Residents of Belgium who choose to make Newfoundland and Labrador their new home will now have their Class 5 and Class 6 driver’s licences recognized without needing to complete additional testing. The same applies to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who move abroad to Belgium.

The Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and His Excellency, Patrick Guido M. Van Gheel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, entered into a driver’s licence reciprocity agreement during the Ambassador’s first official visit to Newfoundland and Labrador.

For the purposes of facilitating the licensing of drivers who change their place of residence, Section 16 of the Highway Traffic Driver Regulations, 1999 authorizes the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to enter into reciprocal agreements granting mutual recognition of valid driver’s licences issued by the signatory jurisdictions.

This means that the Registrar of Motor Vehicles may waive examination requirements for Class 5 (passenger vehicles) and Class 6 (motorcycles) driver’s licences, provided a reciprocal agreement is in effect between the province and the other jurisdiction.

Newfoundland and Labrador currently has driver’s licence reciprocity agreements with Austria, France, Ireland, Isle of Man, Japan, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Under the Regulations, the Registrar of Motor Vehicles can also waive testing requirements for people with a driver’s licence from elsewhere in Canada, the United States, Germany, and Ukraine.

Adjusting to life in Newfoundland and Labrador is about settling into the routine of everyday life. Learning the language and taking care of day-to-day necessities like education, health care, accommodations, transportation, and banking are all an essential part of the settlement process. With the signing of a driver’s licence reciprocity agreement, newcomers to both Newfoundland and Labrador and Belgium are better supported to settle into their new home quickly and easily.

Quotes
“It is an honour to welcome His Excellency to Newfoundland and Labrador. Thank you for the engaging discussions on partnership opportunities between our province and Belgium, including this reciprocity agreement between our respective jurisdictions. Reciprocity agreements are beneficial for our province’s newcomer recruitment and retention strategy and supports a seamless transition for those who choose to make Newfoundland and Labrador their home.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

“The people of Belgium and of Newfoundland and Labrador share a rich past of mutual support and cooperation. Signing this Agreement marks another step into our growing ties and will help our citizens make their visits to and stays in the province and my country even more enjoyable.”
His Excellency, Patrick Guido M. Van Gheel
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium

“This agreement makes it easier, not only for residents of Belgium, but also Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, to maintain their driver’s licence when taking up residence abroad. Moving to a new country or province is a challenging experience, in and of itself. We hope this agreement helps make things a little easier and simpler for people as they get settled into their new home.”
Honourable Elvis Loveless
Minister of Digital Government and Service NL

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