Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
Overview.
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) targets prospective immigrants who have the skills and experience to boost the province’s economy and tackle demographic challenges.
Candidates who meet the criteria of one of nine different streams can be nominated for Nova Scotia immigration, with a target processing time of three months.
The nine streams are:
- Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry
- Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities
- Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities For Physicians
- Skilled Worker
- Physician
- Occupations In Demand
- International Graduates In Demand
- Entrepreneur
- International Graduate Entrepreneur
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Mandatory Requirements
Click to see all the mandatory requirements:
The Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry stream selects highly skilled individuals who wish to live in Nova Scotia permanently. Applicants must have at least one year of experience working in Nova Scotia in a high skilled occupation.
To apply you 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). You need CLB 7 for skilled work in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 0 and A. You need CLB 5 for NOC B positions;
- have a profile registered in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Express Entry system
The Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities For Physicians stream allows the province to select candidates who are qualified doctors from the federal Express Entry pool.
The stream specifically targets two National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:
- NOC 3112: Family Physicians
- NOC 3111: Specialist Physicians
To apply you must:
- Have an approved job offer from Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre as either a Family Physician (NOC 3112) or a Specialist Physician (NOC 3111).
- Commit to live and work in Nova Scotia for a minimum period of two years.
- Receive a Letter of Interest from the NSNP through Express Entry.
- Submit your application within 30 calendar days of the issue date of the Letter of Interest.
- Meet the minimum work experience requirements of the Express Entry-linked program for which you have qualified.
- Demonstrate sufficient funds to establish yourself and your family in Nova Scotia.
- Have legal status in your current country of residence.
The Skilled Worker stream helps employers recruit foreign workers and recently graduated international students whose skills are needed in Nova Scotia. An employer can only hire foreign workers for positions they have been unable to fill with permanent residents or Canadian citizens.
To apply you 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. If your first language is English or French, that is enough proof. Semi-skilled and low-skilled workers must have test results to prove they meet CLB 4 even if their first language is English or French;
- show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.
The Physician Stream assists Nova Scotia’s public health authorities – the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) and the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) – to hire general practitioners, family physicians, and specialist physicians to work in Nova Scotia. The stream helps the NSHA and IWK to recruit and retain physicians with the required skills for positions that they have been unable to fill with a permanent resident or Canadian citizen.
ELIGIBILITY
The Physician Stream is only open to general practitioners and family physicians (NOC 3112) and specialist physicians (NOC 3111) with 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
The Occupations in Demand stream targets specific NOC C and D occupations that are in high labour market demand in Nova Scotia. The Office of Immigration identifies occupations in demand based on labour market information and eligible occupations are subject to change.
To apply you must:
- have a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in either NOC 3413 (Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates), NOC 7511 (Transport truck drivers), NOC 7521 (Heavy equipment operators (except crane)), or NOC 7611 (Construction trades helpers and labourers)
- 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.
The International Graduates in Demand stream is for recent international graduates whose skills and education match specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) job categories. This stream is currently open to workers in 2 NOC job categories:
- NOC 3413: nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates
- NOC 4214: early childhood educators and assistants
To apply you must:
- have a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in a job category listed above that corresponds with your recent field of study;
- be 21 to 55 years old;
- have a high school diploma;
- have met requirements for completing a course of study within three years of your application. The program must have been at least 30 weeks in length. You must have completed at least 50% of the program in Nova Scotia.
- If you are applying under NOC 3413, your program must grant a certificate, diploma, or degree.
- If you are applying under NOC 4214, your program must grant a diploma or a degree.
- have certifications issued by NS regulatory bodies required for the job;
- prove language ability equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 5 even if your first language is English or French;
- show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.
The Entrepreneur Stream is for experienced business owners or senior business managers who want to live in Nova Scotia. They must start a new business or buy an existing business and must actively participate in the day-to-day management of the business. After operating the business for a year, the entrepreneur may be nominated for permanent resident status. Application to the stream is by invitation only.
To apply you must:
- be 21 years of age or older;
- want 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.
To calculate your score, Click here.
The International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is for recent graduates of a Nova Scotia university or the Nova Scotia Community College. They must have already started or bought a Nova Scotia business and operated it for at least a year. If they intend to settle in Nova Scotia, the graduate may be nominated for permanent resident status. Application to the stream is by invitation only.
To apply you must:
- want 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 your 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.
To calculate your score, Click here.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is a joint federal-provincial program targeting skilled workers and international students.
It is an employer-driven immigration program.
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