Last Updated On 27 May 2025, 9:06 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
Atlantic Canada faces a persistent challenge: retaining immigrants.
Despite efforts to attract newcomers to provinces like New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), and Newfoundland and Labrador, many leave within a few years, often for better opportunities elsewhere.
With Lena Metlege Diab, a Nova Scotia MP, appointed as Canada’s new Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship in 2025, experts are urging her to prioritize strategies to boost retention rates in the region.
Economist Herb Emery, Vaughan Chair in Regional Economics at the University of New Brunswick, emphasizes that better economic opportunities, credential recognition, and innovative policies are key to keeping immigrants in Atlantic Canada.
This article explores the region’s retention struggles, the economic factors driving out-migration, and actionable solutions to make east coast of Canada a permanent home for newcomers.
Table of Contents
Atlantic Canada’s immigrant retention rates lag behind the national average.
A Statistics Canada report highlights that immigrants intended for Atlantic provinces increasingly relocate to Ontario, drawn by stronger job markets and settlement support.
P.E.I. has the lowest retention rate in Canada, though recent data shows slight improvement.
Although, the province’s three-year retention rate rose from 33.3% in 2017 to 43% in 2021, according to P.E.I.’s population framework.
Still, these numbers reveal a troubling trend: many newcomers see Atlantic Canada as a temporary stop rather than a long-term home.
The answer lies in the region’s economic structure.
Atlantic Canada has historically relied on immigration to fill immediate labour shortages, particularly in low-wage, seasonal industries like agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.
These jobs, while critical, often lack the upward mobility or competitive salaries that professionals seek.
As Emery said, “When you look at the wages and median incomes of newcomers, they’re quite low in the region.”
Without opportunities to earn a sustainable living, immigrants, especially those with advanced skills or education, seek better prospects in provinces like Ontario or Alberta.
Atlantic Canada’s economy is heavily seasonal and labour-intensive, with industries that often operate on thin profit margins.
This structure limits the region’s ability to offer high-paying, stable jobs that appeal to skilled immigrants.
Emery notes that the region has prioritized filling low-wage roles that Canadians are less likely to take, such as entry-level positions in hospitality or agriculture.
While this addresses short-term labour needs, it fails to create a sustainable workforce for the future.
The region’s aging population and high youth out-migration exacerbate the problem.
Young residents often move to provinces like Alberta or Ontario for better career prospects, leaving Atlantic Canada reliant on immigrants to maintain its workforce.
However, without long-term career opportunities, immigrants follow suit, contributing to the region’s brain drain.
Emery explains, “If you want to be a professional after a couple of years, the opportunities to integrate are better in other provinces, where they have better resources for settlement.”
The Role of the New Immigration Minister
Lena Metlege Diab’s appointment as immigration minister offers hope for Atlantic Canada.
As a Nova Scotia native, she understands the region’s unique challenges.
Emery believes her regional roots could drive policies tailored to Atlantic Canada’s needs, particularly in addressing retention.
Diab’s role will involve balancing national immigration goals with regional priorities, ensuring that Atlantic Canada isn’t left behind in Canada’s broader economic strategy.
Solutions to Boost Retention
To reverse the trend of low retention, Atlantic Canada must adopt a multi-faceted approach.
Here are key strategies to make the region more attractive to immigrants:
Create High-Value Economic Opportunities
The most effective way to retain immigrants is to offer competitive wages and career growth.
Emery emphasizes, “You need to provide opportunities to earn a good living.”
This means investing in industries that offer stable, high-paying jobs, such as technology, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.
By diversifying the economy beyond seasonal industries, Atlantic Canada can attract and retain professionals who might otherwise leave for urban centres.
For example
Nova Scotia has seen growth in its tech sector, with companies like IBM and REDspace establishing a presence in Halifax.
Expanding these industries across the region could create a pipeline of high-skill jobs, appealing to both immigrants and local graduates.
Improve Credential Recognition
Many immigrants arrive with advanced education and professional experience but struggle to have their credentials recognized in Canada.
This forces skilled workers, such as doctors or engineers, into low-skill jobs, leading to frustration and out-migration.
Emery suggests prioritizing credential recognition programs to help immigrants work in their fields.
Streamlined processes, funding for bridging programs, and partnerships with professional associations could ensure newcomers can contribute their expertise to the region’s economy.
Support International Students
International students are a valuable resource for Atlantic Canada.
Universities like the University of New Brunswick, Dalhousie University, and Memorial University attract thousands of students annually, many of whom could stay if given the right incentives.
Emery advocates for policies to retain these graduates, such as post-graduation work permits tailored to regional needs or job placement programs.
By creating pathways to permanent residency and employment, Atlantic Canada can convert students into long-term residents.
Innovative Tax Incentives
Emery proposes creative tax policies to encourage long-term settlement.
For instance, offering tax credits to immigrants who remain in Atlantic Canada for five or more years could incentivize staying.
These benefits would be particularly effective for high-earning professionals, such as physicians or engineers, who could see significant financial advantages.
Such policies would signal that Atlantic Canada values its newcomers and is committed to their long-term success.
Strengthen Settlement Support
Integration is critical to retention.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Emery notes, Canada struggled to integrate newcomers effectively, leaving many feeling disconnected from their communities.
Enhanced settlement services, such as language training, cultural orientation, and community engagement programs, can help immigrants build roots.
Organizations like the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) already provide valuable support, but expanding these services across the region could make a significant difference.
As Canada faces economic pressures, including potential U.S. tariff threats, new Prime Minister Mark Carney is all set to remove interprovincial trade barriers.
These barriers, such as differing regulations across provinces, can complicate business operations but also protect smaller regions like Atlantic Canada.
Emery warns that eliminating them could be a “dangerous gamble.”
Larger provinces like Ontario have “thicker labour markets,” making it easier for businesses to set up there.
Without barriers, Atlantic Canada risks losing businesses and jobs to these economic hubs, further weakening its ability to retain immigrants.
However, if managed carefully, reducing trade barriers could attract investment to Atlantic Canada, provided the region remains competitive.
Investments in infrastructure, education, and innovation could help balance the risks and rewards, ensuring that the region benefits from a more integrated national economy.
Atlantic Canada’s low immigrant retention rates are a wake-up call.
To thrive, the region must move beyond filling low-wage jobs and focus on building a vibrant, diversified economy.
With Lena Metlege Diab at the helm of Canada’s immigration policy, there’s an opportunity to implement targeted strategies that address the region’s unique challenges.
By offering competitive wages, streamlining credential recognition, supporting international students, and introducing innovative incentives, Atlantic Canada can become a destination where immigrants choose to stay.
Atlantic Canada has immense potential to become a welcoming, prosperous home for immigrants.
By addressing the root causes of low retention, limited economic opportunities, barriers to professional integration, and insufficient settlement support, the region can reverse its out-migration trends.
Lena Metlege Diab’s leadership, combined with evidence-based policies and regional collaboration, could mark a turning point.
As Atlantic Canada invests in its future, it can transform from a temporary stop into a permanent home for newcomers, driving economic growth and cultural diversity for generations to come.
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