As a center for employment services, the YMCA / Nova Scotia at work serves between 250 and 300 immigrants per year, 49% of whom identify as Francophone. “We estimate that a quarter of them are from France, Details Nancy Hayes, French Services Manager at YMCA/Nova Scotia at Work. Since most are bilingual and educated, it is relatively easy for them to find a job, although their qualifications are not always recognized by professional bodies. » Nova Scotia has relied on immigration for several years as it grapples with a demographic crisis caused by an aging population and low birth rate. The province is officially English-speaking, but the various levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal) have a great need for bilingual candidates to improve the provision of services in French. Several large companies also require bilingual staff as they serve the French-speaking communities of the Atlantic provinces (including Nova Scotia) and Quebec. Out of nearly 1,500 immigrants in 2013, Nova Scotia accepted nearly 7,000 last year. Halifax, the capital, has evolved from a relatively quiet East Coast city into an increasingly diverse and vibrant urban center of half a million people. “Francophone immigration to the province is crucial to meet the growing needs of employers recruiting bilingual candidates, continues Nancy Hayes. Some immigration programs give applicants additional points for being bilingual. » The provincial government plans to double the population of Nova Scotia to two million people by 2060.

An expanded list of jobs

Traditionally, the province’s economy was based on the exploitation of natural resources, but is now also supported by trade, new technologies and tourism. To speed economic recovery from the pandemic, Nova Scotia’s Department of Jobs, Skills and Immigration has expanded its list of high-demand jobs to allow people to expedite their immigration. The list of occupations includes counter attendants, kitchen hands, related labors, catering and cleaning workers. the YMCA / Nova Scotia at work recently joined RIFNE (Réseau en Immigration Francophone de la Nouvelle-Écosse) and offers various support services to job seekers, e.g. B. Canadian job search preparation (resume, cover letter, interview, etc.), individual support, skills development support, career planning, job retention, job search and computer workshops. “Thanks to our partnership with Francophone Immigration of Nova Scotia, we are able to offer our services from their office at the Mumford Professional Center, adds Nancy Hayes, and thus make it easier for new immigrants to access our services. In particular, I work closely with several employers who are interested in recruiting bilingual candidates, which allows us to better understand their job needs and find candidates that match their needs through recruitment support and planning, assistance in creating competency-based job descriptions and Access to faster identification of job-ready candidates, employee retention and retention support, informational events and/or job fairs. Our ultimate goal is to get people into employment and to fill vacancies with our employers. »

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