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Learn more about the Nova Scotia PNP streams available through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). From international graduates and temporary foreign workers in Nova Scotia, to skilled workers and entrepreneurs outside Canada, many people find their route to Canadian permanent resident status through a Nova Scotia immigration stream.

Nova Scotia PNP Overview

The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) is the provincial immigration pathway for Nova Scotia to nominate foreign nationals whose skills and experience meet labour-market needs for permanent residence.

Introduced in 2003, the program supports the province’s economic growth by selecting newcomers who can settle and work in Nova Scotia.

As of mid-2025, NSNP is facing heightened demand and constraints: the province announced it is receiving more applications than it can approve in 2025, leading to stream- and sector-specific prioritization.

Nova Scotia PNP Streams

  • Enhanced (Express Entry-aligned) streams for candidates already in the federal pool with strong profiles.
  • Base streams for candidates applying for provincial nomination directly without Express Entry.

Nova Scotia PNP Streams for Workers

Nova Scotia PNP Streams for Entrepreneurs

Nova Scotia immigration and Express Entry

The Nova Scotia Nominee Program maintains an active interaction with the federal Express Entry pool, and candidates may have a range of options if they are interested in moving to Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia’s Labour Market Priorities Stream is a dynamic and flexible stream that allows the province to select eligible candidates from the Express Entry pool based on the latest labour market needs, and invite them to apply for provincial nomination. Each invitation round selects candidates in the Express Entry pool with work experience in a particular occupation or occupations. Candidates selected through this stream may count on fruitful career opportunities in the province, as their occupation has been targeted because there is a shortage of that experience and skill set locally.

The Express Entry-aligned Nova Scotia Experience stream allows eligible candidates in the federal Express Entry pool to choose Nova Scotia as their new home in Canada. Individuals in the Express Entry pool who have experience working in Nova Scotia may find success through this stream.

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points and an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the pool.

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