Nova Scotia Nominee Program
The NSNP allows the Government of Nova Scotia to nominate applicants who can meet the province’s labour market and economic needs. The processing time for eligible applications can be completed within two months. Nominated applicants, along with their spouse and dependents, may become permanent residents following approval by the Canadian government.If you are nominated by the Province of Nova Scotia, you may then apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a permanent resident visa. In some cases, you may be asked to go for an interview. You, your spouse and dependents must meet requirements for medical, security and criminal admissibility. CIC has the final authority to issue a permanent resident visa.
Basic Requirements:
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- Language Standards and Mandatory Testing:As of July 1st, 2012, applicants in NOC skill levels C and D occupations must submit official language results with their application to the NSNP. This is a requirement from Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Centralized Intake office of Provincial Nominees:As of December 1st, 2011, once you have been nominated by the Government of Nova Scotia, you must submit your application for permanent residence to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Centralized Intake Office.
Nova Scotia Nominee Program Streams
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program streams are open to qualified skilled workers and other immigrants who meet community needs.
Skilled Worker
The Skilled Worker stream assists employers in hiring workers whose skills are in limited supply in the province. The stream helps employers recruit and/or retain foreign workers with the required skills for positions that they have been unable to fill with a permanent resident or Canadian citizen.
The skilled worker must have a full-time, permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer before submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). Provincial priorities may change as skill shortages are met by permanent residents or Canadian citizens. You may apply under 3 categories for this:
- Skilled Workers
- Semi-Skilled Workers
- Low Skilled Workers
International Graduate
The International Graduate stream helps Nova Scotia employers hire and retain international graduates.The international graduate must have a full-time, permanent job offer, preferably related to their field of study from a Nova Scotia employer and be working for that employer for at least three consecutive months before submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP).
To be eligible to apply to the International Graduate stream, the graduate must have graduated within the last three year from a program of at least one academic year of full-time study in Canada and have received a certificate, diploma, or degree from a provincially-recognized institution in Canada. Applicants still in study are not eligible to this stream
Community Identified
The Community Identified stream of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) is aimed at selecting individuals who have strong connections to a Nova Scotia community, wish to live there permanently have excellent employment prospects, and can contribute to the labour market and economy of that specific community.The applicant must have received a Letter of Identification from an organization mandated by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration before submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program.
Family Business Worker
The Family Business Worker stream assists employers in hiring workers who are close relatives and have the work experience and required skills for positions employers may have been unable to fill with a permanent resident or Canadian citizen. The family business worker must have a full-time, permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer who is a close relative and who owns an established business in Nova Scotia before submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). The worker or the spouse must be related to the family business owner or spouse of the business owner in one of the following ways. The worker is the business owner’s*:
- Son or daughter
- Brother or sister
- Niece or nephew (children of brothers or sisters)
- Uncle or aunt (parent’s brothers or sisters)
- Grandchild
Non-Dependent Child of Nova Scotia Nominee
The Non-Dependent Child of Nova Scotia Nominee streams aimed at selecting individuals who are the non-dependent children of immigrants who were nominated under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). The principal applicant must plan to live in Nova Scotia permanently, have strong employment prospects and be able to contribute to the labour market and economy of Nova Scotia. Employability of the applicant will be determined based on the current labour market needs of Nova Scotia. Nominee’s non-dependent children must have a minimum of one year of full-time work experience in the last five years in their field of studies or have the intention and ability to enter the Nova Scotia labour market.
The principal applicant can studies outside Canada and be eligible to apply to the Non-Dependent Child of Nova Scotia Nominee stream if they have already completed at least one year of post-secondary education and have received a degree, diploma or certificate issued by an accredited institution. The principal applicant is eligible to submit an application while pursuing an additional post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate.
Agri-Food Sector
For immigrants who plan to establish a business in Nova Scotia in the agriculture sector for primary and/or value added production.The Agri-Food Sector Pilot is aimed at immigrants interested in agri-food production and/or value added production. The pilot gives the opportunity to strengthen rural communities by creating jobs and growing the economy by bringing agricultural skills to Nova Scotia. The Agri-Food Sector Pilot is a joint venture between the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration and the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture.