Immigration, repatriation and retention : population strategies on Prince Edward Island and comparable jurisdictions

Abstract

Linked as it is to the rest of Canada, Prince Edward Island (PEl) and its population are strongly impacted by nationwide population dynamics; yet, the province can also introduce specific measures that can influence its demographics. Ironically, while Canada as a whole is a very attractive destination for immigrants, with some 250,000 entries annually, less than 2% of these trickle to the Maritimes or specifically to PEL Moreover, an exodus of young Islanders has been leaving the province in search of work and adventure in the rest of the country. And so, the decline in fertility levels and the increase in life expectancy that is affecting many developed economies (including the Canadian born population), would have serious impacts on the population of PEl, which is currently stable at around 138,000. Even with such a high immigrant influx, various job vacancies persist in the currently booming Canadian economy: in a nation- wide survey conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), "between 250,000 and 3°0,000 positions (approximately 47% of jobs in the small business sector) were vacant due to a shortage of qualified labour" (Maxwell, 2001). This suggests that the skill mix of immigrants entering the country may not be matched by the demand for jobs being created in the economy. Meanwhile, PEl is one of some 110 sub-national island jurisdictions (SNIJs) that exist globally (www.islandstudies.ca/Jurisdiction-Project; Baldacchino, 2006a: 853)' Although it is not a sovereign state, as a province PEl has significant powers over many jurisdictional areas. T his report is a comparative examination of the policies regarding the free movement of persons in PEl, and how these may benefit from a discussion that explores comparable practices from other selected SNIJs.