Nova Scotia Invites Express Entry Candidates for Healthcare and Construction Jobs

At present, the province is focusing on workers with experience in two main areas:

• Healthcare
• Construction trades

Some Express Entry candidates may receive a message or an invitation to Apply from Nova Scotia through their online Express Entry account.

Key Takeaways:

• Nova Scotia is using Express Entry to find workers for critical vacancies.
• This is not a direct invitation to apply for provincial nomination.
• The process appears to focus on employer matching first.
  Nova Scotia is looking for candidates whose skills may match critical vacancies with employers who have not been able to recruit locally.
• If the process helps connect skilled workers with long-term labour needs, other provinces may consider similar ways to use the Express Entry pool.

What Is This New Nova Scotia Invitation for Critical Vacancies? 

Nova Scotia is using the Express Entry pool to contact candidates who may have skills needed for critical job vacancies in the province. 

This invitation is not an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination. It is also not an endorsement under the Atlantic Immigration Program. 

Instead, it is an early step in a possible employer-matching process. Candidates who receive an invitation will need to submit more information about their work experience, education, qualifications, and skills. 

If Nova Scotia finds that a candidate may be a good match for a verified critical vacancy, the province may connect them with an employer. If the candidate is hired, they may then be eligible to apply through a federal or provincial immigration pathway. This could include a possible nomination or endorsement. 

Why Is Nova Scotia Sending These Invitations? 

Nova Scotia says this initiative is meant to help identify and attract skilled foreign workers for critical job vacancies. These are jobs with employers who have not been able to find workers locally. 

This process appears to be different from the usual Express Entry-Notification of Interest process. It focuses first on identifying candidates who may be a good match for employers, rather than inviting candidates directly to apply for provincial nomination. 

This approach makes sense given the size of the Express Entry pool. As of May 10, there were more than 230,000 candidates in the pool. On paper, these candidates all have skilled work experience and meet the eligibility requirements for at least one federal immigration program. 

By sourcing candidates from the pool, Nova Scotia may be able to identify candidates whose skills match specific vacancies in the province. If all goes well, this could help the province use its limited nomination spaces more strategically by focusing on candidates who already have a job offer lined up with a Nova Scotia employer. 

Which Occupations Is Nova Scotia Inviting for Critical Vacancies? 

Nova Scotia has named two broad areas: 

Healthcare 

Nova Scotia says healthcare is one of the priority areas.  

However, the province has not published a full list of healthcare NOC codes for this invitation process. 

Construction 

Nova Scotia has listed the following construction occupations: 

This aligns with the priority occupations the province announced for the Nova Scotia Nominee Program in April. At present, the province is only considering nominations for skilled workers outside Canada if they are in healthcare or skilled trades occupations. 

Are There Other Selection Criteria? 

Nova Scotia has not shared all of the selection criteria for these invitations. The province may be looking at other factors, such as: 

• CRS score 
• Number of years of work experience 
• Language test results 
• Education 
• Job history  

This means that having experience in one of the listed occupations does not guarantee that a candidate will receive an invitation. 

How Many Invitations Will Nova Scotia Send?  

Nova Scotia has not said how many invitations it plans to issue nor whether this is a one-time initiative or intended to be a repeatable process. 

Candidates who may qualify should watch for updates from Nova Scotia and check their Express Entry account regularly. 

What Should You Do If You Receive an Invitation from Nova Scotia? 

If you receive a message or Invitation to Apply from Nova Scotia, read the instructions carefully. 

You should pay close attention to: 

• The deadline 
• Any documents required 
• The eligibility rules 
• The instructions for submitting your information  

Receiving an invitation does not guarantee a job offer, provincial nomination, endorsement, or permanent residence. 

If Nova Scotia matches you with an employer and you receive a job offer for a verified critical vacancy, you may then be able to apply through a federal or provincial immigration pathway. 

How Can You Increase Your Chances of Receiving a Nova Scotia Invitation? 

Candidates in the Express Entry pool should make sure their profile is complete and accurate. 

This includes checking that your: 

• Work experience is correct 
• NOC code is accurate 
• Language test results are up to date 
• Education details are correct 
• Province or territory preferences are accurate and include Nova Scotia  

If you are open to living anywhere in Canada, you may want to indicate interest in all provinces and territories in your Express Entry profile. This can make it easier for provinces to find your profile when they search the Express Entry pool. 

Do Other Provinces Send Express Entry Invitations? 

Yes. Other provinces also use Express Entry to contact candidates, but usually in a different way than Nova Scotia is using it in this process. 

The more common approach is for a province to issue a Notification of Interest to Express Entry candidates and invite them to apply for a provincial nomination. 

These types of invitations are usually connected to a provincial nomination stream. This means invited candidates may be able to apply directly for a provincial nomination if they meet the stream’s requirements. 

Nova Scotia’s process is different because it appears to be focused first on identifying candidates who may be a good match for employers with critical vacancies, rather than inviting candidates directly to apply for provincial nomination.  

It will be interesting to see whether other provinces follow suit in a similar manner. If Nova Scotia’s approach helps connect Express Entry candidates with employers in high-need sectors, other provinces may look at similar ways to use the Express Entry pool. This could be especially useful at a time when provinces have limited nomination spaces and need to focus on candidates who are most likely to fill critical vacancies. 

However, there is also a question of balance. Focusing too closely on current critical vacancies could help with short-term labour shortages, but provinces also need to think about longer-term workforce planning. This approach may work best when the targeted occupations are not just facing temporary gaps, but are expected to remain in demand over the longer term.