The Nova Scotian government sets new immigration targets for 2022

Nova Scotia PNP Draw nova scotia new immigration targets Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Draw
  • June 22, 2022

Nova Scotia confirms its allotment for 2022 under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) and Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).  IRCC determines the number of allocations each year based on the Immigration Levels Plan.

Nova Scotia Immigration program table

Immigration initiatives for economic growth

Immigration initiatives for economic growth

Budget allocation for Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia added $1 million for immigration and population growth campaigns, $895,000 for six new navigators and four new program officers to support newcomer arrivals and immigration programs, and $1.4 million for settlement services across the province.

Budget allocation for Nova Scotia

Jill Balser, the provincial Minister of Immigration, said Nova Scotia is a special place and we are delighted that more and more people see a future here for themselves and their families.

She added, “Population growth is vital to our economic success.”. We have been preparing for growth, working with employers, communities and settlement organizations to get ready for more people to call Nova Scotia home.”

The province has also welcomed 500 Ukrainians through the Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET). CUAET participants are not counted in the total allocation of newcomers.

 

Atlantic Immigration Program

The Atlantic immigration program was introduced in 2017 as a pilot program to encourage skilled immigrants to settle in one of the four Atlantic provinces. This program proved highly successful, and it was made permanent in 2022. In this program, employers are encouraged to apply to the province for official designation, which allows them to avoid the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) if they hire a foreign national.

After an employee accepts a job offer from a designated employer, the employer must connect them with a designated settlement service provider. The provider will conduct a needs assessment for the candidate, and any family members arriving with them, to create a settlement plan.

The AIP welcomed 1,564 new permanent residents to Nova Scotia last year, helping to boost the province’s population to over one million for the first time.

 

Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)

Nova Scotia’s Nominee Program operates independently from the AIP and offers nine distinct immigration pathways to potential immigrants.

  • Express Entry aligned streams

Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities, Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry, and Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities for Physicians are only open to candidates who have express entry profiles with IRCC.

 IRCC uses Express Entry to manage applications for economic immigration programs. Candidates who meet eligibility criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and the Canadian Experience Class  (CEC) are assigned scores based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Based on these scores, the highest scores are more likely to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency.

  • Skilled Worker stream

A job offer from an employer in Nova Scotia is necessary for the Skilled Worker stream, along with evidence of work experience within the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

This stream can apply to NOC’s 0, A, B, C, or D. Language requirements can vary depending on a candidate’s NOC.

  • Occupation: In-Demand stream

The Occupation: In-Demand Stream requires a job offer for any of the occupations on the current list that are in demand, typically those with a NOC C or D.

  • International Graduates: In-Demand stream

Candidates in the In-Demand stream must have completed a minimum 30-week program for an occupation in high demand, such as early childcare or orderly. Half of the program must be completed in Nova Scotia and a job offer within the province is required.

  • International Graduate: Entrepreneur stream

This stream is for international graduates who have completed two-year programs in Nova Scotia postsecondary educational institutions and who have obtained the Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP). At least one year of business ownership experience is also required.

  • Entrepreneur stream

Candidate for the Entrepreneur stream must have at least three years of business ownership experience, a business plan, and the willingness to invest $150,000 in purchase or establishment of a business in Nova Scotia.

 

A successful immigration initiative in Atlantic Canada

Nova Scotia’s population growth is largely due to the NSNP and the Atlantic Immigration Program. Over 10,000 newcomers arrived in Nova Scotia between 2017 and 2021 as a result of the AIP. Over this period of time, about 91% of immigrants stayed in the province.

 

 

 

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