Nova Scotia Demand Express Entry | Macropus Immigration & Visa Services

Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry

The Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream selects highly skilled individuals who wish to live in Nova Scotia permanently. Applicants must have a good chance of quickly finding a job in Nova Scotia’s labour market.

This stream is for skilled individuals with a post-secondary education and qualifications that will help them successfully settle in Nova Scotia.

Category A: Arranged employment in Nova Scotia

You have a valid job offer (offer of arranged employment). For a job offer to be valid in Express Entry and receive points, employers will usually need an LMIA from ESDC.

A valid job offer must be:

• made by one employer
• or continuous, paid, full-time work (at least 30 hours a week),
• 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 2016 National Occupational Classification.

Category B: Paid Work Experience in an Opportunity Occupation

You have at least one year of continuous full-time (or 1,560 hours or more) or an equal amount in part-time paid work experience in the last 6 years in an opportunity occupation.

The following occupation list represents professions where there may be employment opportunities in Nova Scotia. The occupations are classified with National Occupational Classification 2016 (NOC). The NOC helps determine whether a job meets the skill levels established for skilled and semi-skilled occupations, and whether the candidate’s qualifications and experience match the requirements of the job. The NOC Matrix provides an overview of the entire occupational classification structure based on skill levels and skill types.

Meeting Minimum Requirements:

To be eligible for the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream, you need to meet the following three minimum requirements:

• Valid foreign diploma, certificate or credential and its educational credential assessment (ECA) by a designated body or valid Canadian educational credential.
• A minimum of 1 year of full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid work experience (in Canada or international) in the last 6 years in NOC 2016 Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B.
• Valid English or French language test results from a designated agency IELTS (General training test only); CELPIP (General test only); or TEF demonstrating CLB 7 in each of the 4 language abilities (reading, writing, listening and speaking).

Selection Factors

Potential candidates must score at least 67 out of 100 points on a points grid that measures education, language ability, work experience, age, adaptability factors, and whether the candidate has an arranged job offer from a Nova Scotia-based employer.

Selection factor Points

Factor 1: Education (maximum of 25 points):

You must submit a completed Canadian secondary or post-secondary educational credential OR A completed foreign educational credential from a recognized institution or authority AND an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) issued by an organization designated by IRCC.

An ECA is used to verify that your foreign degree, diploma, certificate (or other proof of your educational credential) is valid and equal to a completed credential in Canada. The ECA will also indicate the authenticity of your foreign educational credential(s).

Factor 2: Language Ability in English and/or French (maximum of 28 points):

Candidates can earn up to 28 points for their skills in English and French. They will be given points based on abilities in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Candidates can also earn points for their official second language capacity. To earn points for skills in both English and French, language test results for each language must be provided at the same time.

All language test results must not be more than 2 years old at the time of application to NSOI. Language test results must remain valid throughout the assessment process with NSOI and remain valid at time of submission of a complete application for permanent residence to IRCC.

Language test results must come from one of the following designated testing agencies:

English:

CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General test only)

IELTS: International English Language Testing System (General Training test only)

French:

TEF: Test d’évaluation de français

Applicants are required to meet the minimum level of CLB 7 (for their first official language in all four language areas). To get points for the second official language, they must meet the minimum level of CLB 5 (in all four language areas).

Factor 3: Work Experience (maximum of 15 points)

The Candidate’s Canadian or international work experience must be:

• At least one year (1,560 hours), continuous full-time or an equal amount in continuous part-time
• Paid work (volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count)
• In the same occupation, and
• Within the last 6 years before your application to NSOI and at application for permanent residence to IRCC, and
• In NOC 2016 Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B (if no arranged employment, paid work experience must be one of the opportunity occupations identified in this guide)

To demonstrate work experience, letters of reference from all employers for the past 6 years are required.

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is a system used to classify jobs in the Canadian economy. It describes duties, skills and work setting for different jobs.

Factor 4: Age (maximum of 12 points)

Candidates earn points based on their age on the day that their application is received by the NSOI.

Factor 5: Arranged Employment in Nova Scotia (maximum of 10 points)

Candidates will receive points if they have a valid offer of permanent employment from a Nova Scotia employer. The job must be arranged before they apply to come to Nova Scotia as a federal skilled worker.

A valid offer of employment must be:

• For permanent, full-time work in Nova Scotia; and
• In an occupation in skill level type 0, A, or B of the NOC.

The job must:

• Have a compensation package that meets provincial employment standards and prevailing wage rates;
• Be a position for which there is a shortage of qualified permanent residents or Canadian citizens; and
• Not contravene any existing bargaining unit agreements or be in any employment disputes.

Candidates can get Arranged Employment Points Without a New LMIA if:

• They are currently working in Canada on a work permit that was issued based on a positive Service Canada LMIA with respect to employment in an occupation listed as NOC 0, A, or B;
• Their work permit is valid at the time that the application for permanent residence is made;
• They are currently working for an employer specified on the work permit; and
• The current employer has made an offer to employ the applicant on a full-time, non-seasonal, indeterminate basis in a NOC Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B occupation in Nova Scotia once a Permanent Resident Visa, if any, is issued.

Additionally, the following criteria must be met:

• The business has a permanent establishment in Nova Scotia;
• The business must have been in operation in Nova Scotia, under current management, for at least two years;
• The employer must have a history of good workplace and business practices;
• The employer must be compliant with all applicable laws and regulations;
• The employer must make a full-time, permanent job offer to the candidate; the job must: Be NOC Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B, Be located in Nova ScotiaThe job, located in Nova Scotia, Have a compensation package that meets provincial employment standards and prevailing wage rates. Be a position for which there is a shortage of qualified permanent residents or Canadian citizens to fill the position, not contravene any existing bargaining unit agreements, labour agreements/standards or be in any employment disputes.
• The employer must demonstrate satisfactory recruitment efforts to fill the position with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Factor 6: Adaptability (maximum of 10 points)

Candidates with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, can earn points on his or her behalf as well. Candidates cannot, however, claim points for a spouse who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. A maximum of 10 points can be awarded under this factor, regardless of how many criteria a candidate qualifies for.

Interview:

If required, applicants may have to attend an in-person interview in Nova Scotia. They will be notified if such an interview is required.

Opportunity Occupations:

The following occupation list represents professions where there may be employment opportunities in Nova Scotia. The occupations are classified with National Occupational Classification (NOC). The NOC helps determine whether a job meets the skill levels established for skilled and semi-skilled occupations, and whether the candidate’s qualifications and experience match the requirements of the job.

In your application to NSOI under this category you will need to demonstrate that you:

performed the actions described in the lead statements for the occupation as set out in the occupational description of the NOC; and

• performed a substantial number of the main duties, including all of the essential duties, of the occupation as set out in the occupational description of NOC.

When Not to Apply:

Do Not Apply for the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream if you are:

• An individual who has received a nomination under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program dated within the last 12 months
• intending to work in an occupation that is a National Occupational Classification (NOC) level C or D
• a grand-parent, 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
• not legally present in your current country of residence
• in Canada illegally, under a removal order, or are prohibited from entering or being in Canada
• an individual who does not have legal status in Canada; you are not eligible to apply until your status has been restored
• 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 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
• an individual whose job offer 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
• a passive investor (individuals who intend to invest in a Nova Scotia business with very limited or no involvement in the day-to-day management of the business)
• unable to provide proof of required funds.