As economic immigrants are welcomed with open arms, immigration to the Atlantic Canadian province of Nova Scotia is now considered by provincial officials as a crucial element of economic development, driving record population growth and bolstering retail sales.

The province's immigration minister, Jill Balser, stated earlier this year that "Nova Scotia is a special place and we are delighted that more and more people envision a future for themselves and their families here."

In order for our economy to develop, we need a growing population. In order to get ready for more people to call Nova Scotia home, we have been working with employers, communities, and settlement organizations to prepare for expansion.

Undoubtedly, a growing number of foreign people are considering moving to the coastal province because of its attractive ocean vistas, rolling hills, vibrant urban life, and employment prospects.

According to the pattern in the first eight months, immigration to Nova Scotia is expected to increase by 4,902 new permanent residents and reach 14,062 this year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently released its most recent figure; 9,160 new permanent residents arrived in Nova Scotia last year, a record number for the province.

If the present pattern of increased immigration to Nova Scotia holds, the number of new permanent residents moving to the province will increase by more than 35.9% by the end of this year compared to 2019, the previous full year prior to the pandemic.

Since at least 2015, when 3,425 new permanent residents arrived in the province, Nova Scotia has increasingly welcomed more immigrants.

The very next year, 2016, saw a sharp increase in immigration of 60.9% or 1,470 new permanent residents, bringing the total to 5,510.

The number of new permanent residents decreased to 4,515 in 2017, a decline of 1.8 percent or 995 immigrants.

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In Nova Scotia, the NSPNP and TR-to-PR Pathway have seen tremendous growth this year.

The next year, however, immigration soared once more, rising by 1,470 new permanent residents or 32.6% to reach 5,985.

Additionally, immigration increased by 26.9% in 2019 as the province welcomed 7,595 new immigrants, adding 1,610 new permanent residents to the mix.

As it did for other Canadian provinces and territories, immigration to Nova Scotia fell precipitously in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic's travel bans, border closures, and public health restrictions.

Only 4,075 new permanent residents had moved to the province by the conclusion of the first year of the pandemic, a loss of 53.6% and one of the largest falls in immigration for any province in Canada.

However, Nova Scotia's immigration surged by 160.2%, or 5,640 new permanent residents, last year, and the province completed the year having welcomed 9,160 new permanent residents.

This year, Nova Scotia's Provincial Nominee Program (NSPNP), which has already accepted 6,105 new permanent residents, is expected to complete the year with a growth of 167.8%. Under the PNP, 2,280 additional permanent residents entered the province last year.

This year, the number of people becoming permanent residents through the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident (TR-to-PR) pathway has doubled, which has had a significant impact on immigration to Nova Scotia.

By the end of the year, according to IRCC data, Nova Scotia will have received 1,852 new permanent residents through the TR-to-PR pathway, an increase of 101.3% from the 920 new permanent residents in 2021.

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), which is becoming more and more well-liked, is on course to assist 2,940 new permanent residents in moving to Nova Scotia this year, up 9.9% from the 2,675 who did so last.

Families are reuniting, and a record number of refugees are arriving in Nova Scotia.

The expansion of Nova Scotia's family sponsorship programs is anticipated to be outstanding this year; they are on track to end the year by 47.9% and welcome 1,080 new permanent residents to the province. 730 new permanent residents were accepted last year thanks to these programs.

As 1,097 refugees become new permanent residents in the province, refugee programs are expected to end the year up 58.7 percent in Nova Scotia.

The number of immigrants arriving through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), which is projected to total 1,670 new Canada permanent residents by the end of 2022, is noticeably down this year.

The province of Atlantic Canada has a total of nine distinct streams under the NSNP, with a three-month target processing time for applications.

These are the nine streams:

  • Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry;
  • Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities: Express Entry;
  • Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities For Physicians: Express Entry;
  • Skilled Worker;
  • Physician;
  • Occupations In-Demand;
  • International Graduates In Demand;
  • Entrepreneur, and;
  • International Graduate Entrepreneur.

The province of Nova Scotia also runs the Study and Stay program, which aims to aid international students from China, India, and the Philippines in staying in the area and establishing professions there after graduation.

Under the Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry stream, highly skilled immigrants with experience in Nova Scotia may qualify for Canada permanent residency if they have one year of NOC O, A, or B experience.

The priorities for the Nova Scotia labour market: With the use of the Express Entry stream, the province will be able to prioritize certain professions for immigration. Early Childhood Educators are the initial focus occupation for the stream, which targets occupations for Letters of Interest.

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