Nova Scotia’s Provincial Immigration Policy: The Failure of the Business Mentorship Program

In 2002, the province of Nova Scotia developed a provincial nominee program that was to attract newcomers to the region for the purpose of increasing investment, creating high-value jobs and tapping into the qualifications of skilled immigrants to boost the economy. The main stream of the program was the Business Mentorship Program, which, at a cost of $130,000, was expected to attract wealthy and skilled immigrants to the region. However, Nova Scotia did not have the socio-economic conditions necessary to achieve this, nor was the program effective. The ensuing scandal has negatively impacted Nova Scotia's reputation and has cast doubt over the feasibility of the province's immigration and retention targets.