The peripheries of immigration: Policies, practices and issues

Teeba AlsafarInternational Metropolis Conference, Ponta Delgada

September 14, 2011

Destination St. John’s, Newfoundland

Destination St. John’s, Newfoundland

• The Setting

• The Policies

• University’s role and programming

• Existing gaps & questions

The Setting

• A need for integration and retention• Economy, demographics of local area require a

skilled workforce such as International students (IS)• Competition for IS: new “Designer immigrants”• In Newfoundland

• 545 people came to NL as Permanent Residents, (CIC, 2007)• 1479 international students at Memorial registered for Fall

2011, (MUN, 2011)

• Universities/colleges play role as bridge to transitioning students into active members of the community

• Immigration Strategy, HRLE, 2007• Strategy created to attract and retain immigrants to Newfoundland and

Labrador

• Indicates that Memorial university as a key partner in immigration

• Multiculturalism policy, HRLE, 2008• Nurturing “Welcoming Communities” to make newcomers feel at ‘home’

and promote integration

• Development of targeted programs to serve diverse cultural groups in areas such as, entrepreneurship, employment, housing, health, education, women’s and youth issues and legal services.

• Government services/policies to International Students• Free Medical Care Plan

• International Graduate Retention Incentive Program

The Policies

Programs Offered at MUN• Pre-arrival

• New Student website with detailed checklist of how to prepare• Subsidized temporary housing • International Student Video project• Peer Mentors

• Post-arrival• Orientation information• Peer Mentors• Airport pick up/ Airport booth• Roommate matching• Weekly integration programming• International Student Career Advisor • On-campus work program includes compulsory workplace support

workshops• International Families Program to support dependents

Gaps..

• Students are leaving• Perception of better employment elsewhere

(Lan & Law, 2009)

• Immigrants are leaving• Employment opportunities and to be with

family or friends (Lan & Law, 2009)

Questions left to be answered• Are their policies and practices more or less suitable for the

specificities of the international students who arrive to Memorial? • Not really ~ more recently Rural integration and programming

• Attempts to get immigrants/students to connect with more rural parts of the province through employment have failed

• How do we take into account the characteristics of migrant groups who settle in these areas, and what are possible adaptations in public and private services while the numbers of these new arrivals remain relatively low?• More research is needed in small centers

• Current focus on developing programming and policies that create welcoming communities and may not address the needs of current population

Contact

International Student Advising, MUN• Email: isa@mun.ca • Web: www.mun.ca/isa

References:• Citizenship & Immigration Canada (2010), Facts and Figures 2009-Immigration overview, Citizenship & Immigration Canada• Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment (2007), Diversity – Opportunity and Growth: An immigration

strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador. Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism, Government of Newfoundland of Labrador. • Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment (2007), Diversity – Opportunity and Growth: An immigration

strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador. Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism, Government of Newfoundland of Labrador. • International student Advising Office (2011), Personal communication. St. John’s• Lan, G. & Law, R. (2009). Attracting and retaining immigrants to Newfoundland and Labrador: voices from Newcomers and

students. St. John’s: Leslie Harris Center of Regional Policy Development.• Statistics Canada (2011), Diversity database, Statistics Canada