Nova Scotia has announced new selection priorities for the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) on April 27, setting out which priority occupations the province will fast-track under a three-level framework.
Healthcare workers and skilled tradespeople receive the highest priority and the broadest access.
Candidates in other occupation groups, and those abroad, face tighter restrictions. Workers in TEER* 5 occupations will not be considered at this time.
The province notes that priorities may shift as labour market needs and nomination allocations change.
Which occupations will be targeted?
Level 1 — Healthcare and skilled trades (top priority)
Healthcare and skilled trades occupations receive top priority for NSNP nomination at TEER 0 to 4.
This is the only level open to both international applicants and temporary residents already living and working in Nova Scotia.
Level 2 — Additional priority occupations
Nova Scotia may also consider nominations for temporary residents already in the province working in the following NOC major groups, at TEER 0 to 4 only:
- NOC* 2 — Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
- NOC 4 — Education, law, and social, community and government services
- NOC 8 — Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations
- NOC 9 — Manufacturing and utilities
Level 3 — Limited consideration
For all remaining occupations, the NSNP will only consider temporary residents already in Nova Scotia at TEER 0, 1, and 2.
Levels 2 and 3 both restrict nominations to temporary residents already in the province — meaning candidates applying from outside Canada who don’t work in healthcare or skilled trades will find their options through the NSNP’s general EOI pool significantly limited.
Other occupational pathways to Nova Scotia PR
The NSNP’s general EOI pool isn’t the only route to a provincial nomination in Nova Scotia.
Physicians can pursue nomination through Nova Scotia’s Labour Market Priorities Physicians stream, an Express Entry-aligned stream that targets candidates in the following NOCs:
- specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (31100);
- specialists in surgery (31101);
- and general practitioners and family physicians (31102).
This stream operates separately from the NSNP’s general priority levels. Candidates must hold a profile in the federal Express Entry system and have a qualifying job offer from the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) or IWK Health Centre.
Workers in northern Nova Scotia may also have a pathway through the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) in Pictou County — a federal program that operates independently of the NSNP.
In 2026, Pictou County is prioritizing 25 occupations across six sectors, including health, trades, manufacturing, and education. Candidates need a job offer from a designated employer in the region.
Background on the change
The announcement follows through on a commitment Nova Scotia made in December 2025, when the province introduced an Expression of Interest (EOI) model and signalled it would direct its nomination allocation toward candidates aligned with its labour market and economic needs.
*TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) is a scale used in Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) system to indicate the skill level required for an occupation. TEER 0 is the highest (management roles); TEER 5 is the lowest (such as food counter attendants and cashiers).
