HALIFAX — Nova Scotia is trumpeting a significant jump in immigration thanks to an influx of refugees, but one business advocate says it's still falling short of what's needed.
The province's Immigration Department says preliminary figures for last year to the end of October show 4,835 newcomers -- including about 1,500 refugees -- arrived in Nova Scotia, saying it's the highest number in decades.
The total included an influx of Syrian refugees, along with provincially nominated families and entrepreneurs.
The province says it is also expecting another 2,150 people under the provincial nomination program this year, but it doesn't indicate how many more refugees may arrive.
However, Don Mills, a pollster who has supported a business push to increase immigration in the province, said he sees the figure as an improvement that is still short of what the province needs to replace an aging workforce, and notes the boom in refugees may decrease.
"We're going on in the right direction," he said in an interview. "But we have to ramp it up even quicker."
"There continues to be a sense that we are equally or more diverse than the rest of the country, when in fact that's far from the truth," said Mills, who has polled Atlantic Canadian attitudes on immigration.
The pollster notes that according to the last census only about five per cent of Atlantic Canadians were born in another country, while in the rest of the country it's approximately 22 per cent.
"We are the least diverse population by a mile," he says.
The Ivany Report, an economic blueprint for the province, urged the province to increase immigration due to a declining birth rate and out migration.
It has predicted that within 15 years there will be 100,000 fewer people of working age in the province, and Nova Scotia cannot count on its natural birth rate to replace the workforce.
The report urged the province to attempt to attract up to 7,000 immigrants a year by 2024 and to embrace a greater ethnic and racial diversity in the makeup of the newcomers.
Provincial Focus on Immigration Continues and Grows
Immigration
February 3, 2017 11:01 AM
The combination of the Provincial Nominee Program and a new federal pilot project points to another strong year for attracting skilled immigrants to Nova Scotia in 2017.
"Immigration is a key priority for the government," said Premier Stephen McNeil. "Immigrants help to drive our economy from one end of the province to the other with their energy and entrepreneurial spirit."
Under the Provincial Nominee Program, Nova Scotia will be allocated 1,350 nominations for 2017. The province also has a further 800 nominations through the new federal Atlantic Immigration Pilot program. Combined, this totals a record 2,150 potential nominations.
"The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is another tool employers can use to help fill jobs where they have persistent labour gaps," said Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. "Immigration is key for Nova Scotia to help us support our labour market, grow our economy and build our tax base."
Preliminary figures through the end of October 2016 show that 4,853 newcomers came to Nova Scotia last year, the highest number of arrivals since the end of the Second World War.
"We remain focused on attracting and retaining new immigrants in our beautiful province," said Ms. Diab. "Our office is here to help employers navigate the immigration system, both the pilot and our existing immigration streams."
Employers with labour gaps should contact the Office of Immigration at 1-877-292-9597.
The combination of the Provincial Nominee Program and a new
federal pilot project points to another strong year for
attracting skilled immigrants to Nova Scotia in 2017.
Premier Stephen McNeil says immigration is a key priority
for the government.
Under the Provincial Nominee Program, Nova Scotia will be
allocated 1,350 nominations for 2017. The province also has a
further 800 nominations through the new federal Atlantic
Immigration Pilot program. Combined, this totals to a record
2,150 potential nominations.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab says the Atlantic
Immigration Pilot is another tool employers can use to help fill
jobs where they have persistent labour gaps.
Preliminary figures through the end of October show that
4,853 newcomers came to Nova Scotia in 2016, the highest number
of arrivals since the end of the Second World War.
The province's Immigration Department says preliminary figures for last year to the end of October show 4,835 newcomers -- including about 1,500 refugees -- arrived in Nova Scotia, saying it's the highest number in decades.
The total included an influx of Syrian refugees, along with provincially nominated families and entrepreneurs.
The province says it is also expecting another 2,150 people under the provincial nomination program this year, but it doesn't indicate how many more refugees may arrive.
However, Don Mills, a pollster who has supported a business push to increase immigration in the province, said he sees the figure as an improvement that is still short of what the province needs to replace an aging workforce, and notes the boom in refugees may decrease.
"We're going on in the right direction," he said in an interview. "But we have to ramp it up even quicker."
"There continues to be a sense that we are equally or more diverse than the rest of the country, when in fact that's far from the truth," said Mills, who has polled Atlantic Canadian attitudes on immigration.
The pollster notes that according to the last census only about five per cent of Atlantic Canadians were born in another country, while in the rest of the country it's approximately 22 per cent.
"We are the least diverse population by a mile," he says.
The Ivany Report, an economic blueprint for the province, urged the province to increase immigration due to a declining birth rate and out migration.
It has predicted that within 15 years there will be 100,000 fewer people of working age in the province, and Nova Scotia cannot count on its natural birth rate to replace the workforce.
The report urged the province to attempt to attract up to 7,000 immigrants a year by 2024 and to embrace a greater ethnic and racial diversity in the makeup of the newcomers.
Provincial Focus on Immigration Continues and Grows
Immigration
February 3, 2017 11:01 AM
The combination of the Provincial Nominee Program and a new federal pilot project points to another strong year for attracting skilled immigrants to Nova Scotia in 2017.
"Immigration is a key priority for the government," said Premier Stephen McNeil. "Immigrants help to drive our economy from one end of the province to the other with their energy and entrepreneurial spirit."
Under the Provincial Nominee Program, Nova Scotia will be allocated 1,350 nominations for 2017. The province also has a further 800 nominations through the new federal Atlantic Immigration Pilot program. Combined, this totals a record 2,150 potential nominations.
"The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is another tool employers can use to help fill jobs where they have persistent labour gaps," said Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. "Immigration is key for Nova Scotia to help us support our labour market, grow our economy and build our tax base."
Preliminary figures through the end of October 2016 show that 4,853 newcomers came to Nova Scotia last year, the highest number of arrivals since the end of the Second World War.
"We remain focused on attracting and retaining new immigrants in our beautiful province," said Ms. Diab. "Our office is here to help employers navigate the immigration system, both the pilot and our existing immigration streams."
Employers with labour gaps should contact the Office of Immigration at 1-877-292-9597.
The combination of the Provincial Nominee Program and a new
federal pilot project points to another strong year for
attracting skilled immigrants to Nova Scotia in 2017.
Premier Stephen McNeil says immigration is a key priority
for the government.
Under the Provincial Nominee Program, Nova Scotia will be
allocated 1,350 nominations for 2017. The province also has a
further 800 nominations through the new federal Atlantic
Immigration Pilot program. Combined, this totals to a record
2,150 potential nominations.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab says the Atlantic
Immigration Pilot is another tool employers can use to help fill
jobs where they have persistent labour gaps.
Preliminary figures through the end of October show that
4,853 newcomers came to Nova Scotia in 2016, the highest number
of arrivals since the end of the Second World War.