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Nova Scotia Nominee Program: Skilled Worker
Nova Scotia's main job-offer stream for foreign workers with a full-time permanent offer from a Nova Scotia employer. It covers TEER 0-5 jobs, with sub-criteria for construction and for physicians. Candidates enter an EOI pool and are selected periodically; meeting the criteria does not guarantee selection.
Who it suits
- Workers with a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer, aged 21 to 55
- Workers in lower-skilled (TEER 4-5) jobs who have already worked 6 months for the Nova Scotia employer
- Construction workers in listed NAICS 23 occupations and physicians with an approved Nova Scotia Health Authority or IWK opportunity (sub-criteria)
Requirements
- Job offerFull-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- LanguageCLB 5 for TEER 0-3 jobs and CLB 4 for TEER 4-5 jobs. Native English or French speakers need no test for TEER 0-3 but must show test results for TEER 4-5. Construction sub-criteria require the test regardless of first language. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- EducationHigh school diploma, plus the training, skills or accreditation the job requires. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- Work experienceOne year of experience related to the job. For TEER 4-5 jobs, 6 months must already be completed with the Nova Scotia employer. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- AgeAged 21 to 55. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- Settlement fundsEnough funds to settle in Nova Scotia (amount not stated on the page). ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- PgwpPost-graduation work permit holders in TEER 5 jobs are not eligible. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- ConstructionConstruction sub-criteria: job offer in the construction sector (NAICS 23) in one of the listed NOC codes; high school diploma or a construction-specific training program. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- PhysicianPhysician sub-criteria: NOC 31102 (family physicians) or 31100/31101 (specialists) with a signed approved opportunity from the Nova Scotia Health Authority or IWK Health Centre. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
- FeeApplication fee $1,000, due within 7 calendar days of being selected, for EOIs selected on or after 2026-09-01. No fee to submit an EOI. ↗ liveinnovascotia.com
How candidates are selected
Online EOI submitted through the province's eNSNP portal. Nova Scotia selects periodically (monthly counts published) based on labour-market needs, occupation priorities, region, retention likelihood and capacity. Priority sectors named include healthcare, skilled trades, construction, STEM, natural resources and manufacturing. EOIs now expire after 12 months (from 2026-05-01).
Location requirement: Job offer from a Nova Scotia employer; employment region (outside Halifax) is a selection factor.
Processing: After selection the candidate has 7 calendar days to upload documents and pay the fee. The provincial assessment time is not published. A nominee certificate is valid for 12 months to apply to IRCC. IRCC processing time for the federal stage is shown in IRCC's tool (Provincial nominees) and was not readable as a number on the page.
Recent rounds
| Date | Round | Minimum score | Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07 | All NSNP streams combined (monthly selection count; not broken down by stream; no score published) | — | 671 |
| 2026-06 | All NSNP streams combined (monthly selection count; not broken down by stream; no score published) | — | 531 |
| 2026-05 | All NSNP streams combined (monthly selection count; not broken down by stream; no score published) | — | 789 |
| 2026-04 | All NSNP streams combined (monthly selection count; not broken down by stream; no score published) | — | 161 |
| 2026-03 | All NSNP streams combined (monthly selection count; not broken down by stream; no score published) | — | 370 |
| 2026-02 | All NSNP streams combined (monthly selection count; not broken down by stream; no score published) | — | 357 |
| 2026-01 | All NSNP streams combined (monthly selection count; not broken down by stream; no score published) | — | 363 |
Related pathways
Official sources
- liveinnovascotia.comSkilled Worker stream pageChecked 2026-10-01
- liveinnovascotia.comNSNP overview and newsChecked 2026-10-01
- liveinnovascotia.comNSNP update: ten streams consolidated into four (Feb 18, 2026)Checked 2026-10-01
- liveinnovascotia.comEOI selection counts by monthChecked 2026-10-01
- liveinnovascotia.comEOI processing policyChecked 2026-10-01
- canada.caIRCC processing times toolChecked 2026-10-01
- liveinnovascotia.com2026 selection priorities updateChecked 2026-10-01
- liveinnovascotia.comApplication fees noticeChecked 2026-10-01
Program rules change often. This page summarizes the official pages listed above; the official page always takes precedence.