The Physician Stream of theNova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)is designed to support Nova Scotia’s public health authorities —Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA)andthe IWK Health Centre– in recruiting general practitioners, family physicians and specialists to address the shortage of healthcare workers in the province.
This stream is open to internationally trained physicians with the skills needed to fill medical positions in Nova Scotia, allowing them to apply for permanent residence.
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Requirements for the Nova Scotia Physician Stream
| Criterion | Eligibility requirement |
|---|---|
| Legal status in the country of residence | – If you are living in Canada, you must provide evidence of legal status as a temporary worker or visitor. – If you are applying from outside Canada, you must provide evidence of legal status in your current country of residence. – If you have lost your status, you are not eligible to apply until your status is restored. |
| An approved job offer from NSHA or IWK | The approved job offer is for a position as a general practitioner or family physician (NOC 3112) or a specialist physician (NOC 3111). The job offer letter must: – Be written on official NSHA or IWK letterhead – Be signed and dated by the person with authority to recruit physicians at NSHA or IWK – Be signed and dated by the candidate accepting the opportunity – Indicate that the candidate is eligible for licensing by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia – Indicate that the candidate is eligible to apply for privileges and credentialing with NSHA and IWK |
| Education and training | Provide a copy of theEducational Credential Assessment (ECA)report or evidence of the education and medical training required for licensing in Nova Scotia. |
| Language ability | The ability to perform the work in 1 of Canada’s 2 official languages, as demonstrated by the job offer from NSHA or IWK. |
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The application and assessment process
- The first step in applying to the Nova Scotia Physician Stream is to gather and prepare all the application documents. Applicants should review the checklist of forms and supporting documents before applying.
- Prepare and submit the application online by creating an account on the Nova Scotia online service, or by email to NSOI.
- Once the application is submitted to NSOI, the NSNP carries out a comprehensive assessment beginning with an eligibility and completeness check.
- NSOI then makes a decision on the application. If approved, the applicant receives a letter from NSOI confirming that the nomination has been issued, and NSOI sends the proof of nomination directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Where NSOI intends to refuse, the applicant has 10 working days to provide further information before being reassessed. Once a final decision is made, NSOI operates no appeal process.
- If nominated, the applicant may request a support letter from NSOI in order to apply for atemporary work permitor to extend an existing work permit. The support letter replaces theLabour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)when applying for a new work permit. The work permit allows the applicant to continue working in Nova Scotia while their Canadian permanent residence application is being processed by IRCC.
- During the assessment of the permanent resident visa application, IRCC may invite the applicant to an interview, and (where applicable) the spouse or dependants must demonstrate that they meet the statutory medical, security and criminal record requirements. If the Canadian permanent resident visa is approved, the applicant, their spouse and their dependants are issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence notice. Nominees must contact NSOI within 30 days of the date they arrive in the province.
Who is not eligible for the Physician Stream
Individuals should not apply under this stream if they:
- Are a candidate who has received a nomination under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program within the past 12 months
- Are an applicant on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, an asylum seeker or a failed asylum seeker
- Are not lawfully present in their current country of residence
- Are in Canada unlawfully, are subject to a removal order, or are prohibited from entering or remaining in Canada
- Are an individual with no legal status; they are not eligible to apply until their status is restored
- Are an international student currently studying at a Canadian post-secondary institution
- Are an international graduate who studied in Canada whose programme of study was funded by an agency or government and who is under a contractual obligation to return to their country of origin
- Are an individual with an unresolved custody or child support dispute concerning any dependant.
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