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The Canadian province of Nova Scotia would like to double its intake of immigrants by 2020 to offset looming skills gaps as the working age population dwindles.
Nova Scotia will invest an extra $790,000 in attracting skilled migrants under a new immigration strategy introduced by Premier Darrell Dexter.
Dexter said the province is aiming to attract 7,200 immigrants a year by 2020, doubling current levels of immigration.
To help meet that target, Nova Scotia will boost the number of migrants it will sponsor under the Provincial Nominee Program to 1,500 a year. To do so, it hopes that the Canadian Government in Ottawa will increase the current cap. Currently Nova Scotia can only issue 500 certificates a year under the Provincial Nominee Program.
The Provincial Nominee Program allows Canadian provinces and territories to sponsor skilled migrants who have skills in certain areas for permanent residence in Canada.
Canada is one of the most popular destinations for skilled migrants, with approximately a quarter million migrants arriving each year.
