Onens population immigration_and_retention_nov_14_2014

1. Youth & International Student
Retention
November 14, 2014
Acadia University
Wolfville, NS
Saeed El-Darahali
Chair Immigration & Retention
Committee

2. Contributors
• Dr. Martha Crago Jarrell Whisken
• Joella Fould Kelly Meagher
• Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed Robyn Webb
• Chantel Brine Jeff Larson
• Andy Osborne Gerry Mills
• Jonathan Williams Mike Kennedy
• Rany Ibrahim, Sonja Grcic-Stuart
• Akram Al-otumi Chris Bryant
• Fadi Al Qassar Maha Amin
• Jackie Guo Kimberly White
• Jennifer Liu Jan Sheppard Kutcher
• David Nurse

3. FACTS
• Nova Scotia is on the verge of a significant and prolonged
decline
• Rural regions of the province where more than two-fifths of
our population now make their living
• We need to achieve significantly higher rates of attraction
and retention of both inter-provincial and international
immigrants to grow the population overall, increase the
number of entrepreneurs, and renew the labour force
• Youth leaving the community or the province for job
opportunities
• Not completing high school and troubling decline in literacy
and numeracy levels

4. CAUSE
• Our current population challenge has two
dimensions: a decline in the absolute number
of people in the province but also the
changing age group make-up.
• Nova Scotia now has the oldest age profile of
any Canadian province except Newfoundland
and Labrador, with more people retiring out of
the labour force than young people entering.

5. CORRELATIONS
• We cannot grow the population unless the
economy is generating more jobs to stem out-migration
and attract immigrants
• We cannot sustain economic growth over time
unless renewed population growth provides
more workers, more entrepreneurs and more
consumers

6. CHALLENGES
• People, especially young and more skilled people, will
pursue opportunities to improve their situation and realize
their aspirations.
• Businesses throughout NS economy face a new and
growing challenge in attracting and retaining skilled labour.
• New immigrants and our own young people will not stay
and raise families in local communities when they have
much more attractive career opportunities in other places.
• Opening up our workplaces to greater participation by
minority and disadvantaged people, and building job skills
and entrepreneurship among these groups, are critical
objectives for social and economic progress in NS.

7. NOW OR NEVER
• Unless Nova Scotia first stabilizes the population
base and then begins to increase the population
of working age people, it will not be possible to
sustain current levels of economic well-being
across the province, let alone improve them.
• There are only two ways to grow the population
significantly over the medium term: expand
international immigration and substantial net
inflows from inter-provincial migration.

8. PLANNING FRAMEWORK
• Now – A quick solution to help drive momentum.
• Short-term – A solution that can be implemented in 6-12 months.
• Long-term – A solution that can be implemented in 12-48 months.
• Creative – A solution that can be implemented with long term
sustainability but may require more research and support.

9. Youth Employment
Reduce unemployment to 14%.

10. Connecting Skill with Opportunity
• Hello Mr. El-Darahali,
•
• My name is Mark and I have been living in Halifax for the past 3 years now. I
graduated from CBU university in Sydney in 2011. Since then I have been trying to
find a job in my field in Information System Technology in companied with my
experience that I gathered in the last 3 years in Marketing, Sales and Customer
Service. But unfortunately I had no luck. I wish if you allow me to meet with you
for couple of minutes to ask you some advise in where and how to start my career
in my field and what advise you can give me since you are a very successful
business man in your field. I really hope that I get to meet with you soon, I tried to
apply for jobs in my field 1000 times but was never successful, I hope you have
some advice to help me. All I hope for is to start a job in a decent and growing
company.
•
• Thank you ,
• Mark H.

13. A “Now” Idea: Diversity & Inclusion
Index (DII)
(Now, Short-term, Long-term, Creative)
• Everyone is an equal opportunity employer, but we need
accountability.
• The concept of the DII program is to provide a website badge for
businesses that participate in the program. The index will include
minority groups and youth as part of the classification. Our goal is to
have each business include at least 1 individual that is either an
immigrant, youth, minority or a disabled person.
• The more diversified we are the higher the probability of inclusion of
all members of society
• We need to set the goal to 10% for DII
• Government needs to drive DII as part of the RFP requirements and
ask businesses to report their DII score. Indirect influence.

14. S: Business Competition at High School
Level
• Introduce a two week business competition at all high schools. The
goal is to initiate the entrepreneurial spirit as a focused effort for
two full weeks.
• Workshops would be provided by teachers
• 1st week each high school will choose 5 top teams to compete on
regional level
• Each of the five teams will complete at the provincial level at a local
university
• Deliverable – 15 page power point presentation of the business and
10 page business plan
• $100,000 cash prize for the winning team + $50,000 will go to the
winning high school
• An organisation like Junior Achievement could organise the event.

15. L: Employer Incentive to Hire Youth
• Create a oneNS rotation desk at every employer in the province. The pilot
program will be launched with only 1,000 desks on a first come basis.
• The compensation could be $500/week, credit of 50% of the program will
be paid back to the employer at end of year.
• Cost of the program - $13M [ Feds have a program to cover partial cost]
• Maximum of one term per new graduate. You can’t reoffer to the same
employee, if the employer likes the worker, they can offer them a
contract.
• Maximum 4 work terms per employee. You can only be admitted in the
program once.
• Selection will be based on youth career objectives and company industry.
Random selection, employer is supporting the initiative not burdened by
it.

16. L: Study & Work in NS Program
• Option # 1
– If you study at a NS university and work at NS company, we
will eliminate your NS tax payable for the first 2 years.
• Option # 2
– NS government will refund your interest expense on your
loan for the first 2 years.
• Option #3
– If you stay in NS for 4 years, you will receive lump sum
payment of NS tax amount to apply for the next 2 years to
your NS tax bill.

17. C: Adopt a student program
• Each professional in NS will adopt a 3rd year
student at a local university or college.
• The goal is to share with them the skills that are
needed in their chosen field.
• Maximum 5-hour mentorship face-to-face
program over 4 month period.
• Produce the top 10-skills needed to succeed in
their chosen field.
• Celebrate the volunteers.

18. International Students
Gain of 7,000 new permanent resident per year

19. N: Immigration Fast Track
• At 4th year, initiate an immigration recruitment
program and encourage students to apply for
permanent residency.

20. N: Assist NS business to export to your
native homeland
• Support a local business to export successfully
their product to your native homeland.
• When the business exports successfully, they
must write you a letter and substantiate the
size of the exports.

21. S: Business Start-up Program
• Start a business in NS and hire one full-time
Canadian Citizen for 14 months and
automatically receive permanent residency
status.
• Most students have access to cash from
overseas, this will encourage them to take the
risk and start a business.

22. L: Open branch office
• Setup a branch office of company from your
homeland and generate revenue in NS.

23. C: Permanent Residency Sponsor
Incentive
• Sponsor an international student to gain
permanent residency status and receive 25%
credit on NS tax in year one and 50% in year two.
• The goal of the program is to provide
international students access to two years
experience and become productive citizens.
• NS will become the most attractive province for
students and international students.

24. S: Graduate Level Program(Post
undergraduate)
• Complete graduate or Ph’d level program after
completing 4 year undergraduate program in
the province.
• Or complete a two-year college program

25. Discussion
Thank You!