Jobs & Money Detail
Atlantic coast jobs outlook bright
David Fuller takes a look at the employment opportunities currently on offer for migrants in three of Canadas Atlantic provinces Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island
For those of you who are willing to look past the pros of living in a thriving Canadian city like Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver or Montreal, and head somewhere, shall we say, a little more relaxing, then one of Canada's trio of Maritime provinces may well appeal. The 'Atlantic' provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are each renowned for their laid-back lifestyles and stunning coastal sceneries, not to mention their small sizes especially by Canadian standards which give them a very different feel to their vast westerly neighbours.
However, with many migrants believing that they need to be close to the big cities in order to stand the best chance of finding suitable employment once they emigrate, Canada's Maritime areas often find themselves overlooked by newcomers. In 2005, the combined total of immigrants who moved to these three provinces was just 3,352, under half the amount who moved to Manitoba itself only Canada's fifth most popular province for new immigrants. But for those of you who are tempted by the thought of living in one of the Atlantic provinces, it's worth noting that employment opportunities are most certainly available.
As with most areas of Canada, the Maritimes are facing severe skilled worker shortages in numerous sectors. "There is a huge shortage of skilled workers in New Brunswick that is steadily growing in some areas and expected to accelerate even faster in others," confirms Beverly Woznow, Manager of Immigration and Multiculturalism at the Government of New Brunswick.
Mary Anna Jollymore, Director of Communications at the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration, says that this is very much the case in the province she represents as well. "Like most other provinces in Canada, Nova Scotia is experiencing a skills shortage, amplified by the out-migration of skilled workers to other provinces, and an ageing population. Left unchecked, the shortage could become far greater," she warns. With the homegrown Maritime workforce ageing rapidly, and many of the younger East Coast workers choosing to migrate west where jobs tend to pay more, the Atlantic provincial governments are increasingly viewing attracting more immigrants as the ideal way to plug their skilled worker gaps. "More and more so are immigrants being actively sought to fill gaps in the workforce," explains Jollymore. "Nova Scotia boasts a healthy economy and many available jobs, so it's a question of attracting skilled professionals to the province and making it easier for them to work and live here. "We are looking at the best ways to recognise credentials from outside the country, and to help immigrants find ways to upgrade their skills to meet provincial requirements," she adds.
Jollymore's sentiments are echoed in both New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, where plenty of jobs are available but attracting and retaining workers remains a problem. It's little surprise, then, that all three of these provinces operate Provincial Nominee Programmes (PNP) as a means of luring much-needed skilled immigrants to their province. While each province's PNP looks for slightly different criteria from the people that particular province will ultimately choose to nominate, one consistency among the trio of programmes is that an applicant will need to be in possession of an approved offer of employment when they apply for nomination. "The Nova Scotia Nominee Programme (NSNP) is designed to attract individuals who can make an economic contribution to the province," says Jollymore. "In fact, under most NSNP streams, an individual must have a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia company before a certificate of nomination for permanent residency is issued to the Government of Canada on behalf of the individual," she adds. However, not just any old job offer will do. While NS doesn't have a definitive skills shortage list, the position you have been offered must be deemed by the provincial government to have a shortage of relevant workers. "At the moment, we are anticipating job growth in knowledge-based industries like healthcare and social services, financial and insurance and applied sciences. There are fewer jobs anticipated in goods-based industries," advises Jollymore.
Aside from having a job offer, in Nova Scotia an applicant will also need to be aged between 21 and 55, and meet the relevant standards for education, language ability,
relevant work experience and adaptability. "Away from the NSNP we are also working with the Nova Scotia Department of Education to identify growing sectors of the economy and the types of skills needed. After all, access to meaningful employment is a key factor in a newcomer's decision to stay in an area," adds Jollymore. In both New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, PNP applicants will need to pass a point test similar to the one used for the Federal Skilled Worker visa in addition to being offered a job. Although the actual content of these point tests differ slightly, in each province an applicant will need to score at least 50 points 17 fewer than that needed for a Skilled Worker visa. New Brunswick's programme is like Nova Scotia's insomuch as whether your job offer will be classed as adequate for nomination purposes will depend on whether the government feels there is a shortage in that particular industry. "Occupations which have the best current employment potential in New Brunswick are the following: healthcare; ICT and engineering-related occupations; trucking; trades related to metal working, metal forming, metal shaping, machining, machine operating and metal-related manufacturing; occupations related to heavy construction heavy equipment operators, crane operators, material handlers; occupations related to the retail sector, and to the call centre/customer service sectors," says Woznow.
Unlike Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, PEI has a list of skilled labour shortages, which can be viewed here: and then clicking on the 'Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Programme' link. Although your occupation does not have to be included on this list, your opportunities for employment will be significantly increased if your skills are in one of these areas. Carpenters, construction engineers, game developers, general practitioners of medicine, industrial electricians, long-haul truck drivers, pharmacists, plumbers, registered nurses, social workers and welders are just a few of the occupations currently included on the list (as of 17th May).
If your skills aren't currently in demand in one of these provinces or, for whatever reason, you struggle to secure a pre-arranged job offer, but would still like to settle in one of the Atlantic provinces when you emigrate, then you can still do so through the Skilled Worker category. However, whereas through the Federal visa you are likely to have to wait over four years for your visa to be processed at the Canadian High Commission in London, if you can get nominated by one of these provinces in fact any province you will be eligible for an expedited processing time of around nine months to a year. You will also be assured of having a job ready for you once you emigrate, thus cutting out one of the major stresses people have upon settling in Canada.
Of course, one of the major factors which puts people off choosing to emigrate to the Atlantic provinces and indeed one of the things that pushes local workers away is the aforementioned lower pay compared to what is one offer further east. "In 2006 the average weekly wage in Nova Scotia was CDN$618.60 (approximately £284.80), compared with a national average of $727.78 (approximately £336.70)," says Jollymore. In New Brunswick the average weekly wage is slightly better although still below the national median at CDN$698.77 (approximately £335.70), while in Prince Edward Island it is even lower (CDN$611.29 approximately £281.45). However, as Woznow points out, the lower wages are all relative to a lower cost of living: "Rates of pay in New Brunswick are similar to those in other smaller provinces and although they are lower than those in the largest and fastest-growing provinces, when the cost of living, especially housing, is factored in, a similar standard of living is on offer," she says. When you consider that the average house of a property in these three Maritime provinces is CDN$144,442 (approximately £66,500) compared to a national average of CDN$299,998 (approximately £138,137), there certainly appears to be some merit in what Woznow is saying.
So what advice do Jollymore and Woznow have for those of you who may be interested in looking for work and settling in their province? "Get to know New Brunswick well enough to know that this is a place where you would like to make a home for yourself and your family," says Woznow. "Learn about the province and businesses here and then use the services available to assist you in your employment searches." Jollymore's advice is similar: "Individuals thinking about moving to Nova Scotia should take a look at the websites of Nova Scotia companies as well as local professional and industry associations relevant to the type of employment being sought," she says. "Nova Scotia employers are looking to fill positions, and there will be more positions opening up in upcoming years, particularly in areas like healthcare, financial services and insurance and the applied sciences."
With all this in mind, then, before you simply decide to head to one of Canada's thriving metropolises and into that big city environment (that you're emigrating to leave behind in the first place), it's worth remembering that your employment needs may just be as well served on Canada's East Coast.
For further information:
Nova Scotia Immigration
New Brunswick Immigration
Prince Edward Island Immigration
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