Overview: ten streams became four
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) nominates people the province wants to settle there permanently. A nomination is not permanent residence: after nomination, the candidate applies to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which makes the final decision.
On February 18, 2026, Nova Scotia merged its ten previous streams into four. The eligibility rules of the old streams were carried over as sub-criteria inside the new ones. The change applies only to EOIs submitted after February 18, 2026; EOIs already in the pool stayed active and needed no action. The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) was not affected.
Skilled Worker
Workers with a full-time permanent Nova Scotia job offer. Includes the general criteria plus Construction, Physician and Occupations in Demand sub-criteria (the former Critical Construction Worker Pilot and Physician Stream now live here).
Nova Scotia Graduate
Recent graduates of eligible Nova Scotia institutions with a matching permanent offer in one of four listed occupations (the former International Graduates in Demand stream).
Nova Scotia: Express Entry
Candidates in the federal Express Entry pool. It combines the former Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry, Labour Market Priorities and Labour Market Priorities for Physicians streams.
Entrepreneur
Experienced business owners and senior managers, plus an International Graduate sub-criteria for Nova Scotia graduates already running a local business.
The four streams and their requirements
The table summarizes the published criteria. Each stream page on the official site is the controlling text and may add documents or conditions.
| Stream / sub-criteria | Who it fits | Key published requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker: general | Worker with a full-time permanent offer from a Nova Scotia employer | Age 21–55; one year of experience related to the job; high school diploma; training or accreditation for the job; CLB 5 for TEER 0–3 (met automatically by native English or French speakers) or CLB 4 for TEER 4–5 (test required even for native speakers); settlement funds. TEER 4–5 workers must already have six months with the employer. Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) holders in TEER 5 jobs are not eligible. |
| Skilled Worker: Construction | Worker with a permanent offer from a construction-sector employer (NAICS 23) | Offer in one of 22 listed NOC codes (for example 72310 carpenters, 72200 electricians, 72106 welders, 73400 heavy equipment operators, 75110 construction trades helpers and labourers); one year of related experience; high school diploma or a construction training program; age 21–55; CLB 5 for TEER 0–3 or CLB 4 for TEER 4–5. |
| Skilled Worker: Physician | General practitioners, family physicians and specialists (NOC 31102, 31100, 31101) | A signed, approved opportunity with the Nova Scotia Health Authority or the IWK Health Centre, on official letterhead, confirming eligibility for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia. |
| Skilled Worker: Occupations in Demand | Workers in an occupation the province declares in demand | Permanent full-time offer; one year of related experience; age 21–55; high school; CLB 4. The official page currently lists no occupations, so this route is not usable until a list is published. |
| Nova Scotia Graduate | Graduate of an eligible Nova Scotia designated learning institution | Permanent full-time offer in NOC 32102 (paramedical occupations), 32124 (pharmacy technicians), 33102 (nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates) or 42202 (early childhood educators and assistants), matching the field of study; age 19–55; high school diploma; program of at least 30 weeks (24 weeks for NOC 33102), completed within three years of applying, with at least 50% studied in Nova Scotia; required credential type for the NOC; provincial certification; CLB 5; settlement funds. |
| Nova Scotia: Express Entry (skilled work experience in Nova Scotia) | Express Entry candidate who has worked in Nova Scotia | Valid Express Entry profile; at least one year of Nova Scotia work in TEER 0–3; age 21–55; Canadian high school credential or equivalent; CLB 7 for TEER 0–1 or CLB 5 for TEER 2–3. Experience gained on a PGWP counts only for graduates of a Nova Scotia institution. |
| Nova Scotia: Express Entry (physicians) | Physicians in the Express Entry pool | Approved Nova Scotia Health Authority or IWK Health Centre opportunity (NOC 31102, 31100 or 31101); signed Return for Service Agreement to live and work in Nova Scotia for at least two years; a Letter of Interest from the NSNP, with the EOI due within 30 calendar days of that letter. |
| Entrepreneur | Experienced owner or senior manager who will start or buy a Nova Scotia business | Age 21+; net worth of at least $600,000 ($400,000 if the business is outside Halifax Regional Municipality); personal investment of at least $150,000 ($100,000 outside HRM); at least three years owning and actively managing a business with at least one-third ownership, or more than five years as a senior manager; CLB 5 in all four skills; invitation only; the business must operate for a year before nomination. |
| Entrepreneur: International Graduate | Nova Scotia graduate already running a local business | At least one year of continuous active management and ownership (minimum 33.33%) of a current Nova Scotia business; degree or diploma from at least two academic years of full-time, in-person study at a Nova Scotia university or the Nova Scotia Community College; valid PGWP; CLB 7 in all four skills. |
For all worker streams, the wage must be competitive for the occupation, measured against Government of Canada Job Bank data.
Expressions of interest, priorities and selections
Every stream now starts with an online EOI. An EOI is not an application and does not guarantee selection. Nova Scotia selects "periodically" from the pool; it is not first-come, first-served, and the province does not publish a numerical points grid or cut-off score.
What the province considers
- Labour market needs and occupation or sector priorities
- Likelihood of staying in Nova Scotia and the intended region of employment
- The candidate's immigration status in Canada
- Available nomination allocation, program integrity, and the volume and competitiveness of the pool
Current published priorities (April 27, 2026)
Top priority
Healthcare and skilled trades occupations in TEER 0–4, for both international applicants and temporary residents already working in Nova Scotia.
Other priority groups
Temporary residents already living and working in Nova Scotia in TEER 0–4 jobs in NOC broad categories 2 (natural and applied sciences), 4 (education, law, social, community and government services), 8 (natural resources and agriculture) and 9 (manufacturing and utilities).
All other occupations
Only TEER 0, 1 and 2, and only for temporary residents already in Nova Scotia.
Not prioritized
TEER 5 occupations are not being prioritized in any category.
One-time expansion of selection (July 14, 2026)
For 2026, Nova Scotia temporarily widened selection to active EOIs submitted on or before June 30, 2026, from candidates who already live and work in the province, whose work permit expires in 2026 or earlier, and who meet at least one of these conditions:
- work in a TEER 0–4 occupation supporting a key sector (professional and scientific, manufacturing, construction, health and social services, natural resources, agriculture or transportation);
- graduated from a Nova Scotia designated learning institution and work in a TEER 0–5 occupation;
- live outside the Halifax Regional Municipality and work in a TEER 0–5 occupation;
- work in sales and service (TEER 0–2) and earned at least $20 an hour when the EOI was submitted; or
- work in Nova Scotia in any occupation and earned at least $27 an hour when the EOI was submitted.
Meeting a condition does not guarantee selection. The page sets no response deadline; selected candidates are contacted directly, and an EOI that is not contacted stays in the pool under the earlier priorities. Work permit expiry may affect the order of processing only as a secondary factor.
After selection
Selected candidates have 7 calendar days to review the application, upload updated documents and pay the fee. Missing the deadline closes the EOI. Candidates who are not selected stay in the pool until the EOI expires or is withdrawn. If approved, the province issues a nomination and, where applicable, a work permit support letter.
EOI validity since May 1, 2026
- EOIs submitted on or after May 1, 2026 are valid for 12 months.
- EOIs submitted between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026 stay active and, if not selected, expire on April 30, 2027.
- EOIs submitted before May 1, 2024 were closed on May 1, 2026. Closing is not a refusal; an eligible candidate may submit a new EOI.
2026 selections
Nova Scotia publishes monthly totals, not individual draws or scores. Selections went mainly to healthcare, skilled trades and other priority occupations.
| Month (2026) | Candidates selected |
|---|---|
| January | 363 |
| February | 357 |
| March | 370 |
| April | 161 |
| May | 789 |
| June | 531 |
| July | 671 |
Figures for August onward had not been posted when this page was reviewed (the selection page was last updated August 17, 2026).
Critical Vacancies
Some Express Entry candidates have received a "Notice of Interest" in their Express Entry account directing them to Nova Scotia's Critical Vacancies page. That initiative shares qualified candidates with employers who cannot recruit locally. The province states that it is not an invitation to apply for nomination and does not guarantee nomination.
Application fees (in force since September 1, 2026)
| Stream | Fee per principal applicant | Payment deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, Nova Scotia: Express Entry | $1,000 | Within 7 calendar days of the selection notice |
| Entrepreneur: starting a new business | $2,000 | Within 90 calendar days of the invitation to apply |
| Entrepreneur: buying an existing business | $2,000 | Within 180 calendar days of the invitation to apply |
| Entrepreneur: International Graduate | $2,000 | Within 90 calendar days of the invitation to apply |
- The fee applies to anyone selected for assessment on or after September 1, 2026, whenever the EOI was submitted. Candidates whose selection letter was issued before that date do not pay it.
- There is no fee to submit an EOI, and no pre-payment. Dependants do not change the amount.
- Payment is a single online card payment (Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express); no instalments, waivers or exemptions.
- The fee is non-refundable except where required by law or after an administrative error, and it does not increase the chance of nomination or speed up processing.
- If the deadline is missed, the EOI is closed; a new EOI selected later pays the fee again.
- The emailed receipt is the only accepted proof of payment (a screenshot is not); a declined payment leaves the application incomplete.
- The fee does not apply to the Atlantic Immigration Program.
2025–2026 changes at a glance
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| November 28, 2025 | Nova Scotia formalized the EOI process for the NSNP. |
| February 18, 2026 | Ten streams consolidated into four for new EOIs (portal closed February 13–18). |
| April 27, 2026 | Current selection priorities published; 12-month EOI validity announced. |
| May 1, 2026 | 12-month EOI validity in force; EOIs from before May 1, 2024 closed. |
| July 14, 2026 | One-time expansion of selection priorities announced for candidates living and working in Nova Scotia (see above). |
| August 6, 2026 | Application fees announced. |
| September 1, 2026 | Fees of $1,000 (worker streams) and $2,000 (Entrepreneur) in force. |
NOC and TEER: the occupation decides the route
Choose the five-digit National Occupational Classification (NOC) code from the actual duties, not the job title. Then check whether that exact code is on the Construction list or the Graduate list, which TEER language threshold applies, and where the occupation sits in the current priorities.
Permanent, full-time offer
The worker streams and the Graduate stream require a full-time permanent offer from a Nova Scotia employer, at a wage competitive with Job Bank data for the occupation.
TEER 4 and 5
General Skilled Worker candidates in TEER 4–5 need six months with the employer first, and TEER 5 is not currently prioritized. PGWP holders in TEER 5 jobs are excluded.
Lists change
Occupation lists can be opened, narrowed or emptied, as the Occupations in Demand list currently is. Keep a dated copy of the official list you relied on.
Licensing is separate
Healthcare, trades and other regulated jobs need Nova Scotia certification or registration in addition to immigration eligibility.
Find your NOC code and TEER category
Why there is no NSNP points calculator
Nova Scotia does not publish a numerical EOI grid or a minimum score. It selects from the pool using priorities, allocation, volume and integrity considerations. A points result would therefore be invented and could mislead a candidate whose occupation is not being selected. This page lists the published priorities instead, so you can see where a profile stands.
From EOI to permanent residence
- Choose the stream and sub-criteriaMatch your job offer, Nova Scotia experience or study, Express Entry profile or business plan to one of the four streams. Do not use pre-2026 stream names for a new EOI.
- Confirm NOC, TEER, language and licensingTest duties, permanence of the offer, wage, education, language results and any regulatory approval against the stream page.
- Submit a complete EOIIncomplete EOIs are closed. Keep the information current while it waits in the pool (up to 12 months).
- If selected, act within 7 daysReview the application, upload updated documents and pay the fee within the deadline (longer deadlines apply to Entrepreneur invitations).
- Assessment and nominationNova Scotia assesses the documents. Approved candidates receive a nomination and, where applicable, a work permit support letter. Entrepreneurs are nominated only after operating the business for a year.
- Apply to IRCCUse the Express Entry route for an Express Entry nomination, or the non-Express Entry provincial nominee route otherwise. Nova Scotia's stream pages tell nominees to apply to IRCC within 12 months of receiving the nominee certificate. The candidate, spouse and dependants must meet the medical, security and criminal admissibility requirements, and an interview may be required.
Forms and contacts
- How to submit: the EOI is completed online through the Nova Scotia portal (novascotia.ca/eNSNP), with all required information and attachments. Incomplete EOIs are closed.
- Worker streams and Graduate: Employer Information Form (NSNP 200), Use of a Representative (NSNP 50), Authority to Release Personal Information (NSNP 60), the Program Integrity Policy and the stream's application guide.
- Entrepreneur: the official page lists forms NSNP 500, NSNP 50, NSNP 60 and NSNP 400, a Business Performance Agreement, a Nomination Request and a Net Worth Verifier Document Checklist, with the Application Guide setting out the full document list. The page does not mention a deposit, exploratory visit or business plan requirement; confirm these in the guide.
- Settlement funds: required in the Skilled Worker, Graduate and Entrepreneur criteria, but the official pages give no dollar amount.
- Questions: immigration@novascotia.ca. Report suspected fraud confidentially through Clearview Connects.
Frequently asked questions
I submitted an EOI before February 18, 2026 under an old stream. Do I need to resubmit?
No. Nova Scotia said EOIs already in the pool stay active and are not affected by the consolidation. However, EOIs submitted before May 1, 2024 were closed on May 1, 2026, and other older EOIs expire on April 30, 2027 if not selected.
Do I pay the new fee when I submit my EOI?
No. The EOI is free. The fee is paid only after you are selected for assessment, using the payment instructions Nova Scotia emails you.
Is the Atlantic Immigration Program part of the NSNP?
No. The AIP is a separate federal program with its own employer designation and endorsement process. The NSNP fee and the stream consolidation do not apply to it. See the AIP guide.
My occupation is TEER 5. Can I still apply?
Some criteria accept TEER 5 on paper, but the current priorities say TEER 5 is not being prioritized in any category, and PGWP holders in TEER 5 jobs are excluded from the general Skilled Worker criteria. Selection is therefore unlikely while these priorities apply.
Official sources
- Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Nominee Program
- Nova Scotia: NSNP update, four consolidated streams
- Nova Scotia: Skilled Worker stream
- Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Graduate stream
- Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia: Express Entry stream
- Nova Scotia: Entrepreneur stream
- Nova Scotia: Nominee program priorities
- Nova Scotia: EOI selection
- Nova Scotia: EOI validity period and transition measures
- Nova Scotia: Application fees effective September 1, 2026
- Nova Scotia: Critical Vacancies
- IRCC: Fee list
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.