The business of trying to attract immigrants is a tough one for a small province like Nova Scotia. It is widely recognized that Nova Scotia needs to attract plenty of talented immigrants to fill the gaps in the workforce as the population ages and retires. Major cosmopolitan centres like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver don’t have a problem attracting immigrants, mainly because those centres already have sizable immigrant populations. Aside from the major cities, the general impression of Canada seems to be one of wilderness and open space. For Nova Scotia to attract talented individuals to come live here they must first be convinced that we have something more to offer beyond a quiet lifestyle. And so Nova Scotia developed a mentorship program, which, for a fee, was supposed to help immigrants become integrated into Nova Scotia society.
All the qualified immigrants had to do was pay $130,500, which helped to speed them through the immigration process. The fee was supposed to finance a six-month placement with a Nova Scotia mentor, preferably in the immigrants’ area of expertise. While working with their mentors, the immigrants were to be paid a small salary. The mentorship scheme, which was operated under the economic category of the province’s immigration program, was also supposed to acclimatize the newcomers to life in Nova Scotia. Of the $130,500 the immigrant paid up front, $10,000 went to the program administrator, Cornwallis Financial Corp., $20,000 went to the immigration consultant or lawyer who helped the immigrant and $500 went to the province. The business mentor received $100,000 but was supposed to pay the immigrant a salary of at least $20,000 from that amount. But the mentorship program had many flaws, and last October the provincial government pulled the plug. At that time the government offered to refund $100,000 to immigrants who were still living in Nova Scotia but hadn’t yet signed a contract with a would-be mentor.
Today, many of the immigrant investors who took part in the failed program feel they’ve been ripped off. Many could not find a business mentor that matched their field of expertise and therefore they felt they were required to sign on with someone less than suitable in order to comply with the rules. Who could blame them for having hard feelings? Instead of encouraging immigrants to come to Nova Scotia, the program left many with a bad taste in their mouths about the way they were treated and possibly rethinking their decision to start a new life here. The program’s failure become public knowledge after the government pulled the plug and offered refunds to some of the people who signed up but never found a mentor. Earlier this week, however, a group of upset immigrants, who had completed the program, told their individual stories of disappointment to the legislature’s public accounts committee. Most felt they should be given at least a partial refund. But the government is sticking by its decision to offer $100,000 refunds to people who hadn’t yet signed a mentorship contract. That means about 200 of 800 immigrants under the economic category are not eligible for any kind of refund. This has long-term implications for Nova Scotia. The government needs to treat those who played by the rules of the mentorship program at least as well as those who didn’t find a mentor.
All the qualified immigrants had to do was pay $130,500, which helped to speed them through the immigration process. The fee was supposed to finance a six-month placement with a Nova Scotia mentor, preferably in the immigrants’ area of expertise. While working with their mentors, the immigrants were to be paid a small salary. The mentorship scheme, which was operated under the economic category of the province’s immigration program, was also supposed to acclimatize the newcomers to life in Nova Scotia. Of the $130,500 the immigrant paid up front, $10,000 went to the program administrator, Cornwallis Financial Corp., $20,000 went to the immigration consultant or lawyer who helped the immigrant and $500 went to the province. The business mentor received $100,000 but was supposed to pay the immigrant a salary of at least $20,000 from that amount. But the mentorship program had many flaws, and last October the provincial government pulled the plug. At that time the government offered to refund $100,000 to immigrants who were still living in Nova Scotia but hadn’t yet signed a contract with a would-be mentor.
Today, many of the immigrant investors who took part in the failed program feel they’ve been ripped off. Many could not find a business mentor that matched their field of expertise and therefore they felt they were required to sign on with someone less than suitable in order to comply with the rules. Who could blame them for having hard feelings? Instead of encouraging immigrants to come to Nova Scotia, the program left many with a bad taste in their mouths about the way they were treated and possibly rethinking their decision to start a new life here. The program’s failure become public knowledge after the government pulled the plug and offered refunds to some of the people who signed up but never found a mentor. Earlier this week, however, a group of upset immigrants, who had completed the program, told their individual stories of disappointment to the legislature’s public accounts committee. Most felt they should be given at least a partial refund. But the government is sticking by its decision to offer $100,000 refunds to people who hadn’t yet signed a mentorship contract. That means about 200 of 800 immigrants under the economic category are not eligible for any kind of refund. This has long-term implications for Nova Scotia. The government needs to treat those who played by the rules of the mentorship program at least as well as those who didn’t find a mentor.
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