The provincial government is reporting a record year for immigration but says Ottawa is blocking the province’s efforts toward population growth.

Immigration Minister Gerry Byrne says the province has exhausted the yearly permanent residency spaces issued by the Federal Government, resulting in a record year for immigration, but because no more spaces are available, the pace of immigration has ground to a halt.

The province took the initiative to set up a Ukraine desk in Poland to encourage Ukrainians fleeing the war at home to consider coming to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Another charter of Ukrainian refugees is expected before Christmas.

The province also welcomed dozens of families from Afghanistan earlier in the year.

The federal government issued 1,593 spaces for the provincial government to nominate newcomers for permanent residency, but federal rules prevent additional spaces from becoming available this year, meaning that the province’s precedent-setting pace of immigration has ground to a halt.

The province, forecasting a record year for immigration, requested a substantial increase in spaces for 2022 but was denied.

Byrne is calling on Ottawa to double immigration spaces for Newfoundland and Labrador to 3,050 total spaces. He says while provincial nominations have effectively closed for 2022, the office is continuing to accept applications, which will be forwarded to the federal department for processing after January 1, 2023.