How the programme works
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) serves as the formal mechanism through which the province recommends candidates for permanent residence to the federal government. Nova Scotia does not grant legal status directly; rather, it issues a provincial nomination, while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes the final adjudication on the permanent residency application.
Because the province operates under a fixed annual nomination allocation from Ottawa, and demand significantly outpaces this cap, the system relies entirely on a targeted selection framework. Every submission functions as an Expression of Interest (EOI), entering a candidate pool from which Nova Scotia draws periodically based on published, evolving provincial priorities. Selection is neither first come, first served, nor governed by a trackable queue position.
The program does not utilize a competitive points grid. Instead, individual streams establish strict pass or fail criteria, such as mandatory job offers, specific work experience durations, or designated language proficiencies. Meeting these baseline requirements secures eligibility to enter the pool, while actual selection depends entirely on real time provincial labour market needs.
Two questions, not one. Am I eligible? And is the province currently selecting people like me? Most guidance answers only the first.
The government process, start to finish
- Confirm which stream you fall underThe three streams have different triggers: a job offer, existing Nova Scotia work experience, or a Nova Scotia credential. Your occupation's NOC code and TEER category determine your language floor and experience requirement.
- Submit an Expression of InterestA complete submission with all documents. It is free. An incomplete EOI is closed rather than assessed. Since 1 May 2026 it stays live for 12 months.
- Wait for a drawNova Scotia selects periodically based on published priorities, remaining allocation, pool volume and program integrity. There is no published timeline, and you are contacted only if selected.
- Pay and be assessedFrom 1 September 2026, selection triggers a $1,000 fee payable within 7 calendar days. Your documents are then assessed against the programme requirements. Selection is not approval.
- Nomination, then the federal applicationIf nominated, you have 12 months to apply to IRCC for permanent residence. You and your family must meet medical, security and criminal admissibility. IRCC has the final authority.
The three streams
All three lead to the same nomination. What differs is what you need in hand before you start.
| Stream | The trigger | Job offer | Language floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | A Nova Scotia employer has offered you a permanent job. Four sub-criteria: base, Construction, Physicians, Occupations in Demand. | Required | CLB 5 for TEER 0 to 3; CLB 4 for TEER 4 to 5 |
| Nova Scotia: Express Entry | You already have Nova Scotia work experience, a physician offer, or a Letter of Interest, plus a federal Express Entry profile. | Not required on the work-experience route | CLB 7 for TEER 0 to 1; CLB 5 for TEER 2 to 3 |
| Nova Scotia Graduate | You graduated from a Nova Scotia institution within three years and have a matching offer in one of four occupations. | Required | CLB 5 |
Skilled Worker
The core job-offer stream, covering construction trades, physicians and in-demand occupations through dedicated sub-criteria.
See requirements → 02 / Federally linkedNova Scotia: Express Entry
An enhanced stream. A nomination adds 600 points to your federal Comprehensive Ranking System score.
See requirements → 03 / Study to residenceNova Scotia Graduate
A narrow route for graduates of Nova Scotia programmes working in four named occupations.
See requirements →Priority group
What Nova Scotia means by skilled trades
Healthcare and skilled trades are the province's two top-priority groups, and the only ones open to candidates applying from outside Canada. It is worth knowing whether your work falls inside that description, because it changes what is realistically available to you.
Construction trades
Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, welders, heavy equipment operators, and construction supervisors and managers.
Industrial, manufacturing and maintenance trades
Industrial mechanics and millwrights, machinists and tooling inspectors, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, and metal fabricators.
Transportation and equipment operators
Transport truck drivers, and specialised transit and machinery operators.
Service and specialised trades
Chefs, bakers, and specialised technicians.
Two cautions. The province does not publish a single closed list of skilled trades, so the groups above describe how the priority is applied in practice rather than a definitive roster. And what governs any individual file is the NOC code and TEER category your role actually falls under, not the job title on your offer letter. Where a role could reasonably be classified more than one way, that classification decision is worth getting right before anything is filed.
Published 27 April 2026 · confirmed current 15 August 2026
Who the province is actually selecting
Nova Scotia sorts eligible occupations into three levels. Your level, combined with whether you already live in the province, decides whether your submission is realistically in contention.
| Level | Occupations | TEER range | Who can be selected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Top priority | Healthcare and skilled trades | TEER 0 to 4 | Candidates abroad and temporary residents in Nova Scotia |
| Level 2 | NOC major groups 2 (natural and applied sciences), 4 (education, law, social, community and government services), 8 (natural resources and agriculture) and 9 (manufacturing and utilities) | TEER 0 to 4 | Temporary residents already living and working in Nova Scotia only |
| Level 3 | All other occupations | TEER 0 to 2 | Temporary residents already living and working in Nova Scotia only |
TEER 5 occupations are not being considered in any category at this time. A TEER 5 worker can meet a stream's criteria and submit an EOI, but the province is not currently drawing from that group. We will say so plainly when that is your situation, and look at whether another route, the Atlantic Immigration Program, a rural community pathway, or a defensible reclassification of the role, is worth examining.
Which stream fits you?
Answer five questions to see which of the three streams to look at first, then run that stream's full requirements checker. This is an indication only, not an eligibility decision, not legal advice, and not a prediction of whether the province will select you.
Your situation
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Where to look first
Book a strategy consultationCurrent position · reviewed 15 August 2026
What has changed recently
Four changes in 2026 affect how this programme runs. Each is dated so you can judge how current it is.
A $1,000 fee applies once an EOI is selected for assessment
Submitting an EOI remains free. From 1 September 2026, candidates selected for assessment pay a non-refundable $1,000 CAD fee for the worker streams, or $2,000 CAD for the Entrepreneur stream. Worker-stream candidates have 7 calendar days from the selection notification to pay; missing that window closes the EOI. Selection letters dated before 1 September 2026 are exempt. No waivers are available, and dependants do not change the amount.
A time-limited selection for in-province workers with expiring permits
The province is running a one-time expansion drawing from active EOIs submitted on or before 30 June 2026, for candidates already living and working in Nova Scotia whose work permit expires in 2026 or earlier, subject to occupation and wage criteria. Candidates are contacted directly. If you are not contacted, your EOI stays in the pool under the standing priorities.
Expressions of Interest now expire after 12 months
An EOI submitted on or after 1 May 2026 is valid for 12 months from its submission date. EOIs submitted between 1 May 2024 and 30 April 2026 remain valid until 30 April 2027. EOIs submitted before 1 May 2024 were closed on 1 May 2026. An expiry is not a refusal; a new EOI can be submitted at any time if you still qualify.
Accommodation and Food Services submissions are not being accepted
Nova Scotia stopped accepting submissions in this sector while it processes existing inventory. The notice remains posted on the province's site as at the review date above.