News Release – Young Newcomers Internship Program to be expanded

Ottawa, April 27, 2010 — The Young Newcomers Internship Program (YNIP) will be expanded to other government departments and agencies so that more immigrants can benefit from it, Citizenship Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.

“When newcomers succeed, we all succeed,” said Minister Kenney. “The Young Newcomers Internship Program is an excellent example of how we can help refugees and newcomers overcome one of the key barriers to integration by offering them vital Canadian work experience.”

In YNIP’s first year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offered 12 individuals an initial four-month internship and, where possible, a second four-month internship to maximize their learning opportunity. Twenty interns from countries such as Afghanistan and Ethiopia participated in YNIP’s second year, with placements in Ottawa, Gatineau and other regions across Canada.

“The Immigrant Internship Pilot project (IIPP) is another great example of how we can attract and retain internationally-trained workers and help them contribute to Canada’s long-term economic success,” said Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

At Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 24 interns, newcomers in mid-career, participated in the IIPP. This program offers work placement opportunities to foreign–trained professionals in fields related to their international training to help them gain Canadian work experience and support their integration into the Canadian labour market.

Discussion on the expansion of internship opportunities to other federal departments and agencies is under way.  Included in these talks will be partnerships with the World University Service of Canada and other immigrant-serving agencies, such as LASI World Skills and Hire Immigrants Ottawa.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Alykhan Velshi
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca