Nova Scotia Express Entry Labour Market Priorities
The Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities stream provides a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for Express Entry candidates who meet specified labour market needs in the province.
This unique stream is flexible and the specified occupations and criteria may vary from draw to draw, depending on Nova Scotia's labour market and social needs.
Candidates interested in applying under this stream must have a valid federal Express Entry profile under one of the three federal economic immigration programs:
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Results of the Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities Stream draw held January 19, 2021
Letters of Interest were issued to Express Entry candidates who:
- have a primary occupation of financial officer (NOC 1114);
- have 4 years of skilled work experience related to the job;
- have a CLB score of 9 or higher in English in all language abilities;
- have a Canadian bachelor's degree (or equivalent), or completed a program of three or more years at an educational institution.
Information on previous Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities Stream draws can be found under the invitation history section of this page.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements
To apply for a provincial nomination under Nova Scotia's 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 draw-specific eligibility criteria outlined in the draw announcement posted by the NSOI;
- Demonstrate that they meet the work experience requirements for their Express Entry class (i.e. FSW, FSTC AND CEC);
- Have the required supporting documentation/letters of reference from employers to demonstrate work experience;
- Show sufficient settlement funds to successfully settle in Nova Scotia alone or with accompanying family members and pay the required immigration costs and travel expenses. The NSOI will not approve an application if it seems likely that the family income (based on your job offer and any spousal income) will be below Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut-Off (LICO); and
- Have legal status in their country of residence when applying for the stream.
Draw-specific eligibility requirements
Express Entry candidates may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination certificate based on criteria specified by the NSOI in the draw announcement. The NSOI says eligibility criteria may be different for each draw and depends on Nova Scotia's labour market needs.
Candidates in the Express Entry pool are encouraged to review the criteria specified on the NSOI’s website.
Work experience requirements
Applicants also will be required to demonstrate that they have the required work experience in a priority occupation specified by the NSOI and provide the required supporting documentation.
The NSOI says that Express Entry candidates must show that their work experience matches the description listed in the federal government's National Occupational Classification (NOC) that is listed in the draw announcement.
Application Process
1. Apply to the NSNP under the Labour Market Priorities Stream
To be considered under this NSNP stream, candidates must have a registered profile in the federal government’s Express Entry selection system.
To apply under the Labour Market Priorities Stream, Express Entry candidates must first receive a Letter of Interest through their federal Express Entry profile. Candidates with a Letter of Interest from the Government of Nova Scotia will have 60 days to submit a complete application with required supporting documents online to the NSOI.
A list of the draw-specific supporting documents required for the application process will be posted on the NSNP website. All supporting documents must be provided as portable document format (PDF) files. If documents are not in English or in French, the candidate must submit a copy of the original document and a copy of the certified translation.
Candidates will need to provide the letters of reference to support the work experience listed in the Express Entry profile as well as the requirements outlined by the NSOI.
Other documents include official banking statements to show proof of settlement funds and a copy of a valid passport or temporary resident visa if the applicant is not a citizen of their country of residence (including Canada).
2. Nomination/Refusal Decision
If an application is approved, the candidate receives a letter from the NSOI through their online Express Entry profile. The NSOI will also provide the candidate (or representative) with a Nomination Certificate via email.
Applications that are being considered for refusal will receive a letter of Intent to Refuse from the NSOI. These candidates will have 10 business days to submit further documents to be re-assessed. If an application is refused, there is no appeal process and the decision made by the NSOI is final.
3. Accepting the Nomination
Candidates will have 30 calendar days to accept the nomination from Nova Scotia. Once accepted, the next step is to obtain 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 will be awarded an additional 600 points towards their Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
4. Notification of Canadian Permanent Residence
When permanent residence is granted, foreign nationals must contact the NSOI within 30 days of arrival in Nova Scotia. This can be done by providing the NSOI with a copy of the Confirmation of Permanent Residence, a copy of your passport and your Nova Scotia contact information such as current address, phone number(s) and email address.
Who is not eligible for the Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities Stream
Foreign nationals are not eligible for this stream if they:
- have received a nomination under the NSNP dated within the last 12 months; or
- are a refugee claimant or a failed refugee claimant who has not yet left Canada.
Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities Stream invitation history and eligibility criteria
Date | Draw information | Eligibility criteria |
|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2021 | FRANCOPHONE DRAW | |
January 19, 2021 | DRAW FOR OHER FINANICAL OFFICERS | • Have a primary occupation of other financial officer (NOC 1114) |
December 1, 2020 | DRAW FOR FULL-TIME JOB OFFERS IN NOVA SCOTIA | • Have a job offer from a Nova Scotia employer for full-time skilled work in Nova Scotia that lasts at least one year after your permanent resident visa is issued (full-time means working year-round and at least 30 hours a week); • Have at least one year of skilled work experience related to the job; • Have a CLB score of 5 or higher in English or French in all language abilities; • Have a Canadian high school credential or equivalent |
October 22, 2020 | DRAW FOR PROGRAMMERS AND INTERACTIVE MEDIA DEVELOPERS | • Have a primary occupation of programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174) • Provide letters of reference from employers, as outlined in the application guide, to demonstrate that they have three or more years of full-time or equivalent part-time experience as a programmer or interactive media developer within the five years preceding the application; • Have at least one year of experience in NOC O, A or B in Canada; • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7 or higher in English in all language abilities as demonstrated by providing results from a language test approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; • Hold a bachelor’s degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. |
| September 24, 2020 | DRAW FOR MOTOR VEHICLE BODY REPAIRERS AND AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNICIANS | • Have a primary occupation of motor vehicle body repairers (NOC 7322) or automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (NOC 7321) • Provide letters of reference from employers, as outlined in the application guide, to demonstrate that they have two or more years of full-time or equivalent part-time experience in NOC 7322 or NOC 7321 within the five years preceding the application. • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 5 or higher in English in all language abilities as demonstrated by providing results from a language test approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. • Have completed a program of two or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. |
May 22, 2020 | DRAW FOR NURSES | • Have a primary occupation of registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012) • Provide letters of reference from employers, to demonstrate that they have 3 or more years of experience as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse. • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 8 or higher in English or French in all language abilities as demonstrated by providing results from a language test approved by IRCC. • Hold a bachelor's degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. |
April 27, 2020 | FRANCOPHONE DRAW | • Have selected French as their first official language and have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 8 or higher in French in all language abilities. • Have English as a second official language with a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 6 or higher in English in all language abilities. • Hold a bachelor's degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. • Have a valid Express Entry number and meet all IRCC criteria for the Express Entry pool. |
December 20, 2019 | DRAW FOR PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATIONS IN ADVERTISING, MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS | • Have a primary occupation in advertising, marketing or public relations (NOC 1123) • Provide letters of reference from employers, to demonstrate two or more years of full-time or equivalent part-time experience in advertising, marketing or public relations within the five years preceding the application. • Have selected English as their first official language • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 9 or higher in English in all language abilities as demonstrated by providing results from a language test approved by IRCC • Hold a master’s degree. • Have submitted an expression of interest to the Express Entry pool on or after Jan. 1, 2019. |
December 5, 2019 | DRAW FOR SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKERS | • Have a primary occupation of social and community service workers (NOC 4212) • Provide letters of reference from employers, to demonstrate two or more years of full-time or equivalent part-time experience as a social worker or community service worker within the five years preceding the application. • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7 or higher in English or French in all language abilities as demonstrated by providing results from a language test approved by IRCC • Hold a bachelor’s degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. • Have submitted an expression of interest to the Express Entry pool on or after Dec. 6, 2018. |
October 28, 2019 | DRAW FOR NURSES | • Have a primary occupation of registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012) • Provide letters of reference from employers, to demonstrate 3 or more years of experience as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse. • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 8 or higher in English or French in all language abilities as demonstrated by providing results from a language test approved by IRCC • Hold a bachelor’s degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. • Have submitted an expression of interest to the Express Entry pool on or after Nov. 1, 2018. |
September 20, 2019 | DRAW FOR CARPENTERS | • Have a primary occupation of carpenter (NOC 7271) • Provide letters of reference from employers, to demonstrate that they have two or more years of skilled trades experience as a carpenter. (Self-employed individuals must provide documentation from 3rd parties indicating the service provided along with payment details. Self-declared main duties or affidavits are not acceptable evidence of work experience.) • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 5 or higher in English or French in all language abilities as demonstrated by providing your results from a language test approved by IRCC • Have submitted an expression of interest to the Express Entry pool on or after Oct. 1, 2018. |
September 4, 2019 | FRANCOPHONE DRAW | • Have selected French as their first official language and have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 8 or higher in French in all language abilities. • Have English as a second official language with a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 6 or higher in English in all language abilities. • Hold a bachelor’s degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. |
June 3, 2019 | ECE DRAW | • Have work experience in NOC 4214, Early childhood educators and assistants (ECEs). • Submitted an expression of interest to the Express Entry pool on or after Aug. 8, 2018. • Provided proof that they have received ECE post-secondary education for children aged 0 to 8 years. • Provided proof that they have completed a program of two or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. • Provided letters of reference from employers to demonstrate proof of a minimum of 5 years of work experience in NOC 4214. |
March 20, 2019 | FRANCOPHONE DRAW | • Have selected French as their first official language and have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7 or higher in French in all language abilities. • Have English as a second official language with a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 5 or higher in English in all language abilities. • Hold a bachelor’s degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. • Candidates who submitted an expression of interest to the Express Entry pool on or after September 20, 2018. |
January 24, 2019 | DRAW FOR FINANCIAL AUDITORS AND ACCOUNTANTS | • Candidates in NOC 1111, financial auditors and accountants, who submitted an expression of interest to the Express Entry pool on or after July 1, 2018. • A score in the Express Entry comprehensive ranking system (CRS) from 400 to 450. • Hold a bachelor’s degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute. • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7 or higher in English or French for speaking, listening, reading and writing • Have 5 years or more of work experience in NOC 0, A or B, and provide letters of reference from employers to demonstrate proof of a minimum of 5 years of work experience in NOC 1111. |
August 8, 2019 | ECE DRAW | • Candidates in the Express Entry pool who have work experience in NOC 4214, Early childhood educators and assistants. • Have provided letters of reference from employers to demonstrate proof of a minimum of 2 years of work experience in NOC 4214. |
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