Nova Scotia launches new immigration pilot for in-demand intermediate-skilled workers

Nova Scotia has unveiled a new three-year pilot stream for immigration candidates with an eligible job offer in one of its targeted intermediate-skilled occupations.

The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) said professions targeted by the new Occupation in Demand Stream are "in high labour market demand" in the province.

The occupations are also subject to change as labour market needs in the province evolve.

The Occupation in Demand Stream is currently open to eligible candidates with a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in two specific occupations categorized as Skill Level C under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC).

NOC 3413 — Nurses aides, orderlies and patient service associates
NOC 7511 — Transport truck drivers

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Candidates must also meet the following requirements in order to be eligible:

have one year of work experience related to the job;
be 21 to 55 years old;
have a high school diploma;
have the appropriate training, skills and/or accreditation for the job;
prove language ability equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 through official language test results;
show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.

The NSNP says work experience and transferable skills will be verified via letters of reference from employers and supporting employment documents.

Candidates approved through the stream would receive a provincial nomination and could then apply to the Government of Canada for Canadian permanent residence.

The new Occupation in Demand Stream pilot brings the number of immigration pathways operated by the NSNP to eight.

"We are constantly evaluating our programs to see how we can better respond to what the province needs,” said Nova Scotia's Immigration Minister, Lena Metlege Diab.

"We recognize the significant economic contributions immigrants make to our province and expect the changes and new Occupations in Demand pilot to help more businesses prosper."

Updates to existing NSNP entrepreneur streams

The NSNP also announced updates to its Entrepreneur and International Graduate Entrepreneur streams.

Existing business owners will now be eligible under the Entrepreneur Stream and can include operating expenses towards the required minimum investment.

The ownership requirements for international graduates looking to start a business will change from 100 per cent to one third.

"[The change] will allow for collaboration with other entrepreneurs and give recent international graduates more flexibility in achieving entrepreneurship and immigration goals," the NSNP said in a news release.

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