Provincial Government Commemorates World Refugee Day

  • Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

June 20, 2018

The Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, today acknowledges World Refugee Day.

World Refugee Day was established by the United Nations to commemorate the strength, courage, and perseverance of millions of refugees. Currently, over 65.5 million people are forcibly displaced around the world, and over 22.5 million of them are refugees.

World Refugee Day is a time when Newfoundlanders and Labradorians join other Canadians and people from across the globe in expressing solidarity with families forced to flee their homes and countries.

In 2017, 279 refugees resettled to Newfoundland and Labrador, of which 139 were from Syria. Refugees resettled to Canada become permanent residents upon arrival.

The Provincial Government recently provided approximately $125,000 for projects to help integrate former refugees into the workforce, including English as a Second Language training, employment experience for refugee youth, employability and skills development programs, and establishing regional settlement services that support all newcomers, including former refugees.

The Provincial Government has also funded programming to support the private sponsorship of refugees.

These initiatives deliver on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.

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“Newfoundland and Labrador has a proud, centuries-long history of helping those who flee conflict, violence, and persecution to reach safety and build a better future for themselves and their families. We celebrate the accomplishments of former refugees who made this province their home. They are innovative, motivated, highly entrepreneurial newcomers and we are pleased to celebrate their success on this global day of recognition.”
Honourable Al Hawkins
Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

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Learn More

2018 Diversity Calendar – www.aesl.gov.nl.ca/pdf/immigration_calendar_online.pdf 

The Way Forward on Immigration in Newfoundland and Labrador – www.aesl.gov.nl.ca/publications/pdf/ImmigrationPlan.pdf 

Refugee and Immigrant Advisory Council – riac.ca/  

Association for New Canadians – www.ancnl.ca/ 

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @AESL_GovNL 

Media contact
Ryan Crocker
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 725-9595
ryancrocker@gov.nl.ca

2018 06 20 10:10 am