Diab: Immigration key to pandemic recovery

Nova Scotia approved 3,517 immigration applications in 2020, exceeding its allocation of 3,292 by focusing on skilled newcomers in essential services such as health care and transportation.

These people and their families are expected to arrive over the next few years when travel and border restrictions ease and as the federal government processes their cases, the province's Office of Immigration said in a news release Tuesday.

"While the pandemic has been a challenge, particularly with its impact on the mobility of immigrants, the office of immigration has continued to process applications and focus on essential services," said Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab in the release.

"Immigration will play an important role in our economy as we recover from this pandemic. We will continue to work with our stakeholders to identify labour needs in key essential service sectors and employers who need specialized skills and talent to create economic growth."

With a focus on essential services, many health-care professionals from other countries were attracted to the province this year, including continuing care assistants, nurses, and physicians, who have arrived since March. In addition to health-care professionals, the province also identifies retaining international students as a priority of provincial immigration.

This year, 1,018 international graduates have chosen to live in Nova Scotia after their studies, a significant increase from 35 in 2014.

As of Oct. 31, 3,010 permanent residents had arrived in Nova Scotia this year, less than half of the number compared to last year due to the pandemic. Nova Scotia's Office of Immigration has taken a proactive approach to identify labour needs and attract certain professionals that the province needs.

Earlier this year the office decided to close an immigration program after two consecutive years of slow growth and geared towards a more efficient program: Labour Market Priorities to better streamline the immigration process.

TIM KROCHAK • THE CHRONICLE HERALD Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab says ‘immigration will play an important role in our economy as we recover from this pandemic.’