Newfoundland and Labrador may be in the midst of its strongest population growth since the 1970s, but a new Statistics Canada report paints a grim picture of the province’s immigration numbers over the past five years.
Newfoundland and Labrador experienced the lowest immigration growth in Atlantic Canada from 2016 to 2021 and received only 0.3% of all immigrants landed in Canada during this period.
Nearly one in four people counted in the 2021 census is or was a landed immigrant in the country, and more than 1.3 million new immigrants settled permanently in Canada between 2016 and 2021. This is the highest number of recent immigrants ever recorded in a Canadian Census.
However, less than 4,000 of these immigrants settled in Newfoundland and Labrador. Meanwhile, the proportion of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada has nearly tripled, from 1.2% to 3.5% since 2006.
The figures reflect a period before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led to a start-up approach to recruiting refugees to settle in the province.
‘Where is Newfoundland?’
This kind of approach would have helped Abdul Manan Mehraban, an Afghan who knew nothing about the province before arriving two months ago.
During his first week in the province, he and his best friend found cooking jobs at a local restaurant chain and are currently staying in a hotel while they try to find accommodation.
Before knowing he was going to Newfoundland and Labrador, Mehraban admits he had never even heard of the province.
“In the past, we didn’t hear about Newfoundland,” Mehraban said. “When our flight arrived, we were confused. Where is Newfoundland?”
Although he doesn’t know where he was headed, Mehraban believes fate brought him to St. John’s rather than a major Canadian city, adding that the people and experience have been “great” so far. here.
“We don’t have an ocean in Afghanistan,” Mehraban said. “It was my one day dream [be] sitting on the beach. So [it’s been] great for us.”
As for why other immigrants may head to other parts of the country, Mehraban noted that many people are not given the option to choose where they end up, but instead are told where they will end up. by resettling.
“Maybe [if] it was my choice, I [would have] I have never stayed here,” Mehraban said. “Because I was thinking Toronto. I was thinking Vancouver. I was thinking Calgary. It is not the [people’s] choice.”
He added that although he had never heard of the province before his arrival, he hopes to stay and grow the local Afghan community.
“We’re not going anywhere”
While newcomers like Mehraban are still settling in their new province, many immigrants have been here for years, making families and putting down roots.
Jerry Joy, originally from India, moved with his wife to St. John’s from Dublin, Ireland in 2011. Today, he owns The Indian Express restaurant.
“My family, my kids, they love this place,” Joy said. “Two of my children [were] born here. They are newbies. So we’re not going anywhere.”
Joy explained that he frequently tells newcomers that they “have to give this place a chance”, adding that once you learn to live with a bit of cold weather, everything else falls into place.
Joy says that despite the low numbers, the province has come a long way in welcoming immigrants over the past decade. Joy said there were a lot of things her family couldn’t get when they arrived in 2011.
“Food is something we always relate to, isn’t it?” Joy said. “We are homesick with food. That’s one main thing, we couldn’t find any ingredients, but now it’s not the same. We can get anything here. I run a business and I source everything locally. St. John’s has come a long way.
As an employer, Joy faced challenges in the job market. The recent influx of immigrants to the province can only help solve this problem.
“As an employer, I am delighted. [We’re] short on manpower,” said Joy. “I personally know at least 35 nurses who have moved to Newfoundland in the last two or three weeks. There is a huge shortage in the nursing sector right now. It will help.
“More diversity, more cultural differences. It will add to the color of the city.”
Immigration minister encouraged by census data
Despite the low rating, Immigration, Population Growth and Skills Minister Gerry Byrne said the report is actually good news and an indication of bigger and better things to come for the province.
While the numbers may have been low compared to other provinces, he said they were still a big increase from previous years in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Statistics Canada’s 2021 census data tells us that the number of immigrants settling in Newfoundland and Labrador has tripled from 2006 to 2021,” Byrne said in a statement to CBC News. “This tripling is good news that confirms what we are all seeing: more and more newcomers are choosing to settle in our province.
Additionally, Byrne highlighted the increase in the number of permanent residents in NL, saying 2021 was a record year for permanent residency nominations, with some 2,050 appointees, marking an increase. 87% compared to 2020.
He explained that 2022 is on track to be another banner year.
On this, Byrne reiterated that there is “a concerted effort” by the provincial government to welcome 5,100 newcomers by 2026.
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