From Taiwan to Hickman's Harbour: These newcomers are hoping to build a life in rural Newfoundland
More than a dozen newcomers will be working at a fish plant in Hickman's Harbour
Less than 12 hours after arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador, Amiel Vincent Navarra says he's nervous — but excited.
"I am happy this is the opportunity for me to come here in Canada," he said in an interview with CBC News in St. John's on Thursday.
Navarra — who worked as an engineer in Taiwan — said he came to Canada to provide for his three young children, in hope they can one day move here too.
Navarra is one of 13 temporary foreign workers, all originally from the Philippines, who have travelled from Taiwan and will be working at a crab processing plant in Hickman's Harbour, a village on Random Island.
Work Global Canada is the international recruitment and immigration agency that connected the workers with Golden Shell Fisheries, the company which operates the plant in Hickman's Harbour.
Wanda Cuff Young, vice-president of Work Global Canada, said temporary foreign workers and immigrants are in high demand in Newfoundland and Labrador. The organization helps with settlement — including housing, cellphones, insurance and opening a bank account.
"And, of course, they're going through a transition because we have a 12-hour time zone difference. So all of these things — there's a bit of acclimatization," she said.
Newfoundland and Labrador's crab fishery is on hold, with harvesters refusing to fish for the price of $2.20 a pound. Cuff Young said she's confident the pause won't ruin the season, and added the organization has contingency plans for the workers.
"The federal government and the provincial governments have phenomenal programs, we have great relationships with them," she said. "We'll come up with a plan to take care of them."
Cuff Young said each case is different but there will be opportunities for workers to remain in Canada after their temporary permit expires.
High demand
The provincial government has turned to other countries, including India and Ireland, to recruit health-care workers like doctors and nurses.
John Reynald Escasinas will be working in the fish plant too but hopes one day to return to his career as a nurse.
"If they will have me, I mean if I will undergo some seminars, training or something like that, I would love to," he said.
Rob Greenwood, director of the Harris Centre, said years of outmigration and a low fertility rate has been seriously detrimental to the province, especially in rural areas.
"After the fisheries moratorium, we lost a lot of people to the mainland — biggest layoff in Canadian history. And it never really has come back in population terms," he said.
The province did experience a population increase last year, which government officials attributed to immigration. Greenwood said that immigration is a positive sign but has been largely confined to more urban areas, like the St. John's region.
He said rural areas can do more to make migrants feel welcome, and that work is already ongoing in some communities.
"Employers need to be talking to local grocery stores, service providers. Municipalities can play a really important role in this," he said.
Michelle Joy Llarena, a former early childhood educator, one of the vocations in high demand in Newfoundland and Labrador, said she'd welcome the chance to return to education, but for now, she'll be working at the fish plant and sending money back to her daughter in Manila.
Llarena said she's heard good things about Canada — but there is one thing she's nervous about.
"Maybe the weather. Because here in Canada it is very cold."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
