For decades now, Nova Scotia has been accepting and welcoming numerous immigrants every year. The province has openly received refugees, entrepreneurs, skilled work force, family members of permanent residents and citizens of Canada who have come and made Nova Scotia their permanent home. The Nova Scotia immigration Office has recorded highest immigration numbers in 2016 that have crossed decades of records. From the start of 2016 to October 2016, Nova Scotia has recorded a high number of 4,835 immigrants who have settled in the province which is much higher than the 3,403 recorded immigrants in 2015 for the same time frame. This surge in numbers is a result of the federal government’s policy to welcome thousands of Syrian refugees at the beginning of 2016. Approximately 1500 Syrian refuges were welcomed and have made Nova Scotia their home.
Nova Scotia Nominee Program, comes under Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program, and like other immigration programs it allows potential immigrants to settle in the province upon meeting required eligibility and criteria norms. In March 2016, for a second time, the Nova Scotia Nominee Program applied for an increase in allocation of number of immigrants.
Nova Scotia is all set and prepared to welcome more and more refugees and immigrants. The government has stated that it expects to welcome 2,150 more immigrants this year. Although the number of refugees expected has not been indicated, but the government is all set to welcome immigrants.
Along with the Nova Scotia Nominee Program, Nova Scotia also hopes to welcome immigrants applying through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program. This is a joint agreement between all the Atlantic provinces that hopes to bring in more skilled workers and graduates into the provinces. It is expected to be an efficient and effective immigration program for employers.
This new program is expected to bring in around 2,000 new prospective immigrants according to the federal government. The express entry selection system, and other federal programs, also bring in a high number of immigrants into Nova scotia each year. The fast declining birth rate has resulted in a situation of urgency to raise the number of immigrants. A survey done by the government of Nova Scotia reveals that the number of eligible workforce will heavily decrease in the next 15 years and thus approximately 7,000 immigrants need to be brought in annually, by 2024 to balance the workforce requirement. This is great news for everyone hoping to immigrate!