NSNP Express Entry – Labour Market Priorities

The NSNP Express Entry Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities stream offers a route to Canadian permanent residence for Express Entry candidates who meet specific labour market needs in the province.

This stream is flexible, and the occupations and criteria specified may change from draw to draw, depending on Nova Scotia’s labour market and social needs.

The Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities stream targets candidates in theExpress Entry. Candidates wishing to apply under this stream must hold a valid federal Express Entry profile under one of the three federal economic immigration programmes:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

NSNP Express Entry – Labour Market Priorities stream requirements

To apply for provincial nomination under the Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities stream, candidates in the Express Entry pool must:

• Receive a Letter of Interest from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI) in their Express Entry profile;
• Meet the draw-specific eligibility criteria set out in the draw notice published by the NSOI;
• Demonstrate that they meet the work experience requirements for their Express Entry class (that is, FSW, FSTC and CEC);
• Hold supporting documents/reference letters from employers to evidence their work experience;
• Demonstrate sufficient settlement fundsto settle successfully in Nova Scotia alone or with accompanying family members and to cover the necessary immigration and travel costs. The NSOI will not approve an application if it appears that household income (based on the job offer and any spousal income) would fall below Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off (LICO); and
• Hold legal status in their country of residence when applying to this stream.

Draw-specific eligibility requirements

Express Entry candidates may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination certificate on the basis of the criteria specified by the NSOI in the draw notice. The NSOI states that eligibility criteria may differ for each draw and depend on Nova Scotia’s labour market needs.

Candidates in the Express Entry pool are encouraged to review the criteria specified on theNSOI website.

Work experience requirements

Candidates will also need to demonstrate that they have the required work experience in a priority occupation specified by the NSOI and provide the necessary supporting documents.

The NSOI states that Express Entry candidates must demonstrate that their work experience matches the description listed in the federal government’sNational Occupational Classification (NOC)set out in the draw notice.

The application process

Applying to the NSNP under the Labour Market Priorities stream

To be considered under this NSNP stream, candidates must hold a registered profile in the federal government’s Express Entry selection system.

To apply under the Labour Market Priorities stream, Express Entry candidates must receive a Letter of Interest through their federal Express Entry profile. Candidates holding a Letter of Interest from the Government of Nova Scotia have 60 days to submit a complete application together with the necessary supporting documents online to the NSOI.

The list of draw-specific supporting documents required for the application process is published on the NSNP website. All supporting documents must be provided as portable document format (PDF) files. If a document is not in English or French, the candidate must submit a copy of the original document and a copy of a certified translation.

Candidates will need to provide reference letters supporting the work experience listed in their Express Entry profile, as well as meeting the requirements set out by the NSOI.

Other documents include official bank statements evidencing settlement funds and a copy of a valid passport or temporary residence visa if the candidate is not a citizen of their country of residence (including Canada).

Nomination/refusal decision

If the application is approved, the candidate receives a letter from the NSOI through their online Express Entry profile. The NSOI also provides the candidate (or their representative) with the Certificate of Nomination by email.

Applications under consideration for refusal receive a Letter of Intent to Refuse from the NSOI. These candidates have 10 working days to submit further documents for reassessment. If an application is refused, there is no appeal process and the NSOI’s decision is final.

Accepting the nomination

Candidates have 30 calendar days to accept the nomination from Nova Scotia. Once accepted, the next step is to receive an Invitation to Apply from IRCC in a federal draw. Candidates in the Express Entry pool who receive a provincial nomination certificate from Nova Scotia are awarded an additional 600 points towards theirComprehensive Ranking System (CRS)Express Entry score.

Notification of Canadian permanent residence

On being granted permanent residence, the foreign national must contact the NSOI within 30 days of arriving in Nova Scotia. This may be done by providing the NSOI with a copy of the Confirmation of Permanent Residence, a copy of their passport, and contact details in Nova Scotia such as their current address, telephone number and email address.

Those not eligible

Foreign nationals are not eligible for this stream if they:

• Have received a nomination under the NSNP within the past 12 months; or
• Are refugee claimants or failed refugee claimants who have not left Canada.