Landing And Settlement In Canada – Newfoundland And Labrador

General Information on Newfoundland and Labrador

Official provincial immigration website: www.nlimmigration.ca

Official city of Saint John’s website: www.stjohns.ca

Health Care in Newfoundland and Labrador

As a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, you will qualify for the Newfoundland Medical Care Plan (MCP). The MCP is a healthcare insurance plan to cover all basic healthcare necessities for yourself and your family residing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Eligibility is based on your status in the province. Temporary foreign workers, landed immigrants and Canadian citizens are eligible for the plan. Official documents indicating status are required. You must register with the MCP as soon as possible after you arrive. To do so, complete the appropriate application (found at your local clinic, doctors office or hospital, or downloadable here: www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/mcp/travelassistance) and mail or bring it to a MCP office, with all required documents.

Note: You must reside in Newfoundland and Labrador for a minimum of four months each year in order to qualify as a beneficiary of the plan.

For inquiries regarding MCP registration:

St. John’s/Avalon Region, call: 1-866-449-4459

All other areas, including Labrador, call: 1-800-563-1557

By Mail or in Person:

Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Care Plan
P.O. Box 5000
22 High Street
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL, Canada
Neapean, Ontario K1A 0Y9
A2A 2Y4

Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Care Plan
P. O. Box 8700
57 Margaret’s Place
St. John’s, NL, Canada
A1B 4J6

Office hours are between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the summer). You can also contact them by telephone at: (709) 292-4000

Employment in Newfoundland and Labrador

In order to legally work in Newfoundland and Labrador, you must have a Canadian Social Insurance number (SIN). This is an identification number that you are required by law to have in order to work in Canada. Apply for your SIN card as soon as possible after you arrive. Application forms may be given to you upon you arrival at a port of entry in Canada, but if you do not receive one at that time, you can apply at a Service Canada centre near you. For province-specific details on how to obtain your SIN, visit The Service Canada website at: www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/sc/sin or simply call: I-800-O-CANADA (1-800-622-6232)

After you have obtained your SIN number, it is important to have your credentials assessed for Canadian or Newfoundland and Labrador equivalency. This way, Canadian employers will be able to understand your qualifications and experience in comparison to Canadian standards. Contact the Canadian Centre for International Credentials for information on having your credentials assessed: www.cicic.ca

For those who work in a trade, you must obtain Canadian trade certification to practice your trade in Newfoundland and Labrador. Begin by contacting Red Seal, a nation-wide trade certification organization. For complete details, visit: www.red-seal.ca

Trades people and professionals may be required to register with a provincial regulatory organization. You should be able to locate your profession or trade regulatory organization in the phonebook or by doing an online search. For example, dentists should search for Dental organization, Newfoundland and Labrador. The first search result is the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association: www.nlda.net

Language Skills

Proficiency in English and/or French is necessary in order for you to succeed in your new life in Canada. If you need to improve your language skills in either English or French, register for a course as soon as possible. You can obtain information on language courses at the numbers below:

ESL Adult Training Centre/AXIS Career Services
10 Smithville Crescent
St. John’s, NL

Call in advance to set up an appointment:

ESL Adult Training Centre
Tel: (709) 726-6848
Fax: (709) 726-6841
lincschool@nfld.net

AXIS Career Services
Tel: (709) 579-1780
Fax: (709) 579-1894
axis@nfld.net

Your Resume

Before you begin searching for a job in Canada, it is important that your resume is up to date and that you have carefully ensured that it is free of spelling and grammatical errors. Many immigrant-serving organizations offer resume writing and cover letter services to help you with this. Call an immigrant serving organization from the directory below to learn where these services are offered in your community.

Searching for a Job

There are multiple popular online search engines for browsing job postings and finding work in Canada. The most popular include Craigslist, Monster, and the Government of Canada’s Job Bank. However, searching local newspaper ads, joining online social networks, and researching local companies are also good options.

Note: Finding work can take time, so be prepared to support yourself financially while you are looking for employment!

Tip: Having trouble finding work? Gain Canadian work experience by volunteering! Volunteering is a great way to get involved in your new community, meet new people and gain work experience from Canadian organizations and help you obtain Canadian references for future Canadian employers. Volunteering opportunities are available through most community centers or in your local newspaper and can range from planting trees, to administrative work in schools, hospitals and offices.

Finances in Newfoundland and Labrador

For general information on banking and financial matters in Newfoundland and Labrador and the rest of Canada, visit the Canadian Bankers Association website at: www.cba.ca

Important to know: Canadian Money is made of cents and dollars. There are 100 cents in 1 Canadian dollar. Currency is found in denominations of coins and bills, or paper currency. Divisions are as below:

• Coins of 1 cent ($0.01) called the “penny” – Note: the penny is no longer used in commercial transactions
• Coins of 5 cents ($0.05) called the “nickel”
• Coins of 10 cents ($0.10) called the “dime”
• Coins of 25 cents ($0.25) called the “quarter”
• Coins of 1 dollar ($1.00) called the “loonie” for the Canadian loon featured on the coin
• Coins of two dollars ($2.00) called the “twoonie” as it is the equivalent of two loonies, and,
• Bills of five dollars ($5.00), ten dollars ($10.00), twenty dollars ($20.00), fifty dollars ($50.00) and one hundred dollars ($100.00).

To find out what your home currency is worth against Canadian currency, talk to a representative from your local bank, or visit a popular currency exchange website like this one: www.xe.com

The most often-used methods of making transactions are cash currency, chaques, debit banking cards, and credit cards.

Note: If you have children 18 years of age or younger, you may be eligible to receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit. For information, visit the website for the Canadian Revenue Agency at www.cra.gc.ca, or call toll-free 1-800-959-2221.