Canadian Immigration News

Recent immigrants to the province of Nova Scotia who wish to establish their own businesses will soon have access to funding support from the provincial credit unions. The Immigrant Small Business Financing Program can offer immigrants who have lived in Nova Scotia for less than five years up to $150,000 to help start, expand, or buy a small business.

Nova Scotia's Immigration Minister Ramona Jannex announced today that a new stream is being added to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). The NSNP Non-Dependent Children of Nova Scotia Nominees stream aims to increase immigration to Nova Scotia, and help the province address its economic and demographic needs.

A new program launched this month by Bow Valley College in Calgary, Alberta aims to improve to integration of Internationally Educated Nurses into practicing nurse positions in Canada. The Integrated Practical Nurse Diploma program has a heavy focus on English as a second language and on learning the Canadian healthcare culture.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)’s eagerly anticipated new series, "The Border", tells the story of a cast of Canadian immigration and customs agents and how they deal with various border security issues. Award-winning filmmaker, Peter Raymont is executive producing the show, whichwas originally conceived by his late wife, Lindalee Tracey.

The government of Alberta's nine-year Health Workforces Action Plan (released last fall) outlined the need to attract foreign health professionals to Alberta and to create Health Career Centres to help them find work in their field.

The provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia have joined British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario in issuing Lists of Regional Occupations Under Pressure. HumanResources and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has implemented these lists to reduce the amount of time it takes for employers to hire temporary foreignworkers in the listed occupations.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced that the Northwest Territorieswill now have its own provincial nominee program (PNP) as part of an immigration agreement with the Canadian government.

The pilot project, announced this week, will expedite the process of employing foreign workers in Alberta and British Columbia's labour-strapped industries.

A new program in Halifax, Nova Scotia, connects new immigrants in the city with local employers, enabling newcomers to begin establishing contacts in Halifax after their arrival in Canada.

Of the over two million people who emigrated from Ireland during the Great Famine of the mid 1800's, tens of thousands chose to make Canada their new home. This mass immigration had a tremendous impact on the social makeup of the young Canada. The 38,000 Irish immigrants who arrived in Toronto in 1847 nearly tripled the city's population, and they were warmly welcomed. Toronto Mayor David Miller called the arrival of these immigrants, "one of the seminal events in the history of Toronto."