Canada, Nova Scotia offer employment, permanent settlement under new programs

Canada and its maritime province Nova Scotia are set to roll out new immigration programs that will provide job opportunities and permanent settlement for qualified applicants.

In a statement Friday, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said Canada will implement in January a recruitment model for economic migration called “Express Entry (formerly Experssion of Interest),” which she said will transform Canada's immigration system “into one that is fast, flexible, and focused on meeting its economic and labor needs.”

Under the scheme, candidates who receive a valid job offer or nomination under Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) will be quickly invited to apply for permanent residency—a key distinction between Express Entry and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labor and skills shortages.

Qualified applicants can expect faster processing time of six months or less when invited to come to Canada in the following key economic streams:

• the Federal Skilled Worker Program,
• Federal Skilled Trades Program,
• Canadian Experience Class, and
• a portion of the PNP

The program is set to be implemented in January 2015.

On the other hand, Nova Scotia, one of Canada's maritime provinces, is looking for individuals who wish to join the labor market with full-time and permanent positions, and wish to live there under the New Nova Scotia Nominee Program–Regional Labor Market Demand Stream.

Baldoz said under Nova Scotia's program, applicants are not required to have a job offer at the time of submitting their application.

“However, they must intend to pursue employment in an occupation that has been designated as 'in demand' by the province,” Baldoz added, citing a report from Labor Attache Leonida Romulo of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Toronto, Canada.

At present, the province has identified 43 occupations in the fields of engineering, health services (including nursing), skilled trades, and food service as in demand jobs.

For the complete list of the occupations the public may visit the official immigration website of the Government of Nova Scotia, www.novascotiaimmigration.com.

The criteria for applicants are as follows:

• between 21-55 years old;
• meet minimum language proficiency requirements;
• have at least two years of continuous full-time work experience within the past five years in an eligible occupation and intend to work in one;
• legally residing in current country of residence;
• have sufficient funds for settlement in Nova Scotia; have at least a high school level of education and a degree, diploma, or certificate from a post-secondary institution, which must be at least one year in length; demonstrate intent to live in Nova Scotia and ability to become economically established in the province; complete an Employment Settlement Plan;
• and attend an interview, if required.

—KBK, GMA News