Nova Scotia approves record number of immigrants in 2019
Credit to Author: Canadian Immigrant| Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2019 16:59:20 +0000
Nova Scotia has broken immigration records in 2019 as the province finds new ways to attract workers to sectors with the greatest need.
According to a Office of Immigration has approved 2,780 applications as of Dec. 27, up 21 per cent over 2018 and more than 300 per cent over 2013.
As a result, the province’s population is at an all-time high and getting younger, while filling persistent labour needs in key sectors, including health care.
According to Immigration Minister, Lena Metlege Diab, the province is being innovative in recruiting and processing more applications than before. “It is making a difference in industries and communities across the province,” she says.
The Office of Immigration works closely across government and with employers to identify labour needs, develop programs to target those professions and streamline the immigration process.
Health care continues to be a focus and Nova Scotia is attracting more family doctors, specialists and continuing care assistants than ever before. Since 2018, 52 physicians (33 family doctors and 19 specialists) and 184 continuing care assistants have been approved to come to the province through various immigration programs.
“We are encouraged by the success we are seeing by working with immigration to support the recruitment of health professionals,” says Health and Wellness Minister Randy Delorey. “Building on this success and with input from foreign-trained doctors, we created a second pathway this year to accelerate permanent residency for doctors.”
Nova Scotia’s retention rate remains strong at 71 per cent – the highest in the region.
For more information, visit the Nova Scotia Immigration website.