Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP): Streams and Eligibility

Nova Scotia periodically opens Labour Market Priorities streams that require no job offer, drawing directly from the Express Entry pool against a target occupation — these open with little notice and close fast.

What the NSNP is

The Nova Scotia nominee programme lets the province select candidates who match its own labour-market needs and nominate them for Canadian permanent residence. A nomination does not itself grant status — you still apply to the federal government — but it is decisive, because an enhanced nomination adds 600 CRS points to an Express Entry profile, which in practice guarantees an invitation.

The main streams

• Labour Market Priorities — Occasional targeted draws from the Express Entry pool, no job offer required. Timing is unpredictable; an active federal profile is the prerequisite.
• Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry — For those with a year of skilled work in the province.
• Skilled Worker and Occupations In-Demand — Base streams requiring a Nova Scotia employer offer, including some semi-skilled occupations.
• Entrepreneur and International Graduate Entrepreneur — For those establishing or buying a business in the province.

Enhanced or base?

As with every Canadian province, Nova Scotia's streams split in two. Enhanced streams require an active Express Entry profile and add the 600-point block. Base streams bypass Express Entry entirely — you apply to the province, then separately to Ottawa. Base streams are slower, but they do not care about your CRS score, which makes them the realistic option for candidates whose age or language scores would never clear a federal draw.

Who it suits

Express Entry candidates in targeted occupations, and healthcare and skilled-trade workers with an Atlantic Canada offer.

Before you apply

Provincial streams open, close, and change criteria at short notice, and several operate limited intake windows. Confirm the current position with Nova Scotia's own immigration authority before preparing an application — a nomination programme that was open last quarter may not be open now.

See how Nova Scotia fits the wider picture in our guide to every Canadian immigration pathway, or read the full Canada programme dossier.