus.
“If you’re sensing an emphasis on immigration, it’s because, in my opinion so little work had been done on that particular initiative at the political level,” he said.
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