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New NB Perspectives: Kassim Doumbia on Making the Move to Northern New Brunswick

ONB News

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October 14, 2021

Students from all over the globe are once again settling into New Brunswick communities to pursue their education in our province. We hope these students consider making New Brunswick their permanent home, and that our employers continue to recognize the benefits newcomers bring to their businesses and their communities.

ONB continues to tell the stories of international arrivals thriving in New Brunswick. Perhaps, 2021’s best example of this success is Kassim Doumbia, the new mayor of the Town of Shippagan.

Born in the Ivory Coast and raised in Senegal, Doumbia arrived in New Brunswick in 2000 as an international student at The Université de Moncton before settling in Shippagan with his wife in 2007.

His success highlights how welcoming New Brunswick has become to those from abroad. “It says a lot that constituents have the confidence to choose someone from another country to guide their municipality,” he said in an interview this spring.

ONB recently spoke to Mr. Doumbia about welcoming newcomers to our communities, the value he thinks international arrivals bring to our businesses, and what excites him most about the province (and Shippagan’s) future.

Be sure to check out our interviews with Mohammed Chekkouri of the Université de Moncton’s student recruitment team and ONB Population Growth’s own Nicole Grechi for their perspectives on what employers should know about welcoming international students.

Organizations looking to hire international students in New Brunswick should visit welcomenb.ca.

If your company is interested in learning more about the benefits of hiring international students, contact ONB Client Engagement Specialist Kim Webb at kim.webb@onbcanada.ca.

If you are a student considering New Brunswick for your studies, read more about the available immigration programs here.