Nova Scotia’s provincial nomination pathway — restructured in February 2026.
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) lets the province nominate people it needs. A nomination is not permanent residence by itself, but it is the strongest single advantage in the system: through Express Entry it adds 600 points to your CRS score, which in practice guarantees an invitation.
On 18 February 2026 Nova Scotia consolidated ten streams into four. If you are reading older guidance elsewhere, it is out of date.
What changed in February 2026
The province regrouped its ten streams into four. The eligibility rules themselves largely did not change — they were reorganised, not rewritten. Existing Expressions of Interest already in the pool remain active and need no action.
| Stream now | What it absorbed |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | Skilled Worker, Critical Construction Worker Pilot, Physicians, Occupations in Demand |
| Nova Scotia: Express Entry | NS Experience: Express Entry, Labour Market Priorities, LMP for Physicians |
| Nova Scotia Graduate | International Graduates in Demand |
| Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur |
One deadline worth noting: from 1 May 2026, Expressions of Interest expire after 12 months. Previously they sat in the pool indefinitely. If yours is ageing, that clock now matters.
The four streams
Skilled Worker
For people with a full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer.
- Aged 21 to 55
- Full-time job offer from an in-province employer
- Work experience: one year for TEER 0–3 roles; six months with the offering employer for TEER 4–5
- High school diploma
- Language: CLB 5 for TEER 0–3; CLB 4 for TEER 4–5
- Sufficient settlement funds
Four pathways sit beneath this stream. The construction pathway covers 22 trades in NAICS 23 — bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, welders, heavy equipment operators and others — and waives the high school requirement if you have completed construction-specific industry training. The physicians pathway requires an approved offer from Nova Scotia Health or the IWK. The occupations in demand pathway currently lists no occupations.
Nova Scotia: Express Entry
For people already in the federal Express Entry pool with Nova Scotia work experience.
- An active Express Entry profile
- Aged 21 to 55
- One year of Nova Scotia work experience in a TEER 0–3 occupation
- High school diploma
- Language: CLB 7 for TEER 0–1; CLB 5 for TEER 2–3
If you are claiming experience gained on a post-graduation work permit, you must have graduated from a Nova Scotia institution. Physicians applying here have 30 calendar days from a Letter of Interest to submit their EOI — miss it and you start again.
Nova Scotia Graduate
For recent graduates of Nova Scotia institutions working in four specific occupations.
- Aged 19 to 55
- Job offer matching your recent field of study
- Studied at a Nova Scotia institution within the last three years
- Programme at least 30 weeks, half completed in Nova Scotia (24 weeks for NOC 33102)
- Language: CLB 5, plus any certification your role requires
Eligible occupations are narrow: early childhood educators and assistants (42202), nurse aides and patient service associates (33102), paramedical occupations (32102), and pharmacy technicians (32124).
Entrepreneur
For people buying or starting a Nova Scotia business and actively running it.
- Aged 21 or over
- Net worth and investment: $600,000 inside Halifax Regional Municipality; $400,000 outside it
- Three years of active management and ownership, or five years of senior business management
- Language: CLB 5
There is a separate international graduate route for those on a post-graduation work permit who have owned and managed a Nova Scotia business for a year — lower thresholds, but CLB 7 and a two-year Nova Scotia credential.
NSNP or the Atlantic Immigration Program?
People conflate these constantly, including sites that should know better. They are different programmes with different mechanics.
- NSNP is a provincial nomination. You apply to Nova Scotia, and most streams work through Express Entry.
- The Atlantic Immigration Program is employer-driven and federal-provincial. Your employer must be designated first, and it does not use CRS at all.
February’s NSNP restructuring did not touch the Atlantic Immigration Program. If you have a job offer from a designated employer, the AIP is often the faster route. If you already have Nova Scotia work experience and an Express Entry profile, NSNP usually is. We will tell you which fits before you pay for anything — our fee schedule is published in full.
Frequently asked
Does a nomination guarantee permanent residence?
No. It adds 600 CRS points through Express Entry, which in practice means an invitation to apply — but IRCC still assesses admissibility, medicals and documents at the federal stage.
My EOI has been in the pool a long time. Is it still valid?
EOIs submitted before the change remain active. From 1 May 2026 the 12-month expiry applies, so an old EOI will not sit there forever. Worth checking where yours stands.
Do I need a job offer?
For Skilled Worker and Nova Scotia Graduate, yes. For Nova Scotia: Express Entry, you need Nova Scotia work experience rather than a current offer. Entrepreneur requires a business, not a job.
I was eligible under an old stream. Am I still?
Almost certainly. The criteria moved rather than disappeared — the Critical Construction Worker Pilot, Physicians and Occupations in Demand all became pathways within Skilled Worker.
Ready to find out where you stand?
Take the free two-minute assessment, or get in touch to talk it through with a licensed RCIC.