Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry

Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry provides a pathway to permanent residence for highly skilled applicants who have worked for a Nova Scotia employer for at least one year.

Applicants must also be eligible to enter the federal Express Entry pool through one of the federal economic immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, or Canadian Experience Class.

There are two routes to Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry stream. Applicants may either apply directly to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI), or they may be selected from the Express Entry pool by the NSOI. In either case, the principal applicant is required to have created an Express Entry profile on CIC’s online Express Entry system and submit a complete application to the NSOI.

Minimum Requirements

To be eligible for Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry, applicants must:

• Be between the ages of 21 and 55;
• Have at least 12 months full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) paid skilled work experience in Nova Scotia in the three years before the application is made;
  • The work experience cannot have been gained through self-employment or while studying full-time.
  • Volunteer work, unpaid internships, co-op terms, etc. do not count.
  • The work experience must be in a NOC Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B occupation.
• Have gained their experience in the province of Nova Scotia with the proper authorization (work permit, etc.);
• Have completed Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary educational credential; OR
• Have completed a foreign educational credential from a recognized institution/authority AND have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report issued by an organization designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC);
• Demonstrate sufficient language ability in all four components (speaking, reading, writing, and listening);
  • These levels are CLB 7 for NOC 0 and A and CLB 5 for NOC B.
  • Language test results must come from one of the following designated testing agencies:
    • IELTS (General Training Test only) for english;
    • CELPIP (General test only) for english; or
    • TEF for french;
• Have a profile registered in the Express Entry pool; and
• Demonstrate that they will become economically established in Nova Scotia and that they intend to live in the province permanently.

Interview

Applicants may require to attend an in-person interview in Nova Scotia. Applicants will be notified if such an interview is required.

When Not To Apply

Applicants must NOT apply if they are:

• Intending to work in an occupation that is a National Occupational Classification (NOC) level C or D;
• A grandparent, parent, spouse, or common-law partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada;
• An applicant under humanitarian and compassionate grounds, a refugee claimant or a failed refugee claimant;
• In Canada illegally, under a removal order, or are prohibited from entering or being in Canada;
• Not legally present in their country of residence;
• An individual who does not have status;
• An international student who is currently studying at a Canadian post-secondary institution;
• An international graduate who has studied in Canada, whose studies have been sponsored by an agency or government and who is contractually obligated to return to their country of origin;
• On a valid federal post-graduation work permit whose occupation falls under NOC skill level C or D;
• The spouse of an international student at a Canadian post-secondary institution who is not in his/her last academic year of studies;
• An individual with unresolved custody or child support disputes affecting any dependent;
• In a sales position that is based solely on commission for compensation;
• An individual whose 12 months full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) skilled work experience in the three years prior to their application is not based in Nova Scotia;
• An individual in Canada who is in the Caregiver Program;
• Intending to start a business and/or be self-employed in Nova Scotia; or
• A passive investor (an individual who intend to invest in a Nova Scotia business with very limited or no involvement in the day-to-day management of the business).