News release

Refund Program Will Expand After Auditor General's Final Report

Immigration (Jan. 2005 - Feb. 2021)

The province will expand its residency refund under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program, pending a final report from the Auditor General's Office in the fall.

As a result, Economic Stream nominees who signed employment contracts before Oct. 12, 2007, may be become eligible for a residency refund.

The decision was announced after the Auditor General released his preliminary report on the Economic Stream of the nominee program earlier today, June 11.

"One of the main objectives of the program is to attract and, most importantly, retain immigrants in Nova Scotia," said Immigration Minister Len Goucher. "Our intent to expand eligibility for the Residency Refund Option is consistent with these objectives."

The Auditor General has indicated that the second phase of the report, expected in early fall, will focus on the mentor-nominee-agent experience.

"We want the benefit of the Auditor General's insights but we're not prepared to wait indefinitely," said Mr. Goucher. "We want to get on with this as much as anyone."

Business mentorship was a component of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program's Economic Stream. Individuals paid about $130,000 in fees. Of that, $100,000 was paid to a Nova Scotia company to provide business mentorship.

A minimum of $20,000 was returned to the individual as six months salary.

The province stopped accepting applications for the Economic Stream in July 2006.

The Nova Scotia Nominee Program, which has four other active streams, is the result of a federal-provincial agreement enabling Nova Scotia to nominate or recommend individuals for permanent residency who meet our labour market and economic development needs.