Nova Scotia has put an immediate indefinite pause on accepting immigration applications from the food services and accommodation sector. There are no changes anticipated for work categories other than food and accommodations.
The sector in question comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing short-term lodging and complementary services to travellers, in facilities such as hotels and resorts.
The food and accommodation sector also comprises establishments primarily engaged in preparing meals, snacks and beverages, to customer orders, for immediate consumption on and off the premises.
While the number of applications under this sector has doubled, the number of spaces allowed by the federal government for approval – 3,500 applications – is the same as last year.
Jennifer L’Esperance, the senior executive director for immigration and population growth for the department, said that “We don’t like to make people wait too long to receive their approval.”
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“We want to keep processing times at a reasonable level, and it’s our job to manage our allocation well and save some spaces for our healthcare and construction applications.”
Those applications submitted by Wednesday noontime will continue to be processed as usual, as per Xixi Jiang of Saltwire.
L’Esperance, however, said that other programs exist that employers can still apply to for essential skilled labor. These include the Atlantic Immigration Program, Temporary Foreign Worker Program and Nova Scotia Works.
For immigration purposes, foreign workers in food and accommodation can apply to the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Federal Student Work Experience Program.
“I would recommend that they look through our website, explore the other options available, review the federal programs and determine what’s best for them,” L’Esperance said.
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) allows prospective immigrants with the skills and experience needed by the province to be nominated to immigrate.
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The NSNP streams are:
- Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities
- Labour Market Priorities for Physicians
- Physician
- Entrepreneur
- International Graduate Entrepreneur
- International Graduates in Demand
- Skilled Worker
- Occupations in Demand
- Critical Construction Worker Pilot
- Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry
Under the Occupation in Demand stream, specific TEER categories 3, 4 and 5 of the National Occupational Classification that are in high labour market demand in Nova Scotia are targeted.
Labour, Skills and Immigration identifies occupations in demand based on labour market information and eligible occupations are subject to change.
