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 Federal/Provincial Nominee Agreement Encourages Immigrants to Fill Skills Gap Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Cecil Clarke, Minister of Economic Development for Nova Scotia, today signed an agreement establishing a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in Nova Scotia. The five-year agreement allows Nova Scotia to nominate one thousand skilled immigration candidates -- 200 each calendar year -- who will meet the specific economic and industrial development needs of the province. "Both levels of government recognize the benefits immigrants can bring to Nova Scotia, and I am committed to meeting the objectives of the agreement, just as I know Mr. Clarke and the provincial stakeholders are as well," said Mr. Coderre. "We need skilled immigrants to help fuel the future growth of the economy, particularly in rural Nova Scotia," said Mr. Clarke. "This agreement is a tool to respond to changing population patterns and aging of the work force which, over the years, have contributed to a wider skills gap in rural areas." Finalizing an immigration agreement with the federal government is part of the province's economic growth strategy. Under the new agreement, Nova Scotia will work in co-operation with local groups and industry associations to attract immigrants to fill gaps in the job market and improve the provincial economy. "This means the successful candidates will enter Nova Scotia with jobs to go to and communities throughout the province that very much want and support them as residents," said Mr. Clarke. "This agreement is a positive step toward helping immigrants gain access to the labour market in a way that matches their qualifications and aspirations," said Jane Purves, Nova Scotia's minister responsible for immigration. "Nova Scotia needs to be a keen competitor for new immigrants and we will continue working with our federal colleagues to move initiatives forward." Nova Scotia will provide a recruitment plan to the government of Canada. The federal government will continue to enforce statutory requirements related to security and medical screening and will retain the right to exercise the final selection authority. Nominees brought in under the agreement will become permanent residents of Canada who can, after three years, apply for Canadian citizenship. The Nova Scotia PNP agreement is the first to include clauses related to the francophone minority language community. The clauses suggest that the provincial government consult with representatives of this community when they discuss immigration issues. "I am extremely pleased that the province of Nova Scotia has agreed to this important addition to the PNP agreement," Mr. Coderre said. "Effective immigration is about partnerships, and when the province discusses immigration requirements with businesses, representatives of the francophone communities will be invited to the table." Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta also have provincial nominee programs. August 27, 2002 Related: |
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