Nova Scotia Reopens Express Entry Stream, Closes Within Hours

On the morning of July 5, the Canadian province of Nova Scotia reopened a popular category of its Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry immigration stream. Through this stream, eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool may apply for a provincial nomination through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), one of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

However, the intake period that began on July 5 closed within hours, showing the popularity of the this NSNP stream. As the most recent intake period indicates, the intake for this stream is capable of being reached within hours, as it has on previous occasions. However, this stream is set to reopen over the next few months and into next year., benefiting potential applicants in the pool who prepare in advance.

Through Category B of the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream, eligible Express Entry candidates with work experience in one of the following ‘opportunity’ occupations may submit an application. A job offer is not required for this category.

Occupation	NOC code
Financial Auditors and Accountants	1111
Other financial officers	1114
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations	1123
Administrative assistants	1241
Accounting and related clerks	1311
Civil engineers	2131
Information systems analysts and consultants	2171
Computer programmers and interactive media development	2174
Computer network technicians	2281
User support technicians	2282
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses	3012
Licensed practical nurses	3233
College and other vocational instructors	4021
Paralegal and related occupations	4211
Social and community service workers	4212
Financial sales representatives	6235

As this is an enhanced Express Entry-aligned stream, successful applicants receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points and an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to apply for permanent residence in a subsequent draw from the pool.

The Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream is one of the few remaining economic immigration streams in Canada that operate on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, Nova Scotia has become an increasingly popular immigrant destination over recent years, with the provincial government having successfully lobbied the federal government for additional allocation under the NSNP.

Eligibility requirements

Express Entry candidates who wish to apply to Category B of Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry must:

Have at least one year of full-time (or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience in the last six years in one of the 16 ‘opportunity’ occupations considered by Nova Scotia (listed above);
Have their foreign education credentials assessed;
Demonstrate, by way of a standardized language test acceptable to the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia, at least an adequate intermediate language proficiency in English or French (Canadian Language Benchmark 7);
Obtain at least 67 points on the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry points grid. Points are awarded based on language proficiency, age, work experience, education, and adaptability; and
Have a profile in the Express Entry pool.

Category A remains open

Category A of the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream remains open at this time. There is no targeted occupations list under this category, but applicants need a valid job offer in order to be eligible.

A valid job offer must be:

Made by one employer in Nova Scotia;
For continuous, paid, full-time work; and
for work that is:
- for at least one year after your permanent resident visa is issued
- not seasonal, and
- in a job that is Skill Type 0, or Skill Levels A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

The other criteria listed above under ‘eligibility requirements’ also apply under Category A. Applicants must obtain 67 points on the Nova Scotia points grid, and prove education level and language ability.

A broad list of occupations

“By opening this category, Nova Scotia opened its doors to a diverse range of proactive candidates in the pool. There are occupations in finance, health care, engineering, information technology, academia, and in social work and the legal field,” notes Attorney David Cohen.

“For candidates in the pool with experience in one of the listed occupations, Nova Scotia represents a tremendous opportunity to achieve one’s immigration objectives. Candidates need to be mindful that even if they didn’t manage to submit an application this time around, the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration has clearly stated that it intends to reopen the stream intermittently over the next few months and into next year.

“In preparing for a future intake, it is crucial to review your eligibility across all criteria and prepare a quality application in advance. Nova Scotia will request more documentation in an application than you needed to get into the Express Entry pool, so it is important to have these documents gathered and reviewed.

“Individuals who have not yet created an Express Entry profile, but who are interested in this opportunity, should determine their eligibility to enter the pool and, if eligible, create a profile. Otherwise, opportunities are passing by.”

Nova Scotia is located in Atlantic Canada, on the east coast of the country. It is known as one of the ‘Maritime’ provinces, due to its historic and geographic relationship with the ocean. As the targeted opportunity occupations list hints at, Nova Scotia has a diverse, growing economy that attracts new migrants and families in ever-increasing numbers.

To find out if you are eligible to enter the Express Entry pool, the first step to immigrating to Canada through Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry, please fill out a free online assessment today.

If you have a valid Express Entry profile and work experience in an opportunity occupation listed above or a job offer in Nova Scotia, please contact us if you want to discuss your immigration options under the NSNP.