UK 2 Nova Scotia

Sharon Carragher laughs as she recalls the night she first heard of Nova Scotia. It was spring 2007 and her husband was doing some internet searching on emigrating from England to Canada. Although the couple had been thinking seriously about moving for over a year, up until that night they’d only been looking at Canada’s west coast.

“Alan called out to me that there was a lovely property in a place called Nova Scotia. I’d never heard of it before,” said Sharon.

A bit more searching and the Carraghers not only decided Nova Scotia was worth checking out, they’d found UK 2 Nova Scotia, a settlement consultancy firm that proved itself to be the ideal company to help the Carraghers make their transatlantic dreams a reality.

“It was like talking with old friends. Anything we wanted to know we’d email or call and they’d get back to us right away with a list of options,” Sharon said, from her home in Fall River, where they moved in August 2008. “They helped enormously, not just when we were in England and planning to come here, but after we got here, too.”

UK 2 Nova Scotia is owned and operated by Mike and Orla Wilson, two former Britons who, like many other UK immigrants, came to Nova Scotia looking for a better future for their two children. In 2005, the Wilsons started their unique relocation service agency to help other immigrants figure out the logistics of moving from one continent to another with things such as employment information, real estate services, banking and mortgage information, along with many other settlement information and services.

They even go so far as to explain quirky little details about Nova Scotian life that born and bred Bluenosers sometimes take for granted. In one of their many fact sheets, for instance, they decode what a Tim Hortons’ ‘double-double’ means for uninitiated newcomers.

And they do it all at no charge to clients. In fact, by signing on with UK 2 Nova Scotia, clients end up saving money rather than spending it. “I’ve worked it out, I can save people anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000,” said Mike Wilson.

Although the Wilsons knew they had a good idea with UK 2 Nova Scotia, they would soon find out just how good. In their first year, they helped 160 new immigrants move to Nova Scotia. In 2008, they assisted more than 2,000 people — most of them skilled workers at the top of their trade.

“It works very well for employers as they’re getting highly skilled, highly motivated employees who are choosing to come here and build a future for their families,” Wilson said.

And it looks like business will only continue to grow as UK 2 Nova Scotia is launching a free online résumé database for Nova Scotia employers this month — a database that will allow employers to search potential employees from Britain by both skills and view full résumés.

“This will save an employer on average $10,000 in recruitment fees, and give them direct access to potential employees,” Wilson explained.

Given that the average age of a UK immigrant is between 30 and 45, the work the Wilsons are doing with local employers, such as IMP Group in Halifax, is not only helping to recruit much-needed foreign workers to help offset critical labour shortages, it’s a significant boost to the local economy as well — with as much as $50 million or more, generated and invested in the province.

The success of UK 2 Nova Scotia’s service has recently caught the interest of New Brunswick employers. With growing demand in that province as well, the Wilsons are planning to start up a new venture, UK 2 New Brunswick, later this year.

Although some clients, like the Carraghers, discover UK 2 Nova Scotia through their own internet searches, most sign on at emigration fairs held regularly at various locations around Great Britain. The Wilsons attend the fairs as often as time allows, frequently bringing partner companies along, such as realtors Annette and Jerry Murphy.

“These shows are huge. We were just blown away by the number of people who come. At the first show we went to, 40 people signed up right there. It was incredible,” said Annette Murphy.

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Annette says she loves meeting prospective immigrants as it gives her a chance to show her pride in what this province has to offer.

“We live here and we love it so it’s wonderful to be able to share that,” she said. “And the people who move here, they love it too. They can’t believe how open and friendly Nova Scotians are. What more could you ask for? It’s so rewarding.”

While their clientele has grown in leaps and bounds over the last four years, the Wilsons are still careful in vetting their suppliers and partner agencies. “You’ve got to have an ethical model, it’s the only way to succeed in this industry,” Wilson said.

It’s a commitment to integrity their clients appreciate.

“When you first start out, you know nothing. Not a thing,” said Bex Saunders, who emigrated to Nova Scotia with her husband Brad and three children in November 2007. “If it hadn’t been for Mike and Orla, we’d have been doing this blind. They made themselves completely available to us. We trust them implicitly.”