Nova Scotia’s pilot program to keep international students in the province has been renewed.
Stay Nova Scotia was launched in 2016 as an experiment to see if the province could increase the retention of international students who stay in the province after graduation.
The initial program offered coaching, one-on-one mentoring and networking opportunities to 50 students from more than 20 different countries. The program also offered a four-month wage subsidy to employers who hired the students into managerial, professional or skilled positions after graduation.
A few months after graduation, 48 of the 50 students were still in Nova Scotia and more than two dozen had found work in their area of study. The initial program was funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, a regional economic development agency sponsored by the federal government.
EduNova Cooperative Ltd, who run the program, will recruit 50 more international students this autumn for the second year of Stay Nova Scotia. The students will receive coaching, mentoring and networking opportunities. A decision is not yet made on whether the wage supplement will be offered this year.
Article published 15th August 2017