N.S. hits ‘pause’ on immigration nominee program applications for restaurant sector

Nova Scotia has placed a temporary hold on applications from workers in the food and accommodation sector who are seeking immigration through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program, following overwhelming demand.

The program allows the province to nominate skilled workers to settle as permanent residents in Nova Scotia, but officials said a pause was needed.

In March 2023, the program received 460 applications, compared to 830 applications in March of this year.

“It’s great that so many employers and candidates are accessing our programs, but we need to pause at this point and assess the applications that we have in our office,” said Jenn L’Esperance, senior executive director with the immigration and population growth branch of the Labour Skills and Immigration Department.

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She says the federal government accepts 3,57 applications for the program each year. That number has remain unchanged, she adds, but the demand from the food service and accommodation sector has skyrocketed.

“As of the first quarter of 2024, of all the applications that have come in so far, about half have been food service and accommodation related,” said Natasha Chestnut with the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia.

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However, the Centre for Migrant Workers Rights Nova Scotia is concerned the move will make it harder for migrants to obtain permanent residence. Stacey Gomez, an advocate with the group, calls it “closing the door.”

“(It’s) decreasing opportunities for migrant workers to access permanent residence and we know that this is one of the key issues that migrant workers are raising to us,” said Gomez.

The province says while they are happy to see the nominee program thrive, they need to make space for applications in other sectors.

“Our provincial immigration programs are meant for when employers have looked in the local labour market or are unable to find the labour that they need,” said L’Esperance.

“We’re really happy to see that the work that we’ve done with employers, to let them know that we’re an option here, is working …We need to make sure that we keep some spaces for health-care workers and our construction workers, who are also coming through those programs as well.”

The province has not set a timeline on when the pause on food and accommodation sector applications will be lifted.

— with a file from Global News’ Rebecca Lau