Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program

Nova Scotia, located on Canada’s east coast on Atlantic Ocean, is surrounded by the natural beauty of the rolling sea, lush green forests, lakes, and farmland. A diverse history of aboriginal, Celtic, Acadian, and African cultures that dates back hundreds of years and, in the case of the Mi’kmaw, thousands of years, makes Nova Scotia home to more than 100 cultures and ethnicities from all over the globe.

With the scenic splendor, disparate cultural history, and enormous natural resources, the province offers quality and affordable living in addition to the growing demand for more highly skilled workers. The five key regions (Halifx, Annapolis Valley, Northern & Southern Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton) have numerous opportunities across various industries and businesses in the provincial labor market.

The Nova Scotia Nominee Program targets prospective immigrants with the desired skills and experience for nomination.

NSNP Streams

• Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities
• Labour Market Priorities for Physicians
• Physician
• Entrepreneur
• International Graduate Entrepreneur
• Skilled Worker
• Occupations in Demand
• Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry
• Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry
• International Graduates in Demand

Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities

Candidates in the federal Express Entry system, who meet provincial labour market needs, are selected by the Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities stream to apply for nomination. To apply candidate must:

• Receive a Letter of Interest from the NSNP within the Express Entry system.
• Meet the minimum work experience requirements of the Express Entry stream for which you have qualified.
• Demonstrate sufficient funds to successfully establish yourself and your family in Nova Scotia and to pay your immigration costs and travel expenses.
• Have legal status in your current country of residence.
• Have a valid Express Entry number and meet all IRCC criteria for the Express Entry pool.

Labour Market Priorities for Physicians

This stream selects physicians to apply for nomination through the federal Express Entry system. To apply candidate must:

• Have an approved opportunity from the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) or the IWK Health Centre as either a general practitioner and family physician (NOC 3112) or a specialist physician (NOC 3111).
• Provide a copy of a signed Return for Service Agreement with the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness indicating commitment to live and work in Nova Scotia for a minimum period of two years.
• Receive a Letter of Interest from the Nova Scotia Nominee Program within the Express Entry system.
• Meet the minimum work experience requirements of the Express Entry stream for which you have qualified.
• Demonstrate sufficient funds to successfully establish yourself and your family in Nova Scotia and to pay your immigration costs and travel expenses; and
• Have legal status in your current country of residence.

Physician

Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) and Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) is assisted by the Physician Stream to hire general practitioners, family physicians, and specialist physicians to work in Nova Scotia. The NSHA and IWK can recruit and retain physicians with the desired skills for positions that could not be filled with a permanent resident or Canadian citizen under this stream. To apply candidate must:

• Fall under NOC 3112 (as either a general practitioners or family physicians) or NOC 3111 as specialist physicians
• Have signed approved opportunities with the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre.
• The approved opportunity must be on official NSHA or IWK letterhead and must:
  • Be signed and dated by a person authorized to hire physicians at the NSHA or IWK
  • Be signed and dated by the applicant who is accepting the opportunity
  • Indicate eligibility for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of NS
  • Indicate that the applicant is eligible to apply for privileges and credentials with NSHA and the IWK

Entrepreneur

The Entrepreneur Stream is for experienced business owners or senior business managers who want to live in Nova Scotia and want to either start a new business or buy an existing business and actively participate in the day-to-day management of the business. The entrepreneur may be nominated for permanent resident status after operating the business for a year. To apply candidate must:

• Be 21 years of age or older.
• Be interested to live permanently in Nova Scotia while owning and actively managing a Nova Scotia business.
• Have a net worth of at least $600,000 CAD.
• Be able to invest at least $150,000 CAD of your own money to establish a business in Nova Scotia.
• Have at least 3 years’ experience actively managing and owning a business (1/3 ownership minimum) or more than 5 years’ experience in a senior business management role.
• Have a score of at least 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English or French.
• Complete an online Expression of Interest;
• Receive an Invitation to Apply from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration.

International Graduate Entrepreneur

Recent graduates of a Nova Scotia university or the Nova Scotia Community College may apply under the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream. If the graduate intends to settle in Nova Scotia, the graduate may be nominated for permanent resident status if they have already started or purchased a Nova Scotia business and operated it for at least a year. To apply candidate must:

• Be interested to live permanently in Nova Scotia while owning and actively managing a Nova Scotia business.
• Have at least one year’s continuous experience actively managing and owning their current Nova Scotia business (33.33% ownership minimum.
• Have completed a degree or diploma after at least 2 academic years of full-time, in-person study at a university in Nova Scotia or the Nova Scotia Community College.
• Have a valid post-graduation work permit.
• Have a score of at least 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmark in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English or French.
• Complete an online Expression of Interest.
• Receive an Invitation to Apply from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration.

Skilled Worker

The Skilled Worker stream assists employers to recruit foreign workers and recently graduated international students with specific skills needed in Nova Scotia for the positions they could not fill with permanent residents or Canadian citizens. To apply candidate must:

• Have a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer.
• Have 1 year of work experience related to the job. (Semi-skilled and low-skilled workers must already have six months’ experience with the employer.).
• Be 21 to 55 years old.
• Have a high school diploma.
• Have the appropriate training, skills and/or accreditation for the job.
• Prove language ability equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 5 if you are a skilled worker Semi-skilled and low-skilled worker must meet CLB 4 even if their first language is English or French.
• Show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.

Occupations in Demand

The Occupations in Demand stream targets specific NOC C, intermediate-skilled occupations that are in high labour market demand in Nova Scotia. The eligible occupations are subject to change based on labour market demand. To apply candidate must:

• Have a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in either NOC 3413 (Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates) or NOC 7511 (Transport truck drivers).
• Have 1 year of work experience related to the job.
• Be 21 to 55 years old.
• Have a high school diploma.
• Have the appropriate training, skills and/or accreditation for the job.
• Prove language ability equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 even if your first language is English or French.
• Show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry

The highly skilled individuals who wish to live in Nova Scotia permanently and have a high probability of quickly finding a job in Nova Scotia’s labour market can apply under The Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream. This stream is divided into two separate categories as follows:

Category A (for applicants with job offer) that remains open

Category B (for applicants with experience in an opportunity occupation) which is expected to open and close throughout the year.

To apply under Category A, applicant must

• Have a profile registered in IRCC Canada’s Express Entry system.
• Score 67 points or more on the stream’s six selection factors.
• Have a job offer from a Nova Scotia employer for full-time skilled work that lasts at least one year after your permanent resident visa is issued.
• Have 1 year of skilled work experience related to the job.
• Have a Canadian high school credential or equivalent.
• Prove language ability in English or French at Canadian Language Benchmark 7.
• Show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.

To apply under Category B, applicant must

• Be in one of the target occupations as identified in the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry guide.
• Have a profile registered in IRCC Canada’s Express Entry system.
• Score 67 points or more on the stream’s six selection factors.
• Have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in one of our target occupations.
• Have a Canadian high school credential or equivalent.
• Prove language ability in English or French at Canadian Language Benchmark 7;
• Show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry

This stream selects applicants with at least one year of experience working in Nova Scotia in a high skilled occupation. To apply candidate must:

• Have at least 1 year of work experience in Nova Scotia.
• Be 21 to 55 years old.
• Have a Canadian high school credential or equivalent.
• Prove language ability in English or French on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB). CLB 7 is required for skilled work in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 0 and A and CLB 5 for NOC B positions.
• Have a profile registered in IRCC Canada’s Express Entry system.

International Graduates in Demand

This stream is for recent international graduates whose skills and education match specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) job categories as follows:

• NOC 3413: nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates.
• NOC 4214: early childhood educators and assistants
  .

Eligibility Requirements

• HJob Offer: Applicant must have a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in a job category listed above that corresponds with applicant’s recent field of study;< /span>
• Age: 21 to 55 years old;
• Education: Minimum high school diploma. The study program must have completed at least 50% of the program in Nova Scotia in last 3 years. For NOC 3413, the program must grant a certificate, diploma, or degree. For NOC 4214, the program must grant a diploma or a degree.
• language: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 5 even if your first language is English or French. ​