Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream selects highly skilled individuals who wish to live in Nova Scotia permanently. Applicants must have a good chance of quickly finding a job in Nova Scotia’s labour market.

The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration reserves the right to consider only certain types of occupations for nomination, depending on current labour market needs.

Applications will only be accepted online.

Category A (for applicants with a job offer) will remain open.

Category B (for applicants with experience in an opportunity occupation) is expected to open and close throughout the year. Controlling intake will allow Nova Scotia to process applications more efficiently.

ELIGIBILITY

To apply under Category A, you must:

• have a profile registered in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship 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. For a job offer to be valid in Express Entry and receive points, employers will usually need an LMIA from ESDC. There are a few exceptions:;
• 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, you must:

• be in one of the target occupations as identified in the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry guide;
• have a profile registered in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship 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.

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.

ELIGIBILITY

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 stream selects candidates in the federal Express Entry system who meet provincial labour market needs to apply for nomination. Only candidates who receive a Letter of Interest from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration may apply.

ELIGIBILITY

To apply you must:

• receive a Letter of Interest from the Nova Scotia Nominee Program within the Express Entry system;
• submit your application within 60 calendar days of the date on which your letter of interest was issued;
• 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;
• meet eligibility criteria in place at the time you are issued a Letter of Interest; and
• have a valid Express Entry number and meet all IRCC criteria for the Express Entry pool.

The Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities stream for Physicians selects physicians to apply for nomination through the federal Express Entry system. Only candidates with an approved offer from the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre who receive a Letter of Interest from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration may apply.

General practitioners and family physicians (NOC 3112) and Specialist physicians (NOC 3111) will receive a Letter of Interest once NSOI is notified of the candidate’s Express Entry profile number and a signed approved opportunity with the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre.

See our Guide for Physicians to compare this stream with our Physician Stream.

ELIGIBILITY

To apply you must:

• have an approved opportunity from the NSHA or IWK 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;
• submit your application within 30 calendar days of the date on which your Letter of Interest was issued;
• 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.

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.

ELIGIBILITY

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.

See our Guide for Physicians to compare this stream with our Labour Market Priorities for Physicians Stream.

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, intermediate-skilled 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.

ELIGIBILITY

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) 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.

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.

ELIGIBILITY

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.

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.

ELIGIBILITY

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.