Apprentices and skilled workers will now be able to get access to more job opportunities in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador by improving labour mobility between the provinces.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed between the provinces of British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador as a result of an agreement-in-principle Premier Christy Clark and Premier Paul Davis signed during the 2015 Summer Meeting of Canada’s Premiers.

“Improving labour mobility between provinces is essential to making it easier for skilled workers to secure employment and is a key way to ensuring Canadians have access to well-paying jobs,” said Shirley Bond, B.C.'s Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour. “This memorandum of understanding supports our apprenticeship system and will mean more job opportunities, no disruption in accreditation and allows employers in both British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador to access a wider labour pool.”

Improvements to labour mobility between the two provinces are effective immediately and will be in place until a similar labour mobility arrangement signed by Premiers at the Council of the Federation meetings on July 16 2015 is implemented. Under the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol, by 2016, the training and hours successfully completed by apprentices in one jurisdiction will be recognized by all other jurisdictions across Canada.

“This memorandum of understanding promotes a mobile workforce between our province and British Columbia, which provides our apprentices additional opportunities to gain valuable work experience,” said Clyde Jackman, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Advanced Education and Skills. “This partnership, which is similar to a long-standing arrangement we have with Alberta, supports our provincial Population Growth Strategy, as it allows apprentices to avail of opportunities in other provinces work and gain the experience they need while residing and raising their families in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

Key commitments identified in the MOU include:

For Apprentices:

• Promote and enhance employment and work-based training opportunities and leveraging reciprocal employment transition practices for B.C. and NL Apprentices;
• Ensure B.C. and NL Apprentices, when working in British Columbia or Newfoundland and Labrador, are offered work-based training and employment opportunities equivalent to those in the other province; and
• Record workplace skills and hours of employment completed to ensure B.C. and NL apprentices receive credit towards journeyperson certification.

For Employers:

• Making information available to B.C. employers and NL employers regarding opportunities to employ workers from the other province; and,
• When appropriate, facilitating recruitment for in-demand occupations from the other province.

British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador will share labour market information such as workforce demand projections, initiatives to support sector-based workforce planning and best practices in labour market data analysis. Both provinces remain committed to a long-term partnership to support efforts to make it easier for skilled workers to find work across jurisdictions.