Residency In Newfoundland   

u Getting Here

Arrival  You will need to arrange to get your social insurance number and medical health cards. It is a good idea to bring an international driver’s license in order to rent or lease a vehicle without delay.

Moving Expenses Residents coming to the province shall receive a travel allowance of up to $600 for one-way travel. You will need to submit your proof of expenses on Expense Claim Form 1 to the Postgraduate Medical Studies Office. Although $600 is the maximum that can be claimed, it’s important to keep your receipts because it may be deductible on your income tax.

How to get here St. John's International Airport provides numerous daily connections between St. John's and Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary. A year-round ferry service to Newfoundland is provided by Marine Atlantic from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques. Driving time from Port aux Basques to St. John’s via the Trans Canada Highway is approximately nine hours. Marine Atlantic also provides a summer ferry service from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland. Driving time from Argentia to St. John's is approximately 1.5 hours.

Getting Your Driver’s Licence If you plan on driving in Newfoundland and Labrador, you have 90 days to transfer your driver’s license and you are required to register your vehicle within 30 days of entry into the province. To do so, you must visit your local Motor Registration Office and provide your vehicle registration certificate and/or driver’s licence from your previous jurisdiction. If your vehicle was previously registered outside of Canada, you must produce a Canada Customs Clearance. If you hold a valid driver’s licence from outside Canada or the United States you may be required to complete a written, vision and road test. Please visit Motor Registration for further information.

u Working in Newfoundland and Labrador

Physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador Although the number fluctuates, there are about 1,000 physicians licensed to practice at any given time throughout the province. The four health authorities of the province are geographically divided into regions: Eastern, Central, Western and Labrador/Grenfell. Physicians work within a health authority or set up independent practice in a private clinic.

Medicine in Newfoundland and Labrador Canada's national health insurance program, also known as Medicare, ensures all residents have reasonable access to hospital and physician services on a prepaid basis. Each province and territory is responsible for the management, organization and delivery of health services for their residents.

Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Royal College training programs typically use teaching sites under Eastern Health. However, some training sites under other regional health authorities also provide training to capture a unique blend of urban and regional hospitals. For a complete list of hospitals under all four regional health authorities, visit the Provincial Physician Recruitment Office.

u About Newfoundland and Labrador

Why is Newfoundland and Labrador a good place to live? Newfoundland and Labrador is a very safe place to live with one of the lowest crime rates in Canada. You’ll learn that the province is a great place to raise a family with a lifestyle that still holds traditional family and community values. The people of the province are renowned for their humour, music, creativity and above all, their hospitality.

Families will enjoy easy access to a wide range of recreational, educational and social activities. This province is also terrific for adventure enthusiasts with year-round tours, festivals and a multitude of outdoor activities. In the winter you’ll enjoy skiing, ice fishing, skating, snowboarding, ice hockey, snowmobiling, or spend a day snowshoeing through a peaceful wooded trail. The warm summers are ideal for action sports like swimming, sea kayaking, rock climbing, hiking and mountain biking. There are also many organized sports like baseball, beach volleyball and rugby. The province is also home to 19 professional golf courses located throughout the province. Have a look at provincial tourism website and see for yourself why Newfoundland and Labrador is such a wonderful place to live.

Life in St. John’s St. John’s is Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital city. With a population of roughly 100,000 living in and around the metropolitan area, you’ll find all the best amenities that a city has to offer while enjoying a “small town” quality of life.

The city is home to modern medical facilities, quality educational institutions, inexpensive housing, clean air and safe streets. The city also has a bustling nightlife. Downtown St. John’s is home to North America’s oldest streets that are lined with diverse shops and boutiques. At night the place comes alive, especially on George Street, with more pubs and nightclubs per square foot than on any other street in the world.

Natural Beauty Newfoundland and Labrador is located at the most eastern edge of North America. The province is comprised of rugged coastlines, dense forests, towering mountains and vast plains. The natural beauty of this place is largely untouched and unspoiled. The province is home to the oldest European settlement in North America and as such, has a long history with a rich and distinct culture. Historic towns and fishing villages still line the coast where ten-thousand-year-old icebergs, thousands of whales and more than 35 million seabirds can be seen in their natural splendour.

Geography The province is made up of two separate land masses with a population of approximately 505,469. The province is roughly 405,720 square kilometres, more than three times the total area of the Maritime Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island). The island portion of the province has an area of 42,000 square miles and is the world’s 15th largest island. Labrador, the mainland portion of the province adjacent to Quebec, is separated from Newfoundland by the narrow Labrador Strait and is very sparsely populated.