Nova Scotia Launches New Business Immigration Streams

NOTE: Facts on immigration follow this release.

Nova Scotia is launching two new business immigration streams to attract international entrepreneurs and to retain international graduates of provincial universities and colleges.

"The launch of the Entrepreneur Stream and the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream will attract, and help retain, entrepreneurs who create new jobs here in Nova Scotia," said Premier Stephen McNeil. "Bringing more entrepreneurs here will strengthen the Nova Scotian economy."

The Entrepreneur Stream aims to attract those who want to start or buy, and actively manage, a business in Nova Scotia. The International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream provides an immigration opportunity for students who have graduated from a Nova Scotia university or community college and have started their own business.

"To grow as a province by making it easier for business to create new jobs, Nova Scotia needs more people, more investment and more entrepreneurs," said Robert Batherson, chair of the board of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. "These changes under the Provincial Nominee Program will give businesses of all sizes the chance to grow with the help of new Canadians."

"We're excited that the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is the first of its kind in the country," said Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. "These two new business streams have been carefully developed using best practises from around the world to ensure they have the maximum economic benefit for Nova Scotia."

Both streams will open Jan. 1.

Following are facts on Immigration:

• Immigration is a shared federal and provincial responsibility.

• More immigrants came to Nova Scotia last year than any year in the past 10, with 2,670 newcomers settling in the province. More immigrants are also staying, with Statistics Canada reporting a retention rate of 71 per cent for immigrants that landed in Nova Scotia between 2007 and 2011.

• The Provincial Nominee Program is growing. Initially, the federal government gave Nova Scotia 1,050 nominations for 2015, 350 of which were allocated to Express Entry. The Office of Immigration successfully negotiated an increase of 300 nominations for two Express Entry streams, for a total of 1,350 in 2015, nearly doubling the 2014 cap of 700.

• The Entrepreneur and International Graduate Entrepreneur streams means there are now six ways to immigrate to Nova Scotia through the Provincial Nominee Program. The two Express Entry pilot streams (Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry, launched in January and Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry, launched in May) speed up entry for highly skilled candidates. Prospective immigrants can also access the Family Business Worker Stream and the Skilled Worker Stream through the Provincial Nominee Program.

• The Office of Immigration is delivering settlement services across the province with the support of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, the YMCA and other key partners.

• This summer, the office held Community Conversations on Immigration (with newcomers, settlement workers, employers and local decision-makers) in eight different places. The conversations identified areas of strength and challenge, and encouraged more community collaboration.

• The Office of Immigration is also committed to resettling refugees. Recently, it organized a roundtable with Nova Scotia's private refugee sponsorship agreement holders and other key groups. The office continues to press the federal government to send more refugees to Nova Scotia.