Another Big Year for Immigration

This year, Nova Scotia welcomed more than 4,000 newcomers and nominated its highest number of immigrants ever through the Provincial Nominee Program.

“2017 was another successful year for immigration in Nova Scotia,” said Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. “Helping newcomers immigrate and build lives here in Nova Scotia is a priority for the department and its settlement partners. It is key to growing the province and its economy and I look forward to continuing this work in the new year.”

Government nominated more than 1,400 immigrants through the Provincial Nominee Program and nearly 200 newcomers, and their families, through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. The pilot is an innovative partnership between the four Atlantic provinces and the Government of Canada to help businesses attract and retain skilled newcomers to fill labour gaps.

The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration also joined the Nova Scotia Health Authority at an international job fair in the United Kingdom to help recruit international physicians to work and live in Nova Scotia.

“It has been an extraordinarily busy and rewarding year for the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia,” said Gerry Mills, the association's executive director. “We have served more clients this year than ever before and we look forward to serving more clients in 2018 and working with our partners on the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.”

There was also a shift in Nova Scotians’ attitudes toward immigration in 2017. Surveys indicate most Nova Scotians believe immigrants make Nova Scotia a more interesting place and that immigration is key to growing our province. Recent research shows that 85 per cent of Nova Scotians surveyed believe immigration has a positive impact on the province, compared to 36 per cent in 2016.

For more information on the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration, visit www.novascotiaimmigration.com.