Nova Scotia set a new record for the number of approved applications for international newcomers in 2020.
According to the Department of Immigration, the province approved 3,517 applications, exceeding its allocation of 3,292.
The applicants selected come from a wide range of backgrounds but the province targeted individuals that could help fill labour shortages in key economic sectors.
With a focus on essential services, many health-care professionals were attracted this year, including continuing care assistants, nurses, and 21 physicians, who have arrived since March.
“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. “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.”
So far 3,010 of the approved applicants have arrived in Nova Scotia with others being hindered by travel restrictions related to COVID-19.
The Department of Immigration also reported that their strategy on retaining international students is dividends, as over 1,000 students who graduated last year have been approved to stay and work in Nova Scotia, marking a major jump from 2014 (most recent data) when only 35 students chose to remain in Nova Scotia.
In July 2020, Nova Scotia’s population reached an all-time high of 979,351 people, due in large part to immigration. The population as of Oct. 1, 2020, was 979,115.
