Nova Scotia

Nominee Program

Nova Scotia is a small Canadian province located in the Maritimes region of the country. The province is composed of the Nova Scotia peninsula, Cape Breton Island, and over 3,000 smaller islands. Its capital city, Halifax, is known as a major centre for culture and the arts, as well as for its high standard of living. Nova Scotians are closely connected to the sea, and the province is renowned for its coastal beauty and delicious cuisine.

The NSNP is Nova Scotia’s Provincial Nominee Program. Through this program, prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive a Nova Scotia Provincial Nomination Certificate, which speeds up the overall immigration process.

The NSNP accepts applications under the following immigration streams:

Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry

Nova Scotia uses the federal government’s Express Entry (Express Entry is a completely electronic process involving the federal government, provincial governments, and Canadian employers. In order to best serve your needs, please choose whether you are a potential candidate for Canadian immigration or a Canadian employer interested in hiring skilled workers); immigration selection system in order to select candidates for Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry.

This stream, which came into effect on January 1, 2015, is for highly-skilled individuals with a post-secondary education and qualifications that will help them successfully settle in Nova Scotia. There is a list of 29 eligible occupations for this stream.

To learn more about eligibility requirements for Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry: Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry provides a pathway to permanent residence for highly skilled applicants who have worked for a Nova Scotia employer for at least one year.

Candidates must also be eligible to enter the federal Express Entry pool through one of the three federal economic immigration programs:


There are two application routes to Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry stream. Candidates may either apply directly to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI), or they may be selected from the Express Entry pool by the NSOI. In either case, the principal applicant is required to created an Express Entry profile on Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) online Express Entry system and submit a complete application to the NSOI.

1- Minimum Requirements

In order to be eligible for Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry, candidates must:

  • Be between the ages of 21 and 55;
  • Have at least 12 months full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) paid skilled work experience in Nova Scotia in the three years before the application is made;
    • The work experience cannot have been gained through self-employment or while studying full-time.
    • Volunteer work, unpaid internships, co-op terms, etc. do not count.
    • The work experience must be in a NOC Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B occupation.
  • Have gained their experience in the province of Nova Scotia with the proper authorization (work permit, etc.);
  • Have completed Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary educational credential; OR
  • Have completed a foreign educational credential from a recognized institution/authority AND have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report issued by an organization designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC);
  • Demonstrate sufficient language ability in all four components (speaking, reading, writing, and listening);
    • These levels are CLB 7 for NOC 0 and A and CLB 5 for NOC B.
    • Language test results must come from one of the following designated testing agencies:
      • IELTS (General Training Test only) for English;
      • CELPIP (General test only) for English; or
      • TEF for French;
  • Have a profile registered in the Express Entry pool; and
  • Demonstrate that they will become economically established in Nova Scotia and that they intend to live in the province permanently.


2- Interview

If required, candidates may have to attend an in-person interview in Nova Scotia. Candidates will be notified if such an interview is required.

3- When Not To Apply

Candidates should not apply if they are:

  • Intending to work in an occupation that is a National Occupational Classification (NOC) level C or D;
  • A grandparent, parent, spouse, or common-law partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada;
  • An applicant under humanitarian and compassionate grounds, a refugee claimant or a failed refugee claimant;
  • In Canada illegally, under a removal order, or are prohibited from entering or being in Canada;
  • Not legally present in their country of residence;
  • An individual who does not have status;
  • An international student who is currently studying at a Canadian post-secondary institution;
  • An international graduate who has studied in Canada, whose studies have been sponsored by an agency or government and who is contractually obligated to return to their country of origin;
  • On a valid federal post-graduation work permit whose occupation falls under NOC skill level C or D;
  • The spouse of an international student at a Canadian post-secondary institution who is not in his/her last academic year of studies;
  • An individual with unresolved custody or child support disputes affecting any dependent;
  • In a sales position that is based solely on commission for compensation;
  • An individual whose 12 months full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) skilled work experience in the three years prior to their application is not based in Nova Scotia;
  • An individual in Canada who is in the Caregiver Program;
  • Intending to start a business and/or be self-employed in Nova Scotia; or
  • A passive investor (an individual who intend to invest in a Nova Scotia business with very limited or no involvement in the day-to-day management of the business).

Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry

Nova Scotia uses the federal government’s Express Entry (Express Entry is a completely electronic process involving the federal government, provincial governments, and Canadian employers. In order to best serve your needs, please choose whether you are a potential candidate for Canadian immigration or a Canadian employer interested in hiring skilled workers.) immigration selection system in order to select candidates for this stream, which provides a pathway to permanent residence for highly skilled applicants who have worked for a Nova Scotia employer for at least one year.

Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry provides a pathway to permanent residence for highly skilled applicants who have worked for a Nova Scotia employer for at least one year.

Candidates must also be eligible to enter the federal Express Entry pool through one of the three federal economic immigration programs:


There are two application routes to Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry stream. Candidates may either apply directly to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI), or they may be selected from the Express Entry pool by the NSOI. In either case, the principal applicant is required to created an Express Entry profile on Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) online Express Entry system and submit a complete application to the NSOI.

1- Minimum Requirements

In order to be eligible for Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry, candidates must:

  • Be between the ages of 21 and 55;
  • Have at least 12 months full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) paid skilled work experience in Nova Scotia in the three years before the application is made;
    • The work experience cannot have been gained through self-employment or while studying full-time.
    • Volunteer work, unpaid internships, co-op terms, etc. do not count.
    • The work experience must be in a NOC Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B occupation.
  • Have gained their experience in the province of Nova Scotia with the proper authorization (work permit, etc.);
  • Have completed Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary educational credential; OR
  • Have completed a foreign educational credential from a recognized institution/authority AND have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report issued by an organization designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC);
  • Demonstrate sufficient language ability in all four components (speaking, reading, writing, and listening);
    • These levels are CLB 7 for NOC 0 and A and CLB 5 for NOC B.
    • Language test results must come from one of the following designated testing agencies:
      • IELTS (General Training Test only) for English;
      • CELPIP (General test only) for English; or
      • TEF for French;
  • Have a profile registered in the Express Entry pool; and
  • Demonstrate that they will become economically established in Nova Scotia and that they intend to live in the province permanently.


2- Interview

If required, candidates may have to attend an in-person interview in Nova Scotia. Candidates will be notified if such an interview is required.

3- When Not To Apply

Candidates should not apply if they are:

  • Intending to work in an occupation that is a National Occupational Classification (NOC) level C or D;
  • A grandparent, parent, spouse, or common-law partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada;
  • An applicant under humanitarian and compassionate grounds, a refugee claimant or a failed refugee claimant;
  • In Canada illegally, under a removal order, or are prohibited from entering or being in Canada;
  • Not legally present in their country of residence;
  • An individual who does not have status;
  • An international student who is currently studying at a Canadian post-secondary institution;
  • An international graduate who has studied in Canada, whose studies have been sponsored by an agency or government and who is contractually obligated to return to their country of origin;
  • On a valid federal post-graduation work permit whose occupation falls under NOC skill level C or D;
  • The spouse of an international student at a Canadian post-secondary institution who is not in his/her last academic year of studies;
  • An individual with unresolved custody or child support disputes affecting any dependent;
  • In a sales position that is based solely on commission for compensation;
  • An individual whose 12 months full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) skilled work experience in the three years prior to their application is not based in Nova Scotia;
  • An individual in Canada who is in the Caregiver Program;
  • Intending to start a business and/or be self-employed in Nova Scotia; or
  • A passive investor (an individual who intend to invest in a Nova Scotia business with very limited or no involvement in the day-to-day management of the business).

Skilled Worker Stream

The NSNP accepts applications under this stream from individuals who have received a job offer from a Nova Scotia employer. Workers in skilled, semi-skilled, and low-skilled occupations may be eligible to apply.

Entrepreneur Stream

The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) Entrepreneur Stream is designed to attract individuals who wish to start or acquire a business and settle permanently in Nova Scotia.

International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

The International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is open to graduates who have completed at least two years of full-time study from a recognized Nova Scotia university or Nova Scotia Community College, have operated their own business in Nova Scotia for at least one year, and intend to settle permanently in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Express Entry Stream to accept 350 applications April 28Category B of the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry Stream operates on first-come, first-served basis

The province of Nova Scotia will reopen Category B of its popular Demand: Express Entry Stream  to 350 applications tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Atlantic Daylight Time.

The Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry Stream (NSDEE) only accepts applications from candidates with a profile in the federal Express Entry pool. It operates on a first-come, first-served basis and typically reaches its intake limit quickly.

Eligible candidates who are interested in applying to the stream may benefit from being prepared in advance and ensuring they have all documentation up-to-date and ready to submit.

Applicants who are successfully nominated by the province of Nova Scotia receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, leaving them well positioned to receive an Invitation to Apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Category B of the NSDEE is open to skilled workers with the required amount of work experience in one of Nova Scotia’s opportunity occupations, and who score at least 67 points on Nova Scotia’s unique points system, among other criteria. No job offer is required and there is no mandatory minimum CRS score.

It’s important to note that Nova Scotia recently made changes to its list of opportunity occupations that saw the number of occupations reduced from 16 to 11.

The occupations now on the list are:

OCCUPATION NOCCODE Skill
Financial Auditors and Accountants
1111
A
Other financial officers
1114
A
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations
1123
A
Administrative assistants
1241
B
Accounting and related clerks
1311
B
Civil engineers
2131
A
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
3012
A
Licensed practical nurses
3233
B
College and other vocational instructors
4021
A
Paralegal and related occupations
4211
B
Social and community service workers
4212
B

To apply under Category B, you must:

  • Have a profile registered in the federal 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 Nova Scotia’s 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 NSDEE’s Category A: Arranged Employment in Nova Scotia remains open. Applicants to this category must have an arranged job offer supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment from a Nova Scotia employer. The job offer must be in a National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level O, A, or B occupation.

For full details on eligibility requirements and selection factors, see our dedicated Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry page.

The first step to pursuing either category under NSDEE is to submit a profile to the federal Express Entry pool.

“The announcement of this stream opening a day in advance is welcome news to eligible candidates who find themselves on the revised occupations list,” said Attorney David Cohen, senior partner at the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal. “This program has filled very quickly in the past, and even with a reduced occupation list, will likely fill quickly again when it opens tomorrow.”

To find out if you are eligible to enter the Express Entry pool, fill out a FREE assessment form today.

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