Nova Scotia had some of its strongest growth in recent years in 2021. Because of immigration, Nova Scotia’s population has exceeded one million. After experiencing an extraordinary population increase since July 2021, Nova Scotia has hit a significant milestone. Prior to the border closing in March 2020, Canada had loosened travel limits on permitted permanent residents, which had limited Canadian immigration.
A press release from the provincial government claimed that immigration significantly contributed to population growth. As a result, Nova Scotia saw its largest first-quarter population growth of 5,696 since 1971 in the first quarter of 2021.
The bulk of immigrants to Nova Scotia in 2020 were from the United Kingdom, Korea, the Philippines, China, and India. At 71%, the province now has the highest rate of immigrant retention among the Atlantic provinces. People have generally relocated to and from these four east-coast provinces in search of employment or larger cities.
One of the province’s primary priorities is promoting economic growth by recruiting workers and businesses. Nova Scotia is preparing a $2.5 million marketing effort to promote immigration as a means of achieving this goal.
By 2060, the province also hopes to have a population of two million. Additionally, Nova Scotia aims to attract 25,000 new residents annually through a mix of immigration and interprovincial movement.
Move from India to Canada
Express Entry, Canada’s main immigration route, is open to anybody who wants to live in any Canadian province other than Quebec. There are many immigration programs specifically created for people who want to move to Nova Scotia. You must meet the prerequisites for one of the three Federal High Skilled Immigration Programs—Canadian Experience Class, FSWP, or FSTP—in order to be eligible for one of the programs.
Additionally, Nova Scotia maintains a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). PNPs like the Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities, the Nova Scotia Experience Express Entry, or the Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities for Physicians may be available to candidates for Express Entry.
For those who are ineligible for the Express Entry program, there are initiatives under the Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NSPNP). Workers may be eligible for the following three programs: Physician Stream, Skilled Worker, and Occupation In-Demand. The Entrepreneur Stream and the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream are two more streams that have an entrepreneurial focus.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) also includes New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. Employers in these provinces are able to hire foreign workers and create a settlement plan for them by using the AIP. An early assessment of the pilot indicates that the settlement tactics are already increasing retention rates. In the upcoming year, the AIP will be a continuing initiative.
