Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) is designed to help Nova Scotia employers fill critical skill shortages and to create economic benefit in Nova Scotia.

Skilled Worker Stream
Family Business Worker Stream
Community Identified Stream
Economic Stream
International Graduate Stream

Skilled Worker Stream:

Skilled workers with a guaranteed full-time job offer in Nova Scotia can apply for NSNP. The employer must have made a genuine effort to recruit Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The employer also needs to demonstrate that they will provide additional supports to assist newcomers with their settlement needs. Skilled workers must be between 21 and 55 years old and need to have sufficient language proficiency in English or French with a grade 12 equivalent education (13 years of school). In addition, skilled workers must have more than two years of directly related work experience, skills and the license/accreditation for the position. Priority will be given to positions with a wage of more than $20,000/year.

Family Business Worker Stream:

Workers with a guaranteed, permanent full-time job offer from a close family business owner in Nova Scotia can apply for NSNP. Close family business owners must have lived in and managed a business in Nova Scotia for more than two years. In addition, they must own at least 33.3% of their business. Workers must be related to a family business owner (or his/her spouse/common-law partner). A Worker must be a son or daughter, brother or sister, niece or nephew, uncle or aunt or grandchild of a close family business owner (step and half relative are included). Workers must be between 21 and 55 years old and need to have sufficient language proficiency in English or French with a grade 12 equivalent education (13 years of school). In addition, workers must have training/skills, work experience and the license required for the position (or have a suitable plan to obtain the necessary qualifications). Priority will be given to positions with a wage of more than $20,000/year.

Community Identified Stream:

The Community Identified stream is for selecting applicants who have established connections to a community in Nova Scotia and can contribute to the labour market and economy in that specific community. In other words, it is designed for applicants who have close family relations, have lived for extended periods, have business activities and connections in the specific community in Nova Scotia. The applicant must have a Letter of Identification from the specific community in Nova Scotia. The applicant must also be between 21 and 55 years old and need to have sufficient language proficiency in English or French with a minimum of a one year post-secondary diploma/certificate/degree. In addition, the applicant must have more than one year of directly related work experience within the last five years, skills and training required by the community.

Economic Stream:

Experienced business managers or business owners who are between the age of 25 and 60 with basic language proficiency in English or English & French with a grade 12 equivalent education (13 years of school) can apply for NSNP. The applicants should have owned (wholly or in partnership) and operated a business or they should have at least two years (in the last five years) of management experience. The applicants must have at least $300,000(CAD) and need to make a non-refundable economic contribution of $128,800(CAD) that is refundable if the applicant is refused. The applicants are required to make an exploratory visit to Nova Scotia for at least five business days. Once the applicant settles in Nova Scotia as a permanent resident (landed immigrant), they can select a company where they will be performing a six-month middle management contract with a salary of $20,000(CAD). Many economic nominees use the NSNP as a stepping stone to establish their own business while others prefer to find employment in an existing company.

International Graduate Stream:

This stream is for international graduates who have graduated within the last two years from a program with at least one academic year of post-secondary full-time study in Nova Scotia (certificate/diploma/degree). The international graduate must have a guaranteed full-time job offer in Nova Scotia and have been working on a work permit for at least three months. International graduates must be between 21 and 55 years old and need to have sufficient language proficiency in English or French. In addition, international graduates must have education, training, qualification, licensing/accreditation for the position. Priority will be given to positions with a wage of more than $20,000/year.

If you have arranged employment in Nova Scotia, or have a plan to work as a business manager or business owner, please fill out a Provincial Nominee Free Assessment.