January 16, 2025

Registered Nurses’ Union Raises Concerns Over Immigration Reduction Impact on Healthcare Recruitment Strategy

Today’s announcement of a drastic reduction in immigration numbers raises serious concerns about the provincial government’s healthcare professional recruitment strategy. International recruitment has been a cornerstone of the government’s approach to addressing the ongoing healthcare crisis. This reduction puts that strategy in jeopardy, leaving many unanswered questions about how the government plans to address healthcare staffing challenges moving forward.

“We are already witnessing a significant exodus of healthcare professionals. What is the government’s plan to address the challenges posed by changes to the federal government’s immigration allocation for Newfoundland and Labrador?” said Yvette Coffey, President of the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador. “We urge the provincial government to share its plan with Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, as transparency is vital to restoring confidence in their approach to this crisis.”

The Union is also reminding the government and the public that it has consistently provided solutions to address these issues. “Our solutions have been clear and achievable, and they will go a long way toward improving retention and stabilizing the healthcare system,” Coffey added.

Without a solid plan from the provincial government to adjust to this new reality for recruitment, the need to keep the healthcare professionals we already have becomes even more urgent. A comprehensive retention strategy is essential to stabilizing the system and ensuring quality public healthcare for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) represents over 5,800 registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in acute care, long-term care, community, education, and research. The Union advocates for its members and the public healthcare system to improve access, quality, and sustainability of care in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For further information, please contact:

Jonathan Hamel

Director of Communications

Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador

Phone: (709) 691-6890

Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca