Tim Hortons (Shippagan, NB)

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International students are often seen as the “low-hanging fruit” in terms of attracting and retaining newcomers to New Brunswick. They spend years here, are locally trained and qualified, and are immersed in our language and culture.

But the real key is local work experience, and that’s where the Shippagan Tim Hortons has played a key role. Thanks to them, in the last four years alone the number of international students who have gained this vital check mark on their résumé has grown from 16 in 2016 to 109 this year, and they now make up a whopping 80% of the staff!

This has not only led to a greatly increased retention of students in the region, but the students are increasingly recommending their friends and relatives to enrol in the Shippagan campus of Université de Moncton. This is leading to even more international students, given more local experience, greater local retention, more recommendations to friends…the success has even inspired other employers to take a chance on international students for the first time! The cycle continues and grows, and we have this humble coffee shop to thank!