Canada has progressively grown into a land of opportunities with stunning beauty. Nova Scotia is one of the testaments to this beauty. One of Canada's four Atlantic Provinces, Nova Scotia is predominantly made up of a peninsula with many offshore islands. The province is well-known for water sports, kayaking, and paddleboarding. It is also home to a sizeable population of cute puffins and seals.

The province boasts the distinct Bay of Fundy, hailed as one of Canada's popular tourist destinations and well-known for its high and low tides and perennial whale watching. The capital, Halifax, has a lively waterfront, a star-shaped Citadel, and one of Canada's most legendary ice hockey teams..

The cost of living is low, and the quality of life is high. Nova Scotia is an affordable and enjoyable place to live. The provincial government of Nova Scotia has an organization mandated to assist new immigrants in searching for and obtaining jobs. These organizations are also charged with polishing their language skills, enrolling them in university, and integrating them into Nova Scotian society .

Nova Scotians are friendly and welcoming. The communities are safe and secure. The healthcare system is people-focused and needs-based. Numerous industry opportunities are available in the province's domestic labor market. The following presents what you need to know about the provincial nominee program of Nova Scotia.

Prospective immigrants to Nova Scotia - through the province PNP- who have the requisite skills and experience needed by the province can apply for and be nominated for immigration by the province.

Candidates who received a nomination certificate from the province can have their applications fast-tracked. We recommend taking several routes toward receiving a Provincial Nomination as outlined here. Take a look below and decide which of these programs is correct.

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For Immigrants With a Valid Job Offer in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is ripe with job opportunities, particularly in the aquacultural industries. If you have the eligible skills, education, and experience needed by Nova Scotian employers and received a valid job offer from one of these employers, you can use the following immigration pathways and streams to apply to immigrate to the province.

Nova Scotia Labor Market Priorities Stream

Enter the Federal Express Entry pool if you want to be nominated through this stream. Nova Scotia chooses candidates from this pool if they meet the provincial labor market's needs at the specified time. Apply to receive a Letter of Interest from the Office of Immigration of Nova Scotia. These are the eligibility requirements for this program:

  • You must have a Letter of Interest issued by the Nova Scotia Nominee Program
  • You must satisfy the work experience requirements for the Express Entry pool you qualify for
  • You must have sufficient settlement funds to support yourself and your dependents in Nova Scotia
  • You must have status as a legal resident in your country of residence

Physicians Stream

The physician's stream was designed to hire general practitioners, specialists, and family physicians required to work in the province. The Physician Stream allows certified medical professionals to obtain permanent residency status in Nova Scotia by assisting two medical authorities.

Helping the province deal with its experienced and high-skilled shortage of medical practitioners is the main contribution for which this stream was created. The following are the two occupations eligible for this program.

NOC Code Occupation
31102 Family physician
31100 Specialist physician

Take a look at this NOC code guide to see if you’re eligible to apply. Take note to have a signed Approved Opportunities document obtained from Nova Scotia’s IWK or NSHA. The Approved Opportunities document should:

  • Be signed and dated by the person who authorized it and yourself, and issued by either the NSHA or IWK
  • Demonstrate that you submitted an application to the province's College of Physicians and Surgeons to obtain a license.
  • Demonstrate that you submitted an application for credentials using either the NSHA and/or IWK

Labour Market Priorities for Physicians

This stream chooses physicians to apply using the Express Entry system. The most significant benefit of this stream is its fast-track process which can make you obtain permanent residency in as quickly as six months.

Comparatively, the application processing times for the Physician's stream is 18-24 months. The Express Entry stream's disadvantage is its administration is intense.

Skilled Worker Stream

This stream helps employers find and employ foreign workers and recent graduates. This stream was created to deal with a shortage of skilled workers, where local Canadians did not have the required skills to handle these jobs. You can apply for permanent residency through this stream as a skilled (TEER 0, 1 or 2), semi-skilled (TEER 3 or 4), or low-skilled worker (TEER 5) as long as you meet the following requirements:

To be eligible for this stream, you must:

  • Have a permanent job offer that is full-time from an employer in Nova Scotia
  • Have a minimum of one-year work experience in a related job.
  • Be 21 to 55 years of age
  • Have graduated with a High School Diploma
  • Have the skills, accreditation, and proper training required for the job
  • Show you have sufficient language proficiency via a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of:
    • 5 for Skilled Workers
    • 4 for Semi- or low-skilled workers
  • Prove you have sufficient settlement funds yourself and your dependents in Nova Scotia.
  • CAD$11,000 plus CAD$2,000 per dependent.

Nova Scotian In-demand Occupations

This stream targets semi-skilled (TEER 3 and 4) positions in high demand in Nova Scotia. These occupations are subject to change depending on the labor demands of the province. At present, the occupations eligible for this stream are:

NOC Code Occupation
33102 Nurse Aides
65200 Food and beverage servers
65201 Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations
65310 Light duty cleaners
73300 Transport truck drivers
73400 Heavy equipment operators
75110 Construction trades helpers and labourers

The eligibility criteria for this stream are as follows:

To be eligible to apply for this program, you must:

  • Have an offer of employment that is full-time in an in-demand occupation
  • Have a minimum of one-year work experience in a related job. Have to be 21 to 55 years of age
  • Have graduated with a High School Diploma
  • Have the skills, accreditation, and proper training required for the job
  • Achieve a level four on the CLB test
  • Have sufficient funds to settle and work in Nova Scotia
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For Students in Nova Scotia

If you are fortunate enough to have received an offer to study in one of Canada’s Designated Learning Institutions (DLI), then you can use the following immigration streams to move to the province.

International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

This immigration stream is for international graduate entrepreneurs with qualifications from a Nova Scotia college or university. You must buy, start and operate your business for at least one business year.

You must settle and spend time in Nova Scotia while operating your business. Successful candidates can apply for permanent residence if they receive a provincial nomination.

To be eligible to apply, you must:

  • Have an interest in permanently settling in Nova Scotia during the period owning and operating your business
  • Have a year of experience in the management and ownership of your Nova Scotian business
  • Have a degree or diploma completed after a minimum of two full-time academic years studying at a Nova Scotian university or community college
  • Have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) that is Valid
  • Have a minimum score of level 7 for the CLB in all language competencies in English or French
  • Have to complete and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
  • Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from the Office of Immigration of Nova Scotia

International Graduate In Demand Stream

The International Graduates in Demand stream is designed to help new graduates obtain their qualifications in these job categories.

NOC Code Occupation
33102 Nurse Aides
42202 Early childhood educators and assistants

To be eligible to apply, you must:

  • Have a permanent job offer from a Nova Scotian employer
  • Have one year's worth of job-related work experience
  • Be 21 to 55 years of age
  • Have a high school diploma
  • Have a diploma, degree, or certificate for occupations in NOC33102 or NOC42202
  • Meet the requirements to complete a course of study in the first three years of making your application
  • Have a CLB of at least 5 for English or French if you’re a skilled worker
  • Have certifications issued by the regulatory bodies in Nova Scotia as outlined by the requirements for the job.
  • Show proof that you have enough funds to provide for yourself and your dependents in Nova Scotia. Candidates must demonstrate that they have at least CAD 11,000 and an added CAD 2,000 for each dependent.

Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry

This immigration stream selects eligible candidates with a minimum of one year of work experience in a skilled occupation in Nova Scotia. Additionally, this immigration stream offers a path to becoming a permanent resident. This stream is particularly for immigration candidates who studied in Nova Scotia.

To be eligible to apply for this program, you must:

  • Have a minimum of one year of work experience in a full-time or part-time job in Nova Scotia before you apply
  • Be 21 to 55 years of age
  • Have a high school diploma
  • Complete an ECA (Educational Credential Assessment) and be a recipient of a degree that is recognized by a DLI
  • Have sufficient funds to settle and support yourself and your dependents in Nova Scotia
  • Have the intention to permanently settle in Nova Scotia
  • Have a CLB score of level 7 for TEER 0 and 1, or level 5 for CLB TEER 2 and 3.
  • Register an Express Entry profile with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

For Immigrants looking to Start a Business in Nova Scotia

Starting a business in another country is arduous even in the best of times. However, should you decide to start a business in Nova Scotia, you can use any of these immigration streams to ease your transition into settling and establishing a business in the province.

Entrepreneur Stream

The Entrepreneur Stream is for experienced business owners and managers who want to live in Nova Scotia. You can start a business or buy an existing one. Then, after you have continued to manage your company for longer than one year actively, you may be nominated for permanent residence in the province.

To be eligible to qualify for this immigration stream, you must:

  • Be 21 years old or more
  • Live permanently in Nova Scotia during the period of owning and operating your business
  • Have a personal net worth of at least CAD 600,000
  • Invest a minimum of CAD 150,000 of your funds to establish a business in the province
  • Have a minimum of three years worth of experience in managing and owning a business or be in a senior management position for at least five years
  • Have a score of level 5 for the CLB in all language competencies i.e. speaking, listening, and writing in English or French
  • Graduate with a diploma from a Canadian high school or obtain an ECA no older than five years
  • Complete and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
  • Be Invited to Apply by the Nova Scotian Office of Immigration

The following additional work experience requirements also need to be met before you can apply.

  • You must have worked for an employer based in Nova Scotia
  • You must have applied in the three years prior to submitting your application with the NSOI and IRCC
  • You must have worked a minimum of one year or 1,560 hours in a full-time or part-time position
  • You must work a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 job
  • You must prove that you meet all primary duties of the TEER occupational category you applied with

How To Apply

The application process for the above-mentioned immigration streams can be outlined in much the same manner as most direct Provincial Nominee program steps which involves submitting a paper application via mail or courier. This is a long process that takes approximately 15 to 19 months to determine whether your application is successful. More information on how to apply is offered here. 

Experience the Maritime Wonders of Nova Scotia and its Associated Benefits

Nova Scotia has a great number of benefits that compel people to move to the province. Praised for its stunning natural beauty, strong economy, and friendly communities, the province has much to offer those looking for a fresh place to call home. The following are some of the top reasons you should consider moving to the province

  • Scenery that is Beautiful and majestic
  • An abundance of friendly communities in which newcomers can feel welcome
  • A robust, strong, and dynamic economy
  • Lots of cultural and natural attractions including Halifax Citadel National Historic Site and Cape Breton Highlands National Park
  • A variety of delicious seafood including lobster, scallops, and mussels
  • Government subsidized affordable housing
  • A universal, subsidized, and quality education system

Make the Move to Nova Scotia Today!

A way to ensure your procedure is quick and efficient is to use the services and experience of a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). RCICs assist candidates in receiving a provincial nomination by assessing their eligibility for the NSNP. They also assist you in preparing and submitting your application to ensure all documents required are completed accurately and included.

RCICs provide advice on how to improve your chances of receiving a provincial nomination by reviewing applicants' work experience, education, and language skills and giving suggestions on how these demographic aspects can be enhanced.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

FAQs

How to Find a Job in Canada?

Thorough research and investigation will always serve you well when searching for a job, especially if you do so online. Jobsites such as IndeedCanada, MonsterCanada, Glassdoor and eJobbo are some of the most common and dependable online portals for jobs in Canada.

What is the Best Place to Move to in Nova Scotia?

The best palace to move to in Nova Scotia is highly dependent on your subjective criteria and needs. Still, generally, Halifax, the largest urban area in the province, is considered to be the best palace to move to in the province.

Which Place in Nova Scotia Has the Most Job Opportunities?

Halifax has the greatest variety and, therefore, the largest number of job opportunities in Nova Scotia.