Canadian state to woo 200 business persons this year

The Nova Scotia government in Canada is targeting to attract around 200 business persons from across the world to its province this year.

WorldWide Immigration Consultancy Services Ltd (WWICS), a global resettlement solutions company, is planning to achieve this target by organising seminars and press conferences in different cities of India.

Speaking to Business Standard on the sidelines of a seminar organised on 'Business opportunities in North America', J S Ahluwalia, vice-president (business immigration) of WWICS, said: "In the last 10 years, the company had been able to send about one lakh people to Canada. Around 95 per cent of the people we sent were skilled workers and the remaining were farmers and factory owners."

"Canada offers a social security scheme according to which education is free for students till twelfth standard. Medical care is also free for people of all age groups," Ahluwalia said.

B S Sandhu, chairman and managing director of WorldWide Immigration Consultancy Services Ltd, said that because of a 25 per cent drop in birth rate in Canada, programmes have been made by the provincial governments to increase the influx of new citizens.

"According to the Nova Scotia nominee programme, an applicant can qualify for settling in the province by satisfying certain conditions like having a minimum net worth of C$ 300,000. An experience of owning or operating a business or three years of management experience is also required," Sandhu said.

The applicant also needs to make a one-time non-refundable economic contribution of C$130,500. This amount will be held in a trust and returned if the applicant is refused a Canadian residence visa.

Upon visa issuance and subsequent landing in Canada, the nominee will be able to select from a list of companies approved by the province of Nova Scotia, a six-month middle management employment contract with a salary of C$20,000, Sandhu said.