The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, in partnership with the Association for New Canadians, announced more than $11 million for a suite of housing and employment supports to assist Ukrainians to settle and raise families in Newfoundland and Labrador. This announcement, to support the nearly 2,800 Ukrainians in the province, includes additional housing supports and the new Ukraine Job Connect initiative to support employers in hiring Ukrainians and boost the province’s overall employment.

Housing and settlement supports being offered to Ukrainians include:

• Launching an innovative, province-wide homestay hosting program. Approved host families will receive $1,000 monthly for up to five months for hosting Ukrainians;
• Moving expense assistance of $2,000 for Ukrainians leaving temporary accommodations who are moving to leased accommodations in the St. John’s Census Metropolitan area, $4,000 for outside the St. John’s area, and $6,000 for Labrador;
• A $3 million call for proposals for innovative housing projects for Ukrainians, such as:
• Repurposing vacant property;
• Housing repair and maintenance assistance; and
• Co-housing initiatives; and
• Expanding access to conversational English classes and workplace-based English support for Ukrainians.

The Association for New Canadians continues to compile a database of available housing throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Homeowners with vacant properties can register their housing with the Association for New Canadians by contacting ukraine@ancnl.ca or 709-325-0881.

Staff at the Provincial Government’s Regatta Plaza Employment Centre in St. John’s, and the Association for New Canadians, are together offering targeted employment services to Ukrainians. Through the new Ukraine Job Connect, staff are working with Ukrainian newcomers by connecting them to employers looking to fill vacancies. These services are also available at all 19 employment centres throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Ukrainian job seekers can visit the webpage for more information.

Employment supports offered by Ukraine Job Connect include:

• A 42-week wage subsidy (up to $12 per hour for eligible employers); 70 per cent for first 14 weeks, 60 per cent for second 14 weeks; and 80 per cent for third 14 weeks);
• Short-term training to connect to employment (e.g., preparing for work in building sector, retail or restaurants);
• Matching qualified Ukrainians to employers looking to fill vacancies;
• Assistance with credential assessment, language training and immigration; and
• Helping employers with settlement services and cultural competency training.

Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022, about 700 Ukrainians have arrived on four Provincial Government sponsored airlifts and nearly three times that number have arrived by their own means, with more arriving weekly. The Association for New Canadians has helped 1,600 Ukrainians secure permanent housing throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. More than 280 employers throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have hired almost 600 Ukrainians.

Unlike all Federal Government-Assisted Refugees, Ukrainians arriving here are not eligible for a full-year of federal income support and do not have instant permanent residency status. This leaves Ukrainians especially vulnerable and in dire need of both full-time employment and permanent housing.

For information on employment supports and programs available for citizens and permanent residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, please see attached backgrounder.

Quotes
“More than twice the number of Ukrainians we brought here by airlifts are now in permanent housing and nearly the same number are working, but we aren’t stopping there. If we want Ukrainians families to ‘set roots’ and become Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, we must do more to give them access to the same generous supports that we enjoy. Today’s announcement of $11 million in employment and housing supports, delivered in partnership with the Association for New Canadians, is a major step forward to achieving that goal.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills

“The Association for New Canadians is delighted to collaborate with the Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills on these innovative employment and housing initiatives. This generous funding will go a long way in supporting the settlement and employment goals of Ukrainians living in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Megan Morris
Executive Director, Association for New Canadians

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BACKGROUNDER

Employment Supports for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

This announcement is a step towards providing Ukrainian newcomers an equivalent level of employment and skills development supports that are already available to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Budget 2023 provided an investment of $140 million for 15,000 workers and 2,500 employers for recruitment, retention and skills development to meet an ever-evolving demand for labour. This federal funding, provided through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement and Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Development Agreement also assists underrepresented groups, such as women, persons with disabilities, youth and newcomers to secure employment.

• Annual investments include:
• • $2.6 million for over 300 employers to train over 3,600 individuals to get the skills they need;

• • $47 million to assist 3,800 people get training to connect them with employment; and

• • $14 million to connect 1,000 employees to employers through wage subsidies.
• Programs include:
• • Wage subsidies that fund employers to create sustainable long-term or seasonal employment. Funding helps offset salary costs to create new positions;

• • The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Job Grant to help with the cost of training existing or future employees;

• • The Labour Market Partnership Program, which supports employers to develop and implement strategies and activities to deal with labour force adjustments and meeting human resource demands. The program also provides assistance for employed persons who are facing loss of employment;

• • Work-Related Disability Supports to provide persons with disabilities work-related supports to assist with seeking or maintaining employment;

• • Skills Development program for those seeking full-time post-secondary training; and

• • Student Summer Employment program that assists private sector businesses and non-profit groups create summer employment for post-secondary and high-school students.

Job seekers interested in availing of employment and training supports can visit this webpage for more information.

Employers looking to use wage subsidies to hire or grants to train their employees can visit this webpage for more information.