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The region is attracting and retaining talent through innovative partnerships and initiatives. With close proximity to Halifax, Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island (PEI), & New Brunswick, Pictou County is the ideal location to both do business and to live. Talent is being attracted to life/work balance provided in the region.
Pictou County is home to the Nova Scotia Community College and is located 40-minutes from Saint Francis Xavier University.
Pictou County is the ideal location for companies of all sizes to grow, thrive, and attract talent.
Our team will help you to transition your business, support your growth, and connect to initiatives to increase your talent pools. The Partnership provides a holistic approach to workforce development.
From partner referrals to our local employment organization experts, such as Nova Scotia Works (Career Connections), to community-based organizations that support under-represented community members to access employment opportunities, to supporting employers with immigration programs, the Partnership supports employers in learning more about diverse talent pools.
Programs and support offered at the Partnership.
Nova Scotia Nominee Program
The NSNP Skilled Worker Stream helps employers recruit foreign workers and recently graduated international students whose skills are needed in Nova Scotia. An employer must meet the eligibility requirements for the program and can only hire foreign workers for positions they have been unable to fill with Canadian citizens or permanent residents. There are multiple streams to support employers in meeting their workforce development needs including the Skilled Worker and Occupations in Demand. Stay up to date by visiting the Immigrate Here section of Nova Scotia Immigration’s website for more details on the different streams in the NSNP.
To learn more about this program, please book an appointment with our team.
Atlantic Immigration Program
The AIP is a federal immigration program that helps employers recruit skilled foreign workers and international graduates to meet labour needs. To participate in the AIP, employers must first apply to the province of Nova Scotia to become AIP designated. Designated employers can endorse foreign nationals with a pathway to permanent residence status, making it an attraction tool. Support for a temporary work permit can also be requested from the province of Nova Scotia if required, so that the candidate can work while waiting for their permanent resident application to be processed. Candidates who obtain an approved endorsement from the province of Nova Scotia can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence status. You can learn more about the program, here.
Note: The AIP is an employer-driven program that was introduced in 2022 and builds on the success of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, which closed in 2021. Employers designated under the pilot program must reapply to use the current program.
The Partnership is here to help you in better understanding these programs. To reach out to our workforce development team, please book an appointment with our team.
Pictou County’s Labour Mobility Pilot
In 2019, the Pictou County Partnership began its Labour Mobility Pilot, in partnership with Glen Haven Manor, YMCA Centre for Immigrant Programs, Pictou County Safe Harbour, RefugePoint, Talent Beyond Boundaries, the Shapiro Foundation, the Province of Nova Scotia, and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The pilot set out to establish the proof of concept for a community driven model for labour mobility in Pictou County, Nova Scotia using the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP).
The pilot matched skilled refugees to local employment opportunities.
If you are an employer interested in learning more about this program or a community looking to create your own Labour Mobility Pilot, please contact with our team.
Welcoming Workplaces and Communities
The Pictou County Partnership is funded by IRCC (Immigration, Refugee, Citizenship Canada) to create tools to support more welcoming workplaces.
Here are some tools below that you can use to support your new employee.
Your Guide to Living in Pictou County - a 41-page guide to support settling in Pictou County. To receive a printed copy, please contact the Partnership office. To download a copy, please click here.
Welcome Book - a 92-page guide sharing information about the region. To receive a printed copy, please contact the Partnership office. To download a copy, please click here.
Pictou County videos - a series of videos to help newcomers feel more comfortable exploring community spaces are available on our YouTube channel.
First Two Weeks in Canada Checklist - Use this guide to support your first two-weeks in Canada. To download a version, please click here.
Glossary of Terms - To support knowledge building and understanding among Pictou County employers, and to promote clear communication about immigration, the Pictou County Partnership has compiled a list of common terms and their definitions. To download a copy, please click here.
Immigration Ready Employer Handbook - The Immigration Ready Employer Handbook contains information and tools to support employers with their human resource planning. It will help employers identify opportunities for hiring international talent, and checklists and information to help employers become immigration ready.
This handbook is funded by Labour, Skills, and Immigration – branch of Immigration and Population Growth with the Province of Nova Scotia and ACOA.
Northern Connector Program
The Northern Connector Program, helps newcomers and international and local graduates gain professional networking experience. This program matches newcomers and recent graduates (Connectees) with established business and community leaders (Connectors).
Business leaders use the Connector Program to find talent and promote job opportunities.