Name of Report/Article: New Brunswick Population Growth Strategy Organization: Government of New Brunswick
Date of Report/Article: July, 2014
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE BASED ON A PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS STARTED IN FALL, 2013
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
PROMOTION AND ATTRACTION
ACTION: Expand recruitment efforts in support of employers finding the skilled workers needed to meet New Brunswick’s labour market demands
ACTION PLAN
Launch of a new recruitment tool for the NB Provincial Nominee Program Government will partner with the NB Institute for Research, Data and Training to conduct a study on immigrant retention outcomes in order to inform joint recruitment efforts
Government will work with New Brunswick’s Colleges and Universities to develop a Post-Secondary Education Student Recruitment Strategy focused on promoting NB as a destination of choice
ACTION: Provide support to employers in attracting and retaining highly skilled workers ACTION PLAN
In partnership with NB Business Council, government will organize a minimum of three annual employer capacity building workshops to assist employers in navigating the federal system
Working with NB employers, government will develop a “Talent Recruitment Model” aimed at quickly connecting employers with skilled workers
Government will launch a job matching tool focused on connecting employers with individuals who have indicated an interest in working in NB – this tool will eventually be expanded to international markets
ACTION: Government will actively promote NB’s opportunities to newcomers, expats, including ex patriate First Nations People, and other Canadians living in other parts of Canada and Abroad
ACTION PLAN:
In cooperation with employers and stakeholders, government will develop a marketing strategy on filling NB’s skills gap through hosting targeted domestic and international events
ACTION: To ensure a coordinated approach, the province will actively engage with local, provincial and regional partners on promotional activities
ACTION PLAN:
The Department will participate in a minimum of two joint recruitment events with Atlantic Partners, focused on labour market demands
The province will lead regional partners in developing a research study examining the economic impact of immigration in Atlantic Canada
Government will engage with NB municipalities to pilot a social media campaign, focused on connecting expat NB’ers with their home communities
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ACTION: Government will introduce a Pilot Provisional Visa (PV) Stream (for business immigrants) under the Provincial Nominee Program
ACTION PLAN:
Government will work with the federal government to develop and launch a 3 year PV pilot and will actively promote this stream during all international recruitment events over the next three years
Government will develop an evaluation framework to measure the success of the PV pilot as an attraction and retention tool for immigrant entrepreneurs in NB and will explore the feasibility of program expansion
ACTION: The Government will enhance and develop new tools to support immigrant entrepreneurs in NB
ACTION PLAN:
The Business Incubator Program will be expanded
PETL (Post- Secondary Education, Training and Labour) will partner with Invest NB and Economic Development to form an interdepartmental working group focused on the improved uptake of the provincial catalogue of NB Businesses for sale
In Years 2 and 3, PETL will successfully transition ten businesses from the provincial catalogue to newcomer or expat entrepreneurs, including First Nations
ACTION: In partnership with First Nations Communities and the NB Joint Economic Development Initiative, PETL will explore innovative ways of promoting NB
entrepreneurship opportunities to First Nations Communities ACTION PLAN:
PETL will formalize a relationship with NB’s Joint Economic Development Initiative on joint projects promoting entrepreneurship opportunities to First Nations communities across NB
PETL will lead the establishment of a centralized provincial committee at exploring economic development opportunities for regional First Nations communities
The province will pilot a Business Mentorship Program to offer programming aimed at connecting First Nation entrepreneurs with established business leaders across the province
SETTLEMENT AND RETENTION
ACTION: Successfully integrate newcomers and their families, expats and other Canadians into NB’s economy and communities
ACTION PLAN:
PETL will seek interest and support organizations in developing a pilot community based ambassador program
PETL will evaluate the success and relevancy of the pilot and expand the program if necessary
ACTION: To facilitate success and ease transition, PETL will expand pre-arrival and orientation supports for newcomers to NB
ACTION PLAN:
PETL will enhance NB’s immigration portal to feature a referral system connecting immigrants to regional Immigrant Serving Agencies
PETL will improve provincial orientation materials to include enhanced content
PETL will formalize its relationship with the Canadian Immigrant Integration program to provide on the ground orientation services to newcomers destined to NB
ACTION: To improve successful retention, settlement and labour market integration, PETL will ensure newcomers have access to the settlement services needed to thrive in NB
ACTION PLAN:
PETL will conduct an environmental scan of the settlement services available to newcomers, including language training services
Based on the needs assessment results, PETL will work with Immigrant Serving Agencies to provide broader access to settlement and language training services available in each region
ACTION: PETL will continue to lead the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Credentials
ACTION PLAN:
PETL will develop multi-stakeholder working groups to collaboratively map pathways to credential recognition for newcomers to NB
PETL will partner with provincial regulatory bodies to pilot a pre-arrival credential assessment tool
PETL will dedicate resources to developing alternative career to transition services to help highly skilled, internationally trained workers find employment in NB
DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES
ACTION: PETL will promote the importance of multiculturalism and diversity through generating awareness of the benefits of immigration to NB
ACTION PLAN:
PETL will conduct an environmental scan of existing public education tools being used to promote diversity and multiculturalism in NB
PETL will engage with the NB Multicultural Council and JEDI to offer comprehensive delivery of sector-specific, cultural diversity training for NB employers
Government will revise the Provincial Multiculturalism Policy to better reflect
contemporary NB values regarding the importance of immigration and diversity and will revise the Multicultural Grants program to support the implementation of the renewed policy
PROGRAM INTEGRITY
ACTION: To ensure the integrity of NB’s immigration programs, the province will develop a comprehensive integrity framework for the Provincial Nominee Program ACTION PLAN: PETL will establish a dedicated integrity team for the Provincial Nominee Program
PETL will develop a program integrity framework for the administration of the PNP, to include a regular evaluation component
Beginning in Year 1 and to have in place by Year 3, and working in collaboration with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, PETL will introduce provincial immigration legislation
Name of Report/Article: Enhancing Capacities and Fostering Potential for Nova Scotia (pre-Budget Submission)
Organization: Students NS
Date of Report/Article: January 31, 2014
The goal of this report was to provide government with options to support young Nova Scotians and consequently address the decline of the youth population in NS
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Reallocate funding from the Graduate Retention Rebate and Education and Tax Credits to build the best Student Financial Assistance Program in Canada
Eliminate the $180 per week limit on provincial financial assistance for students at NS’s Post- Secondary Institutions
Expected parental contributions are simply too high for many families and should be reduced
The NS Student Assistance Program should apply the same standard of living to spouses and parents
Provide all NS Student Assistance Program funding as an up-front grant to students at NS’s Post-Secondary Institutions
Introduce a Provincial Scholarship Program to Support Graduate Studies Provide MSI coverage to International Students immediately upon their arrival
Name of Report/Article: Nova Scotia’s Workforce Strategy Organization: Government of Nova Scotia
Date of Report/Article: November, 2011
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Priority Area #1 Supporting Learning and Skills development in the Workplace
- The provision of financial incentives to encourage businesses and employers to invest in employee skill development and training (i.e. the Workplace Innovation and Productivity Skills Incentive)
- Mobile computer labs will be made available to provide workers with digital literacy training (with an expansion to support the non-profit and voluntary sector)
- The province is establishing an online learning network, giving employers and workers free access to online courses covering a variety of business and professional development topics
- Support for Non-profit and voluntary sector – including a pilot program for HR management standards, to strengthen HR management practices; training to support social enterprise development and support for organizational development and enhanced networking across the sector
- Increased Co-Op and Internship Opportunities including in the civil service - Support additional technical training
- Enhance existing curriculum and develop new curriculum for apprenticeships - Support journeypersons to become better managers and business operators - Continue to support youth apprenticeship initiatives
Priority Area #2: Help Nova Scotians Connect with Good Jobs
- Career Nova Scotia Centres will help people make informed decisions and take concrete actions about education, jobs and careers
- Expand the Parents as Career Coaches Program
- Establish career planning and job research areas in all high schools to provide career planning environments and up-to-date labour market information
- Continue supporting the O2 program to provide high school students with hands-on job related learning opportunities
- Introduce an Opportunities Academy in at least one junior high school, as a pilot, to support early career development planning and core skills development
- Strengthen entrepreneurship in the curriculum and incorporate entrepreneurship learning across a range of courses
- Ensure multimedia learning content is accessible through downloading and streaming in high schools
- Expand career-oriented courses in public schools
- Ensure career and co-op courses are supported by blended hands-on and virtual learning opportunities
- Encourage young people to consider career opportunities in skilled trades through a targeted marketing program and enhanced experiential learning opportunities in skilled trades
Priority #3: Grow the Workforce in Numbers and Skills
- Work to Implement the Immigration Strategy
- Implement specific programs to target specific groups under-represented in the workforce or those who have barriers – specifically
Link job seekers with employers
Reach youth and adults through targeted learning and employment programs
Create one system of employment supports for NS Support diversity in the civil service
- Expansion of Nova Scotia’s School for Adult Learning and Nova Scotia Virtual School - Recognition of prior learning and credentials
Name of Report/Article: The Developing Workforce Problem in Nova Scotia and Canada Organization: Canmac Economics Ltd (Dr. J.D. McNiven)
Date of Report/Article: 2009
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Nova Scotia will run out of available labour force in less than 7 years (2016)
There are only three generic ways to fill the labour gap Immigration
Participation rate increases (Freedom 75)
Productivity increases – doing more with the same or less people
` Only major source of additional labour is retaining older workers
Some Modest Policy Thoughts were Suggested
Provide universal day care in the public schools by lowering the school age to 2 years or less. Helps free up mothers for the workforce and provides service in rural areas
Raise the school leaving age to 18 to keep kids from dropping out early and taking jobs OR conversely, eliminate the leaving age
Provide comprehensive internet-based high school and system for part-time education. GED becomes the norm
Provide universal post-secondary education through a combination of global on-line course material and local tutors and trades trainers Eliminate skill certifications for jobs where they are not necessary or for experienced workers
Name of Report/Article: Expanding the Vision: Why Nova Scotia should Look Beyond Econocentric Immigration Policy
Organization: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Date of Report/Article: May 2014
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
If Immigration is truly a solution to a problem in Nova Scotia, then the province must invest in immigration
- The provincial government should hire more staff and allocate greater resources for the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration
- These resources should be used to provide potential immigrants with realistic information opportunities and constraints around employment, cultural integration and developing social networks
- The NSOI should generate comprehensive and accessible data and evaluative mechanisms that can be used by settlement organizations, academic researchers and potential immigrants
- Like Manitoba, the province can request an oversampling of surveys dealing with immigration and rural issues to allow for meaningful analysis
- The province should invest in creating formal liaison mechanisms with settlement organizations, potential employers and universities to facilitate greater integration into the Nova Scotia labour market
- The province should invest in promotion the value and importance of immigrants to NS, particularly in rural areas where support for immigration is mixed and most needed
Refocus the Nova Scotia Nominee Program to include immigrants who are not prioritized under federal immigration programs and/or immigration categories common to other provinces
- Nova Scotia should identify immigrants that are currently missed in the system in order to offer a competitive advantage when recruiting and retaining immigrants - Create a NS experience stream that serves to transition temporary migrants, such as
temporary foreign workers and international students, into permanent residents - Invest in follow up mechanisms geared towards encouraging TFW’s and
international students to apply to become permanent residents
Regarding TFW’s: NS has come a long way in responding to TFW program shortfalls but the province must make greater strides
- The province should invest in tracking human capital mismatches for TFW’s and offer opportunities to current residents of NS
- Ameliorating vulnerabilities that come with issues such as isolation, and a minimally monitored private sector, are essential to transitioning these migrants into
permanent residents
- The province could work more closely to coordinate ESDC and CIC to track employees applying for TFW’s and tracking their treatment post arrival
- The province could advocate to CIC to provide work permits to family members of TFW’s
- Nova Scotia can do a better job of promoting how TFW’s help bolster rural economies and societies
Regarding International Students: Ensure that there longer-term supports that include but are not limited to the settlement sector, institutions of higher learning, or the private sector
- Provide additional funding to post-secondary education to offer better opportunities for all students, but to also lower international student fee differentials and to assist in transitioning international students to immigration streams
- Promote cross-sectoral cooperation for both job searchers and social networking - Ensure immediate access to MSI for international students over the current practice
- The province could advocate to CIC to provide work permits to family members of international students
Be more attentive to gender imbalances in immigration
- Reverse the trend of low numbers of women as principal applicants, and create immigration streams that are not solely based on capital/ human capital contributions
- This can be done through consciously tracking the proportion of female principal applicants and seeking gender parity in the NSNP
- Gender balances can also be promoted by seeking to attract immigrant families rather than individuals
Recognize that extended families are anchors and generators of chains of migration
- Make it easier for a wider array of family members, including extended relatives, to come and stay in the province thereby making NS more of a home for newcomers and eliminating potential pressures to return to home countries
- Attracting families, both immediate and extended, creates an incentive to immigrate to NS
- Promoting the migration and unification of TFW’s and international students’ families and not just those of permanent residents, PN’s, or refugees
Broaden the focus of source countries of immigrants, beyond those that have already been targeted for the federal government and other provinces
- Include a wider range of Atlantic countries as source countries, including South America and Africa. This will avoid competition
- Avoid associating immigrants from particular countries with a limited range of occupations and thus engaging in racialized, ethnic streaming
Act on Premier McNeil’s Election promise of establishing and Immigrant Advisory Council
- Create an Immigrant Advisory Council that is representative of diverse individuals and groups including immigrants (new and longstanding) settlement service providers, universities, academic researchers, reps from the business community along with public officials from all levels of government including the municipal level of government
- The Council should be tasked with keeping track of immigration related issues, promoting research on them. And collecting date on the success and failures of immigration practices here in NS
- The Council can also be tasked with promoting immigration and offering a more robust translation of the importance of immigration in renewing NS – a key recommendation of the Ivany Report
Name of Report/Article: Welcome Home to Nova Scotia: A Strategy for Immigration Organization: Province of NS
Date of Report/Article: 2013
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Champion Nova Scotia’s Immigration Needs
Increase the number of nomination certificates to 1000 by 2015 and 1500 by 2020
Focus on the Skills we need and the people who will succeed - Unveil a new Workforce Strategy
- Expand our partnership with employers to identify and anticipate their workforce needs and address the shortages that exist in identified sectors
- Concentrate efforts on immigrants who possess skills needed in value, high-growth industries.
- Speed up the approval process for TFW’s and expedite the recruitment of groups of international workers in certain circumstances
- Extend recruitment efforts through the skilled worker nominee stream to include semi-skilled workers
-
Attract the people most likely to succeed and stay
- Select markets more strategically, focusing on countries and regions where workers have the skills and transferrable credentials to match our workforce needs
- Attend international immigration fairs, participate in trade missions and in some cases, mount our own missions in these markets
- Encourage employers to join government in planning and attending these missions - Launch a new website…www.novascotiaimmigration.ca
- Attract French-speaking newcomers to NS by offering French language materials and a new French website
- Participate in Atlantic collaborative marketing campaigns for immigrants - Offer more information sessions about work programs and immigration
opportunities at NS universities
- Host an annual welcome event for incoming international students attending Nova Scotia universities and college campuses
- Expand the Connector Program
- Encourage more employers to participate in co-op programs as an effective way for students and new graduates to gain a foothold in the job market
Reduce Barriers to working and staying here
- Host an annual skills fair in NS where potential immigrants and employers can meet - Provide outreach and workshops and distribute the Employers Guide to Hiring
international Skilled Workers
- Help to create welcoming workplaces for under-represented groups and ensure businesses benefit from their skills and experience
- Recognize credentials (Recognition of Prior Learning Project)
Help Entrepreneurs
- Use innovative programs like the Agri-Food Pilot Project to attract immigrants who are interested in maintaining or expanding existing farms or developing new ones - Develop programs to attract more immigrant entrepreneurs to NS
Name of Report/Article: Halifax Region Immigration Strategy Organization: Greater Halifax Partnership
Date of Report/Article: July 27, 2005
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS Welcoming Community
- Develop/enhance Diversity/Cultural Awareness Education for community, schools and workplaces
- Develop equitable business practices awareness program
- Develop and disseminate resource materials, tools and programs for community groups and neighbourhoods
- Develop and execute Champions communications/marketing campaign
Services for Immigrants
- Compile list of existing services, information sources and carry out a gap analysis - Develop a plan to fund and build/enhance required services, information needs
(including website and portal)
- Resource profession specific and English in the Workplace programs - Assess and respond to additional day care needs
- Assess and respond to culturally sensitive health care service needs
Employment and Business
- Build/enhance resource materials for Business/Professional/Employment needs - Buiild/acquire a clearing house/brokerage service to match immigrant/employer
needs
- Engage business, labour and professional groups to develop outreach programs - Encourage HRM to take a leadership role in disseminating information about
equitable hiring practices
- Work with NSCC/others to assess and develop training and workplace experience programs
ATTRACTION
Community Support Needs
- Work with the ethno-cultural and faith communities to develop resource materials/programs to assist them in attracting immigrants
- Launch the Francophone immigration pilot
Target Markets
- Research and develop criteria to identify immigrants most suitable to the Halifax region
- Develop communications/marketing campaign for international markets - Develop communications/marketing campaign for national market to attract
secondary immigrants
- Develop collateral materials for and program for embassy staff
- Work with ACOA, Greater Halifax Partnership and NSBI to leverage trade missions - Develop communications/education campaign targeted at local residents. Engage
champions as the voice of immigration
- Work with universities’ international students affairs organizations to facilitate student immigration application support
