The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, will travel to Halifax, Nova Scotia, this week to attend the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration. The forum will take place on March 9 and 10.

Continuing to build on Newfoundland and Labrador’s historic immigration success in 2022, Minister Byrne will discuss a number of key issues with the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Points for discussion include:

• Canada’s continued support for Ukraine, clarity on how long the one-time federal financial assistance payment will continue for newly arrived Ukrainians, and the Federal Government’s position on the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel visa, which is due to stop accepting applications March 31;
• Installing Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada staff in Newfoundland and Labrador, in line with increased staffing in other provinces;
• Clarity on federally-funded supports for Roxham Road asylum seekers destined for Newfoundland and Labrador;
• Calls to increase funding for Newfoundland and Labrador settlement agencies, such as the Association for New Canadians, who collectively continue to receive the lowest base amount of settlement funding in Canada; and
• Ongoing importance of increased immigration spaces and provincial-federal collaboration given Newfoundland and Labrador’s recent immigration success.

Minister Byrne is available to media in advance of the forum.

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