65 continuing care assistants offered jobs during recruiting trip to a Kenya

Dozens of new continuing care assistants are expected to start moving to Nova Scotia this year

CityNews Halifax Staff

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Dozens of new continuing care assistants are expected to start moving to Nova Scotia this year.

According to the province, 65 received conditional job offers during a recent recruiting trip to a Kenyan refugee camp.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is finding the right healthcare professionals to fill the vacancies we have across Nova Scotia,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson in a news release.

“There are talented and skilled people around the world who would love to come here, and we would love to have them.”

The continuing care assistants were recruited through the federal Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, which identifies refugees with much-needed skills who meet regional and provincial immigration requirements.

Through the program, the application process is sped up, some fees are waived, the cost of pre-departure medical services and medical exams are covered and loans are offered to help with travel and the cost of getting set up in their new homes.

“We know our efforts to attract new employees to the sector must expand beyond our own borders,” added Mary Lee, the head of the Health Association of Nova Scotia and Igility.

“On this recent trip to Kenya, we had the opportunity to support continuing care recruitment while also offering the chance for a new beginning to those who have been living at refugee camps their whole lives. That’s a win-win for everyone.”

Nova Scotia has already supported 42 applicants through the pilot, including more than 20 continuing care assistants that are already working in the system.

The new recruits will be employed in the continuing care sector around the province and are expected to start arriving in mid-2023.