News Briefs – Nova Scotia Joins Nominee Program

Nova Scotia is the latest province to join the Provincial Nominee Agreement with the Federal Government. This province is seeking the ability to recruit 200 immigrants per year, based on its own criteria. The criteria of the program has not yet been established.

Immigration Minister Advocates Rural Settlement

Canadian Immigration Minister, Denis Coderre, is proposing a plan to encourage newly arriving immigrants to settle in smaller communities. Major metropolitan centres such as Toronto receive a disproportionate share of new arrivals, possibly because new arrivals do not know as much about the smaller communities.

Minister Advocates Regulation of Consultants

Speaking to an audience overseas, Denis Coderre has again stated that he has the intention to regulate the practice of immigration consultants. He stated that he may do so as early as 2003.

Mr. Coderre is hoping to implement provisions which would govern the practice of such consultants, much in the same way as Canadian lawyers are by the Canadian Bar Association, and the Provincial Bar Associations.