Nova Scotia is one of the 4 original provinces – along with Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick – that together constituted the Dominion of Canada in 1867. While the early explorers to Canada referred to the area as ‘Acadia’, the present name of the province, meaning “New Scotland” in Latin, can be traced to the brief claims laid by Scotland to the region during the 1620s. The province of Nova Scotia consists of the Nova Scotia peninsula, Cape Breton Island, and various small adjacent islands.
‘Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia.’
The other prominent cities in Nova Scotia include:
Nova Scotia finds its place both among the Atlantic Provinces of Canada as well as the Canadian Maritime Provinces. The term “Atlantic Canada” is used for collectively referring to the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The Canadian Maritime Provinces, on the other hand, include New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.
Being a part of the PNP of Canada, Nova Scotia runs its own provincial program – the Nova Scotia Nominee Program [NSNP] – for the induction of newcomers into the province. It is through the Nova Scotia PNP that prospective immigrants – with the skills and experience targeted by the province – might be nominated by the NSNP to immigrate to Nova Scotia. Foreigners intending to settle within the province of Nova Scotia in Canada can opt for either of the 2 routes available – the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP] or the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
Nova Scotia PNP Requirements
Stream | Requirements |
Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities | Linked with the federal Express Entry system. |
Express Entry candidates meeting the provincial labour needs might be issued an invitation – a Letter of Interest – from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI). | |
Only those that receive an LOI from the NSOI may apply to the stream. | |
Labour Market Priorities for Physicians | Linked with the federal Express Entry system. |
Only candidates with an approved offer from Nova Scotia’s public health authorities – the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) or the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) – that have received an LOI from the NSOI might apply. | |
Physician | Allows Nova Scotia’s public health authorities – the Nova Scotia Health Authority [NSHA] or the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre [IWK] – to recruit and retain physicians [general practitioners, specialist physicians, and family physicians] with the required skills for positions that they had been unable to fill with a Canadian PR or citizen of Canada. |
Entrepreneur | For experienced business owners or senior managers that wish to immigrate to Nova Scotia. |
Can either start a new business or buy an existing business in Nova Scotia. | |
Must be actively involved in the day-to-day management of that business. | |
The entrepreneur might be nominated for Canadian permanent residence after operating the business for 1 year. | |
Application to the stream is by invitation only. | |
International Graduate Entrepreneur | For recent graduates of either the Nova Scotia Community College or of a Nova Scotia university. |
Must have already bought/started a business in the province and operated it for a minimum of 1 year. | |
Application to the stream is by invitation only. | |
Skilled Worker | For hiring foreign workers and recently graduated international students that have skills needed in Nova Scotia. |
Hiring of foreign workers can only be done for positions that the employer has been unable to fill locally [with either Canadian permanent residents or citizens of Canada]. | |
Occupations in Demand | Targets specific NOC C occupations that are in high demand in the provincial labour market. |
As of now, the targeted occupations are NOC 3413 [Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates] and NOC 7511 [Transport truck drivers]. | |
Eligible occupations are subject to change. | |
Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry | Linked with the federal Express Entry system. |
For highly skilled individuals that intend living in Nova Scotia permanently. | |
Minimum 1 year of experience – of working in Nova Scotia in a high skilled occupation will be required. |
Important Announcement:Nova Scotia Issued LOIs on 11th June 2024
An Express Entry candidate that is successful in securing a PNP nomination – through any of the Express Entry-aligned PNP streams – is automatically allotted 600 additional points towards their CRS scores. Coming into play when the profiles are in the Express Entry poll, it is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) that determines as to which profiles are invited to apply for Canada PR. As it is the highest-ranked candidate, based on the CRS scores, that are invited by IRCC, a PNP nomination is a guarantee of that Express Entry candidate being issued an ITA in the next federal draw to be held.
STEP 1: Check your eligibility through Y-Axis Canada Immigration Points Calculator.
STEP 2: Review the Nova Scotia PNP selection criteria.
STEP 3: Arrange the checklist of requirements
STEP 4: Apply for Nova Scotia PNP.
STEP 5: Move to Nova Scotia, Canada.
All PNP draws in 2023 | |||
Total no. of candidates: 38,321 | |||
Total draws: 86 | |||
Month | Province | No. of draws | No. of candidates |
May | BC | 5 | 854 |
Manitoba | 2 | 1065 | |
Ontario | 5 | 6890 | |
Quebec | 1 | 802 | |
Saskatchewan | 2 | 2076 | |
PEI | 2 | 280 | |
April | Alberta | 4 | 405 |
BC | 4 | 678 | |
Manitoba | 3 | 1631 | |
Ontario | 5 | 1184 | |
Quebec | 1 | 1020 | |
Saskatchewan | 1 | 1067 | |
PEI | 1 | 189 | |
March | Alberta | 1 | 134 |
BC | 4 | 968 | |
Manitoba | 2 | 1163 | |
New Brunswick | 1 | 144 | |
Ontario | 6 | 3,906 | |
PEI | 3 | 303 | |
Quebec | 2 | 1636 | |
Saskatchewan | 2 | 550 | |
February | Ontario | 4 | 3,183 |
Manitoba | 2 | 891 | |
Saskatchewan | 1 | 421 | |
British Columbia | 4 | 909 | |
PEI | 1 | 228 | |
Alberta | 1 | 100 | |
January | Ontario | 6 | 3,591 |
Manitoba | 2 | 658 | |
Saskatchewan | 1 | 50 | |
British Columbia | 5 | 1,122 | |
PEI | 2 | 223 | |
Total | 86 | 38,321 |
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