Nova Scotia Skilled Worker PNP
Nova Scotia Skilled Worker PNP is aimed at highly skilled occupations. To qualify as a Skilled Worker Nominee:

Work Visas Under Nova Scotia Skilled Worker PNP
After the applicant has been nominated, Nova Scotia Skilled Worker PNP will provide the standard letter to the relevant CIC post as well as to the nominee stating that the person is nominated and eligible for a work visa.

Nova Scotia PNP Recent Changes to Nova ScotiaPNP
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program has undergone a number of changes over the past several months.  The most significant change was the removal in September 2007 of the cap on the number of nominees Nova Scotia could nominate annually. 

In addition to the existing Skilled Worker and Community-Identified Streams, the Nova Scotia Nominee Program added a  Family Business Worker Stream in December 2006 and an International Graduate Stream in April 2007.  As well, the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration is currently conducting consultations on proposed criteria for a new Entrepreneur Stream.  A further change relates to the previous Economic Stream: in October 2007, the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration introduced the Residency Refund Option for Economic Stream Nominees. 

Here is more detail on each of these new changes:

Family Business Worker Stream

The Family Business Worker Stream allows a worker who has a guaranteed, permanent job offer in Nova Scotia from an employer who is a close relative and who owns an established business in Nova Scotia, to immigrate to Nova Scotia.  The worker must be related to the family business owner (or his/her spouse, common-law or conjugal partner) as one of the following:  son or daughter, brother or sister, niece or nephew, uncle or aunt, or grandchild.  The worker must have the appropriate education, training and/or licensing for the position. 

The Nova Scotia employer must own at least 33% of the business, which must have been under current management for a minimum of two years; the employer must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident; and the company must be financially viable. 

International Graduate Stream

International Graduates who have graduated within the last two years from a program of at least one academic year of full-time study in Nova Scotia and have received a certificate, diploma or degree from a recognized Nova Scotia post-secondary institution, may now immigrate to Canada under the International Graduate Stream of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program. 

In order to qualify, the International Graduate must have a guaranteed, full-time permanent job offer in their field of study from a Nova Scotia employer, and the International Graduate must have been working for the employer for at least three months at the time of application.

Proposed New Entrepreneur Stream

The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration is currently conducting consultations on proposed criteria for a new Entrepreneur Stream under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program.  The proposed criteria are that the nominee must be between the ages of 21 and 55; that he or she have a minimum Grade 12 education or equivalent; that he or she have intermediate English or French language skills; that he or she have a minimum of three years’ senior management or ownership experience; that he or she have a personal net worth of CDN $400,000; that he or she make a minimum equity investment of CDN $150,000; and that he or she may be required to enter Canada on a two-year work permit to demonstrate a genuine intention to reside and develop a business in Nova Scotia prior to being nominated. 

The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration plans to introduce this new stream in early 2008.

Residency Refund Option for Economic Stream Nominees

The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration recently introduced a new post-landing option for Economic Nominees approved under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program.  Nominees who qualify can apply for a refund of their $100,000 economic contribution, without interest, if they can provide satisfactory evidence that they have been living in Nova Scotia on a regular basis for a minimum of 12 consecutive months within 18 months from the date of landing in Canada, and that they are still living in Nova Scotia.  Nominees who have started or completed a Business Mentor Program employment contract do not qualify.

In conclusion, the Nova Scotia Nominee Program has become broader and more inclusive in the past year and provides a number of tools to the immigration lawyer and his or her clients.  With the introduction of the new Entrepreneur Stream, there will be one more tool available.

Nova Scotia Business PNP
Nova Scotia Business PNP is seeking experienced managers with basic literacy skills in English or French, to make a financial contribution to Nova Scotia business and enter into an employment contract with that business.

The requirements to qualify as an Economic Nominee are:

• Owned and operated a business, either on your own or in partnership with someone else, or you must have two years of management experience during the last five years this experience may have been accumulated in business, government, or another type of institution
• Must have legally accumulated by your own efforts, a minimum net worth of $300,000 Canadian; documentation is required to support the dollar amount and method of acquisition
• Basic literacy skills in English or French, including speaking, reading and writing, and must be able to function in business situation
• Minimum of Grade 12 eduacation
• Will be given preference if between 25 to 60 years of age
• Must make a one-time, non-refundable contribution of $128,800, once accepted will be held in trust. This amount will be returned without deduction or interest if the Applicant is refused a Canadian residence visa.
• Upon visa issuance and subsequent landing in Canada the nominee will be able to then select a six month, middle management employment contract from a list of companies approved by the Province of Nova Scotia; you will receive a salary of $20,000 for the six month term of the work experience contract.