Recent Immigrants and International Students add 168 Million to Provincial Budget Annually

A new economic impact study conducted for the New Brunswick Multicultural Council (NBMC) by David Campbell, President of Jupia Consulting, shows that 6960 recent immigrants and non-permanent residents were added to the workforce between 2011 and 2016.  The report also says these newcomers add approximately 168 million annually to the provincial budget through taxes paid and federal transfers, and have a direct impact on the GDP of 516 million.

“More than 64% of the provincial budget relies on how many people are living and working in the province, so it’s impossible to have a credible plan for the economy that doesn’t include a plan to grow the population”, said Moncef Lakouas, President of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council.  “This report shows that immigration is producing very positive results for our economy, but more investment is needed to ensure newcomers integrate and stay.”

The province currently invests a total of 8.3 million in its Population Growth Division, which leads attraction, integration and retention efforts.  The Council says that number will need to increase given recent boosts in immigration.  “Immigration has increased by 26% from 2017 to 2018, so we will be expecting the provinces investment to increase.”  Says Alex LeBlanc, Executive Director of NBMC.

New data provided by the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on newcomer arrivals in 2018 reveals that an unprecedented 4,610 permanent residents came to the province last year.  While Moncton has ramped up efforts over past years to increase immigration, Fredericton continues to be the top destination in the province.  The breakdown is as follows:

Fredericton – 1,470

Moncton – 1,440

Saint John – 835

Bathurst – 75

Miramichi  – 60

Edmundston – 60

Campbellton – 10

Other New Brunswick – 660

Total = 4610