Nova Scotia offers skilled immigrants an opportunity to work and live there through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). It offers a faster way into Canada for qualified workers and experienced entrepreneurs who wish to stay in Nova Scotia and become permanent residents of Canada. 

NSNP involves a two-step application procedure for Permanent resident status in Canada.

• Apply to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration
• Apply to Citizenship & Immigration Canada visa office

Apply to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration
When an applicant determines that he meets the criteria in any of the categories he qualifies in he must complete the required application forms, attach all supporting documents and forward the completed application package to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration for assessment and review.

A prospective Nominee if approved as meeting the NSNP selection criteria will receive a “Letter of Nomination”. A Certificate of Nomination will be sent directly to the appropriate CIC visa office. A nomination by the province does not assure that you will be granted permanent residency and the final decision rests exclusively with CIC.

Apply to Citizenship & Immigration Canada visa office
When an applicant receives a Certificate of Nomination, he then submits his federal immigration application package directly to the appropriate CIC visa office within 90 days of receiving the nominee certificate.

CIC will conduct criminal, security and health checks and may also request an interview or additional information. CIC will make the final selection decision on whether the Nominee be issued a Permanent resident visa or not.

The NSNP supports various types of categories of potential nominees:

Note: Entrepreneur Stream will replace the Economic stream.

Skilled Worker Stream:
This program is geared to assist employers in hiring workers whose skills may be in limited supply in the province. As a result it helps employers recruit and/or retain foreign workers with the essential skills for positions that may have been incapable to be filled with a permanent resident or Canadian citizen.
The applicant must have a guaranteed, permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer before submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program.

The eligibility Criteria for a skilled worker are:

• Minimum work experience of two years related to the position & skills of the job. 
  
  
• Must have a permanent fill time job offer from an established Nova Scotia employer.
  
  
• Job offer must provide compensation in the form of a salary and benefits package that meets provincial employment standards and prevailing wage rates. 
  
  
• Priority will be awarded to positions with minimum salary in excess of $10.00/hour or a minimum annual wage in excess of Can $20,000.
  
  
• Job should be able to retain the Skilled Worker in Nova Scotia and does not contravene existing bargaining unit agreements or any employment disputes.
  
  
• Have qualifications, training, work experience & appropriate licensing required or a plan to obtain the necessary Registrations for the job. 
  
  
• Meet criteria for age, education, language ability, work experience, and adaptability requirements for this stream. 
  
  
• Have legal status in country of residence. 
  
  
• Sufficient settlement funds to pay immigration fees & for living expenses while you are establishing yourself in your job or business. 
  
  
• Convince NS office of Immigration of a genuine intention and ability to settle down successfully in Nova Scotia.

Family Business Worker Stream
NSNP Family Business Worker stream helps employers in hiring workers who are close relatives and have the required skills for positions that they may have been unable to fill with a permanent resident or Canadian citizen.

The worker must have a guaranteed, permanent job offer in Nova Scotia from an employer who is a close relative and owns an established business in Nova Scotia.

The eligibility criteria for a Worker are:

• Have legal status in country of residence.
  
  
• Intend to settle permanently in Nova Scotia.
  
  
• Adequate settlement supports.
  
  
• Obtained a permanent, full-time job offer from an established Nova Scotia business which belongs to a close family member.
  
  
• Job offer must provide compensation in the form of salary and benefits package that meets provincial employment standards and prevailing wage rates.
  
  
• Priority will be given to positions with minimum salary in excess of $10.00 / hour or a minimum annual wage in excess of Cdn$20,000.
  
  
• Be sufficient to retain the worker in Nova Scotia and does not contravene existing bargaining unit agreements or any employment disputes.
   
• Possess the qualifications, training or transferable skills, work experience, and licensing or accreditation required for the job or a suitable plan for acquiring such licenses.
  
  
• Meet the minimum criteria for age, education, work experience, and language ability requirements for this stream

Community Identified Stream
This stream is for individuals who have strong reputable connections to a Nova Scotia community who are employable and can contribute to the labor market and economy of that specific community.

The candidate must have a Letter of Identification from an organization authorized by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration before submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program.

Community Identified candidate must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Must not be eligible for any other NSNP streams.
  
  
• Legal status in country of residence.
  
  
• Issued a Letter of Identification from a mandated community organization.
  
  
• Established connections in specific community which provided the Letter of Identification.
  
  
• Intend to settle permanently in that Nova Scotian community.
   
• Be employable and have skills, training and work experience for future employment in a field or sector required by that community.
   
• Able to meet the minimum criteria for age, education and language ability requirements for this stream.

Economic Stream

• Entrepreneur Stream will replace the Economic stream.
   
• The province is not currently accepting any new applications until it is redesigned into an Entrepreneurship Program by end of 2008.
   
• Redesigned Economic stream will likely contain different eligibility criteria.
   
• Check by mid 2008 for modifications.
   
• Nova Scotia is redesigning the economic stream into an Entrepreneurial stream that will more closely resemble that of other provinces.
   
• NSNP Program gives each Economic Nominee such as business manager or entrepreneur an opportunity to start a business or a six-month work experience contract with a Nova Scotia employer.

Particularly, the stream provides each nominated applicant a six-month work experience contract with a Nova Scotia employer. This serves as a helpful orientation to basic business operations in the province - as well as an opportunity to assess their range of job opportunities and the best fit for their expertise over the long term.

The eligibility criteria for an experienced manager or business owner seeking to become an Economic Nominee are:

• Minimum age of 25 years, and not more than 60 years of age at time of application.
   
• Should have basic skills in English/French that would be sufficient to be understood or function in a job situation.
  
  
• Minimum education of grade 12 or equivalent
  
  
• Owned and operated a business (or) two years of management experience in the last 5 years.
  
  
• Legally accumulated a minimum net worth of Canadian $300,000.
   
• Demonstrate intention & ability to settle successfully in Nova Scotia.

 
Once a Nominee receives his visa and lands in Canada, will be able to select, from a list of approved companies a middle management work experience contract of at least six months with a salary of at least $20,000.

Nominees to enter into an employment contract with an approved Business mentor company within twelve (12) months of landing in Canada. If he/she fails to do so, nominee will lose the right to be offered a business mentorship. Besides, the nominee must be living and working in Nova Scotia in order to be entitled to the business mentorship and employment contract.

As of May 9, 2006, the Economic category has a total of $130,000 in fees:

• $30,000 for File preparation and administration fees.
   
• $100,000 contribution to cover the costs of a paid middle management employment and business-mentoring contract with an approved Nova Scotia business provided to all successful economic applicants.
   
• A non-refundable application fee of $1200 at time of application.

International Graduate Stream
This stream targets international graduates who have established ties to Nova Scotia and intend to live, work, and establish their careers in this province. This helps employers hire and retain recent international graduates whose skills may be in limited supply in the province.

The International Graduate must have a guaranteed, full-time, permanent job offer in his/her field of study from a Nova Scotia employer before submitting an application to the NSNP. Preference will be given to International Graduates whose employers can demonstrate that they will provide additional supports to assist newcomers with their settlement needs.

The eligibility criteria for an International Graduate are:

• Possess the qualifications, training or skills, & accreditation required for the job or a suitable plan to meet the necessary requirements.
   
• Meet the minimum criteria for age, education, work experience, and language ability requirements for this stream.
   
• Demonstrate intention and ability to settle permanently in Nova Scotia.
   
• Graduated within the last two years from a program of at least one academic year of full-time study in Nova Scotia and received a certificate, diploma, or degree from a recognized Nova Scotia post-secondary institution.
   
• Possess legal status in Canada on a temporary work permit.
   
• Offered a permanent, full-time job offer from an employer in Nova Scotia in his/her field of study and at an acceptable level and has been working for at least three months in this position.

The job offer must:

• Be for a position which meets NSNP requirements with respect to type of job, and have relatively high education and skill levels
  
  
• Have compensation in the form of salary and benefits package that meets provincial employment standards and prevailing wage rates
  
  
• Have compensation which is sufficient to retain the worker in Nova Scotia
  
  
• Not contravene existing bargaining unit agreements or any employment disputes

Note: Priority will be awarded to positions with a minimum salary in excess of $10.00 / hour or a minimum annual wage in excess of $20,000 Canadian dollars.

NSNP International student stream involves a Two Step Process:
Step 1: Apply to the NSNP International Graduate stream
Prospective Nominee can apply if meeting eligibility criteria

Step 2: Apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for Permanent Residence
If the Province of Nova Scotia nominates applicant, then can apply for a permanent resident visa, as a Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee through Citizenship and Immigration Canada.