NSNP International Graduate Entrepreneur

The NSNP International Graduate Entrepreneur (IGE) Stream of theNova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)is for recent graduates of a recognised university in Nova Scotia or the Nova Scotia Community College who have started or acquired a business in the province.

This stream operates under theexpression of interest (EOI) system, under which candidates submit an EOI and are scored against a number of criteria. The highest-scoring candidates are invited by the NSNP to apply. The IGE Stream targets international graduates who intend to settle permanently in the province while owning and actively managing a business in Nova Scotia.

Minimum requirements for the NSNP International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

Requirements for the candidate

To be eligible under the NSNP International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream, a candidate must:

• Have completed a full-time post-secondary degree or certificate in Nova Scotia, lasting at least two years, from a recognised university in Nova Scotia or the Nova Scotia Community College;
• Have resided full-time in Nova Scotia throughout the programme of study;
• Demonstrate an intention to settle permanently in Nova Scotia;
• Have owned and operated a business in Nova Scotia for at least one continuous year before the date the EOI is submitted;
• Demonstrate sufficient language ability in English or French, verified by an approved language testing body:
  • Sufficient language ability is taken to be Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 across all four skills (listening, speaking, writing and reading).
  • The approved language testing bodies are:
    • English:
      • CELPIP General
      • IELTS General Training
    • French:
      • TEF
      • TCF
  • The language test must have been taken within the two years before the date the EOI is submitted.
• Be aged 21 or over;
• Hold aPost-Graduation Work Permitvalid at the time of application to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI);
• Own at least 33.33% of the equity in the eligible business and be actively and continuously involved in the day-to-day management and operation of the business; and
  • Demonstrate that they are receiving remuneration in the form of a salary from the business, at a minimum meeting the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) as defined by Statistics Canada.

Requirements for the business

To be considered an eligible business under the Entrepreneur programme, the business must:

• Have been started as a career goal; businesses created solely for immigration purposes are not eligible;
• Meet the legal requirements of the community in which it operates;
• Be a for-profit entity whose primary purpose is to earn a profit through the sale of goods and/or services;
• Be considered a “permanent establishment” as defined in subsection 400(2) of the Canadian Income Tax Regulations, 1985;
• Be liable for income tax on taxable income earned from the “permanent establishment” in Nova Scotia, regardless of income or other taxes that may be payable in other jurisdictions as a result of income earned or other business activity;
• Be actively managed by the candidate from the business premises in Nova Scotia;
• Have the potential to generate significant economic benefit for the province of Nova Scotia.

Additional requirements when establishing a business

When establishing a new business, the candidate must:

• Create at least one full-time (or equivalent) job opportunity for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Nova Scotia (the employee must not be a relative). This position must be:
• In addition to any position held by the approved candidate;
• Related and directly connected to the candidate’s business; and
• Meet the prevailing wage in the province.

Additional requirements when succeeding to a business

When purchasing an existing business in Nova Scotia, the following requirements must be met:

• The business in Nova Scotia must have been operated continuously by the same owner for the previous five years; and
• The candidate must offer employment on similar terms and conditions to existing employees, including maintaining existing wages and working conditions.

The nomination process

There are four steps in the nomination process:

Step 1: Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Province of Nova Scotia

Prospective immigrants express their interest in operating a business and residing in Nova Scotia by completing anExpression of Interest (EOI)in the form of a short online survey.

In this survey, the candidate provides the required information on work experience, language, education, age, adaptability and the business. Only candidates who meet the minimum criteria may submit an EOI. Candidates are assessed against the points matrix according to their profile, then scored and added to the EOI pool.

An EOI may remain in the pool for up to one year from the date it is received. If an EOI is not selected during this period, it is removed from the pool. After this point, the candidate may submit a new EOI if they wish. If a candidate is able to accumulate more points after submitting an EOI, they will need to submit a new EOI.

Step 2: Invitation to Apply

The highest-scoring candidates are notified by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI) that they are invited to make a formal application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). Complete applications received from those invited to apply are assessed by NSOI.

A complete application is expected to include:

• The completed application form (submitted within 90 days of the date the ITA letter is issued);
• All supporting documents (submitted within 90 days of the date the ITA letter is issued); and
• The Audit Opinion and Special Purpose Report, both of which must be prepared by one of the Audit Services Verifiers designated by NSOI (submitted within 90 days of the date the ITA letter is issued).
  Note: the candidate must notify NSOI of their choice of Audit Services Verifier within 20 days of the date the ITA letter is issued.

Step 3: In-person interview and nomination request

Once the candidate has been assessed and is considered to meet the programme criteria, they are contacted to attend an in-person interview with an NSOI official. All interviews take place in Nova Scotia and are expected to take place within 15 working days of the candidate being contacted. The interview includes a physical visit to the eligible business. An unsuccessful interview, or failure to attend an interview within the 15-day limit, results in the file being closed.

If the NSOI officer assessing the application is satisfied that the candidate meets all the programme criteria and that there is no other reason preventing nomination, the candidate is nominated by Nova Scotia to apply for Canadian permanent residence under the NSNP.

Step 4: Apply for permanent residence

Once nominated, the candidate applies to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent resident status within six months. Candidates should note that an NSNP nomination does not guarantee the issue of a Permanent Resident Visa. If the application is approved by the visa office, the candidate is issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence notice. They must provide a copy of this notice to NSOI within 30 working days.

Who is not eligible for the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

Ineligible candidates

A candidate is considered ineligible under the IGE Stream if they:

• Are an asylum seeker in Canada;
• Are living unlawfully in their country of residence;
• Have been issued a removal order by IRCC or the Canada Border Services Agency;
• Are inadmissible to Canada;
• Are a passive investor (individuals who intend to invest in a business in Nova Scotia with very limited or no involvement in the day-to-day management of the business); or
• Have no legal status; they are not eligible to apply until their status is restored.

Ineligible businesses

The following businesses are considered ineligible under this stream:

• Businesses operated remotely (from another Canadian jurisdiction or from another country);
• Property rental, investment and leasing operations;
• Construction/development/real estate brokerage, insurance brokerage or business brokerage; unless the candidate can demonstrate that their project in this field will bring significant benefit to the province;
• Professional services or self-employed business operators requiring licensing or accreditation;
• Payday lending, cheque cashing, currency exchange and cash machines;
• Pawnshops;
• Credit unions;
• Home-based businesses; unless the candidate can demonstrate that their project in this field will bring significant benefit to the province;
• Cooperatives;
• Investment in a business operated primarily for the purpose of earning passive investment income;
• Businesses involved in producing, distributing or selling pornographic or sexually explicit products or services, or providing sexually oriented services;
• Joint ventures between NSNP programme candidates; or
• Any type of business whose association could damage the reputation of the NSNP or the Government of Nova Scotia.

Find full details of the programmehere. Updated information on the government website is available athere.