The NSNP (Nova Scotia Nominee Program) is the program by which the government of NS selects its immigrant aspirants who will fill the labour market gaps in the province. The selected candidates will be referred to the government of Canada to apply for permanent residence.
The NSNP is one of Canada’s PNPs, with streams for workers, international graduates, and for entrepreneurs.
Choosing Nova Scotia Immigration
Nova Scotia, which is at the extreme east of Canada, is one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada. With a large coast, Nova Scotia has a large selection of beaches. Nova Scotia is the second-smallest of Canada’s provinces, after Prince Edward Island.
Apart from some federal programs, Nova Scotia has its own immigration streams, which very diversified and sometimes targeted at one profession only. Most of the NSNP streams are Express Entry aligned. There are some streams that are targeted especially to physicians and early childhood educators.
With a successful application, a provincial nomination is issued which will lead to receiving 600 extra CRS points. This will lead towards the applicant receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) in the following Express Entry draw.
Concerning the other non-aligned Express Entry streams, there is no need to be in the pool. There are streams for Skilled Workers with job offers in Nova Scotia, and for entrepreneurs already established in the province or foreigners wishing to invest their money in the province as well.
Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) – Overview
| Stream | Main Criteria (not exhaustive) | Job Offer Required | Aligned with Express Entry | Application Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia Express Entry (NSEE) Stream | ||||
| NSEE - Skilled Work Experience in Nova Scotia | Be in the Express Entry pool and have min 1 year of job experience in Nova Scotia | No | Yes | $0 |
| NSEE - Physician | Be in the Express Entry pool and have a job offer with the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre, for NOC 31100, 31101 and 31102 (general and specialist practitioners) | Yes | Yes | $0 |
| NSEE - Letter of Interest | Be in the Express Entry pool and receive a Letter of Interest from Nova Scotia | No | Yes | $0 |
| Skilled Worker (SW) Stream | ||||
| SW - Skilled Worker | Valid, permanent, full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer | Yes | No | $0 |
| SW - Physician | Have a job offer with the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre, for NOC 31100, 31101 and 31102 (general and specialist practitioners) | Yes | No | $0 |
| SW - Construction Worker | Valid, permanent, full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in an eligible construction occupation (list available in stream page) Have min. 1 year of work experience related to the job | Yes | No | $0 |
| SW - In-Demand Worker | Valid, permanent, full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in one of the in-demand occupations (list available in stream page) Have min. 1 year of work experience related to the job | Yes | No | $0 |
| Nova Scotia Graduate (NSG) Stream | ||||
| NS Graduate | Valid, permanent, full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in either NOC 32102 (Paramedical occupations), 32124 (Pharmacy technicians), 33102 (Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates) or 42202 (Early childhood educators and assistants) Have graduated from a program related to the job | Yes | No | $0 |
| Entrepreneur Stream | ||||
| Entrepreneur - Business Owner or Manager | Min 3 years business owner or 5 years senior management experience Min net worth of $400,000 and min investment of $100,000 | No | No | $0 |
| Entrepreneur - Nova Scotia Graduate Entrepreneur | Graduation from min 2-year full-time post-secondary program of study in Nova Scotia Have owned and operated a business in Nova Scotia for at least one year (min 33.33% ownership) | No | No | $0 |
