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Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)

Check our table summary of all NSNP streams, with their main criteria, their applicant fees, etc.

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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 7 streams for workers and international graduates, and two additional streams 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.

Overview of Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) Streams

Stream	Main Criteria (not exhaustive)	Job Offer Required	Aligned with Express Entry	Application Fees
NS Experience: Express Entry	Be in the Express Entry pool and have min 1 year of job experience in Nova Scotia	No	Yes	$0
NS Labour Market Priorities	Be in the Express Entry pool and receive a Letter of Interest from Nova Scotia It is impossible to know in advance who will receive an invitation, as criteria change depending on the labour needs of the province	No	Yes	$0
Labour Market Priorities for Physicians	Be in the Express Entry pool and have a job offer with the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre, for NOC 3111 and 3112 (general and specialist practitioners)	Yes	Yes	$0
Physician	Have a job offer with the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre, for NOC 3111 and 3112 (general and specialist practitioners)	Yes	No	$0
Skilled Worker	Valid, permanent, full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer	Yes	No	$0
Occupations in Demand	Valid, permanent, full-time 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	Yes	No	$0
International Graduates in Demand	Valid, permanent, full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in either NOC 3413 (Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates) or NOC 4214 (Early childhood educators and assistants) Have graduated from a program related to the job	Yes	No	$0
International 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
Entrepreneur	Min 3 years business owner or 5 years senior management experience Min net worth of $600,000 and min investment of $150,000	No	No	$0

Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) Stream Guides

For more detailed information on the NSNP streams, you can consult our stream guides below. Each guide includes the stream's eligibility requirements, application process, documents needed, cost, processing times, etc.