New Brunswick announces a new immigration pilot project

Nova Scotia Draw, New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Canada Budget 2023 Proposals transport occupations
  • November 8, 2022

The provincial government of New Brunswick announced a brand new immigration pilot project on November 7, 2022: the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP).

It is a joint initiative between the federal government and the provincial government to fill critical worker shortages in New Brunswick. This pilot offers more than economic immigration to the province; it also offers settlement services (including skills and language training) to newcomers who arrive through the project

In her remarks, Arlene Dunn, the Minister responsible for Immigration and Opportunities New Brunswick, said that participating employers will benefit from filling critical vacancies and that applicants will discover meaningful work in an environment that is welcoming for them.

New Brunswick is concerned with addressing critical labour shortages, as well as retaining newcomers, and recognizing that meaningful work is a key factor; this pilot is a first step towards addressing both. Six employers in New Brunswick will be involved with the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP).

  • Cooke Aquaculture Inc.;
  • Groupe Savoie Inc.;
  • Groupe Westco;
  • Imperial Manufacturing;
  • D. Irving Ltd.; and
  • McCain Foods.

Employers in these categories were chosen because of their impeccable track record with the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), their good immigrant recruitment practices, and their existing settlement programs. In order to participate, these employers must:

  • Ensure robust settlement plans for housing and transportation in order to support the successful transition of candidates to new jobs and communities, and commit to long-term retention of those candidates;
  • Provide comprehensive human resource planning to recruit and hire skilled international talent, and to enhance on-the-job skills;
  • Ensure that candidates receive at least 200 hours of language training;
  • Assist candidates who wish to pursue a Canadian secondary education equivalency by providing guidance and support.

 

To ensure that the five-year pilot program meets immigration needs and achieves the outcomes the province desires, it will be monitored and evaluated regularly.

“ Our collective goal is to make the Saint-Quentin region more livable, and we are committed to supporting the integration of newcomers in rural New Brunswick,” said Alain Bossé, President and Chief Operating Officer of Groupe Savoie Inc.

 

 

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