National numbers suggest 30 per cent of newcomers likely to leave Canada, but number drops to 13 per cent in Atlantic Canada
A recent survey from Leger suggests 30 per cent of new Canadians between 18 and 34 “are likely to move to another country in the next two years,” but the data is limited for Atlantic Canada.
While the company surveyed 2,013 people, only 40 of the respondents were from Atlantic Canada. The survey doesn’t break down how many respondents were in each Atlantic province.
Of the new Atlantic Canadians surveyed, only 13 per cent between 18 and 34 say they are likely to move to another country in the next two years.
In Nova Scotia, the retention rate of immigrants is 71 per cent, a number the province says is the highest in Atlantic Canada.
The retention rate is the percentage of tax-filing immigrants arriving in a six-year period who are still present in the province in the sixth year, says Marla MacInnis, a spokesperson with the province’s Labour, Skills and Immigration Department. In an email, she says the 71 per cent figure has “held steady” since 2015.
“Nova Scotia has a lot to offer, and we are proud that such a high percentage of immigrants feel the same way,” she says.
Nova Scotia’s population surpassed 1,000,000 late last year. The province aims to double that by 2060 through a mix of migration from other parts of Canada and immigration.