Provincial Nominee Program applications available

The Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development would like to advise the public that new applications are now available under the Provincial (Immigrant) Nominee Program.

The Provincial Nominee Program is a federal-provincial agreement that allows the province to nominate immigrants with occupational or entrepreneurial skills that can help further the economic and social development of the province. The federal government retains the final authority for issuing permanent resident visas to these nominees.

Under the term of the agreement, the province will be permitted to nominate up to 400 new applicants and their dependents for settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador. Although the current agreement expires on December 31, 2004, an extension to the agreement is under consideration.

Under the Provincial Nominee Program, there are three categories of eligible immigrants: skilled workers - individuals with a guaranteed offer of employment from a local company or existing workers on a valid work permit where it can be clearly demonstrated that no local person is qualified for the job; entrepreneurs who wish to establish a new business in the province or purchase an existing business with the intention of expanding it; and, immigrants intending to invest and take an active senior role in the operation and management of a local company. Immigrants must have skills or be in businesses that fall within the province�s list of strategic industries, such as information and communications technology, biotechnology, tourism, manufacturing, health care and natural resource based industries, among others.

The Provincial Nominee Program is intended to fill gaps in the marketplace, not to replace Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in the workforce. Employers proposing to hire a provincial nominee applicant have to clearly demonstrate that the job cannot be filled locally.

To obtain an application, please contact the PNP Program Officer (Debbie Sheppard), Department of Innovation Trade and Rural Development, (709) 729-2781, or view the Web site: www.nlpnp.ca

Media contact: Lynn Evans, Communications, (709) 729-4570

2004 08 16 10:35 a.m.