The Canadian province of Nova Scotia will be allowed to nominate an additional 300 people through its Provincial Nominee Programme this year.
The provincial government had long been lobbying the federal powers for an increase in its immigration limits, and during a speech to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce; the country’s Immigration Minister John McCallum confirmed there would be an increase.
“Nova Scotia, because of its aging population, is desperate for immigrants, so I get it,” McCallum told CBC Radio’s Mainstreet. “So what we are hoping to do in the time between now and the fall is to hold these discussions, for me to be able to generate large numbers of immigrants overall and for me to be able to agree to Nova Scotia to receive significantly more.”
The federal government has agreed to let the province bring in 1,350 economic immigrants this year. Just two years ago, the Nova Scotia was allowed just 700 immigrants through the programme.
The province’s Premier, Stephen McNeil, said he was pleased with the decision, but stated that he would still like Nova Scotia to be able to bring in more immigrants each year.
“We’re certainly pleased that he [McCallum] recognized that the 300 bump that we got last year shouldn’t have been a one-time bump,” he said. “There’s a commitment by them to recognise the work that Nova Scotian’s have been doing in and around retention and allowing us to lead in Atlantic Canada to make sure that immigrants who arrive in Atlantic Canada stay here, not just here but in our sister provinces.”
In an emailed statement to CBC News last week, Nova Scotia immigration spokeswoman Kelly Bennett was quoted as saying: “Ideally, we’d like to receive 5,000 individual nominations per year like Manitoba (a comparable jurisdiction).”
Article by David Fuller