What is the Nova Scotia Nominee Program?The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) allows Nova Scotia to recruit and select immigrants who meet the labour market and economic needs of the province. A person who is "nominated" or recommended by Nova Scotia is eligible to apply for a permanent resident visa at a Canadian visa office under one of the federal Economic Classes known as the Provincial Nominee Class. Nominee applications are often processed faster than other federal immigration programs.
The NSNP is made possible by agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia.
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If I am nominated by Nova Scotia, does it guarantee my permanent resident visa?No. Nomination by Nova Scotia does not guarantee approval of your application for immigration to Canada. Individuals nominated as Nova Scotia provincial nominees, and their accompanying dependents, are subject to the standard Citizenship and Immigration Canada assessment which includes, but is not limited to, federal criminal, security and health checks. Final decision on issuing the permanent resident visa rests solely with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
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What is the Government of Canada's role in the NSNP?The Canadian government, through Citizenship and Immigration Canada, conducts criminal, security and health checks and has the ultimate authority to issue permanent resident visas for people who are nominated under the NSNP.
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Who is eligible to apply?Individuals who meet certain selection criteria and have demonstrated the intention and ability to settle successfully in Nova Scotia can apply. Current categories focus on skilled workers with permanent employment offers; experienced business owners and managers; and, individuals with established connections to Nova Scotia.
In addition, to be eligible to apply to the NSNP, individuals must show proof of legal immigration status in their country of residence. If individuals are currently living in Canada, they must show proof of current temporary resident status as a visitor, student or temporary worker. Refugee claimants living in Canada are not eligible to apply.
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How do I apply?The NSNP is the first step in a two-step application process for permanent resident status in Canada.
Step one - Apply to the NSNP: Once you decide that you want to settle and work in Nova Scotia, you should review the NSNP categories to see if you meet the criteria set by the province for nomination. If you wish to apply, you must complete a NSNP application and attach copies of all supporting documentation.
Application guides and forms can be obtained from our website at
www.novascotiaimmigration.com, by emailing the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration at
nsnp@gov.ns.ca or by contacting the office at:
Nova Scotia Office of Immigration1741 Brunswick Street, Suite 110A
PO Box 1535
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada B3J 2Y3
Tel: 1-902-424-5230
Fax: 1-902-424-7936
You must also attach appropriate federal application documents with your NSNP application and forward the complete application package to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration.
If you are approved by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration as meeting the NSNP selection criteria, you will receive a Letter of Nomination. A Certificate of Nomination will be issued by the Office of Immigration directly to the appropriate CIC visa office.
Step two - Apply to a Citizenship and Immigration Canada visa office: when you receive written notification of your nomination, you must then submit your NSNP and federal immigration application package directly to the appropriate visa office of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) within 90 days of nominee certificate issuance.
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Do I need to hire an immigration representative (i.e. lawyer or consultant) to help me complete my forms or advise me on my application?No, you are not required to have a paid immigration representative. The application forms are designed to make them easy for applicants to understand and complete on their own. Some people do choose to have a representative. However, if you hire someone, your application will not receive special attention, or be handled differently from other applications. The NSNP will not release information to any immigration representative who is not a member in good standing of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) or of a provincial or territorial law society within Canada.
Nova Scotia reserves the right to deal directly with the applicant at any time. This is considered in the best interests of program integrity.
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If I am nominated by Nova Scotia, to which visa office do I then apply for my visa?You must apply in your country of residence, your country of nationality or the country where you have been legally admitted for at least one year.
Please refer to the following website for a listing of CIC visa offices and the countries they serve:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/provincial/apply-application.asp#visa_officesBack to top
How will my NSNP application be assessed?Your application will be reviewed and assessed by Nominee Officers of the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration. The assessment will consist of a complete review of your application, as well as the results of your interview, if an interview was required by the Office. Decisions will be based on, but not limited to, the following criteria: age, education and training, work experience, language ability, financial resources, adaptability, and our confidence in your genuine intention and ability to settle successfully in Nova Scotia. The officers may request additional information and documents to complete the assessment of your application. Once a decision is made, you will be notified in writing.
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Who do I include in my application?Your spouse/common-law partner and all your dependent children must be included in your application. This includes:
- Your spouse (a legal marriage or a common-law partnership of at least one year)
- Children under the age 18 of whom you have legal custody
- Adult children who are:
- Less than 22 years of age and not married or in common-law relationship
- over 22 years of age and who are not financially independent due to a physical or mental condition
- Over 22 years of age and who are actively pursuing academic, professional or vocational training on a full-time basis
Please note that the dependency of the child is determined by CIC at the time of application to the visa office. Dependency is not decided by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration. For further reference, please go to:
www.cic.gc.ca.
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Can I claim my common-law partner as a dependent?Yes, a common-law partner is a person who has been living in a conjugal relationship with the principal applicant for at least one year. The term refers to both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships.
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Can I claim my fiancé(e) as a dependent?A fiancé(e) is not a dependent for purposes of immigration. If your fiancé(e) intends to accompany you to Nova Scotia and you are not getting married before you apply for NSNP, he/she would need to fill out his/her own application and qualify as a principal applicant.
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What about dependents who are not accompanying me to Canada?All your dependents, whether they will accompany you to Canada or not, must be included in your application. If they are 18 years of age or over, they must complete their own federal application forms, whether they accompany you or not.
In order for a permanent resident visa to be issued to you, the principal applicant, and all of your dependents must be determined to be admissible, even if they have no intention of accompanying you to Canada.
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Will I or my dependents need to have a medical examination?Yes. A medical examination will be required by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada visa office before you can become a permanent resident of Canada.
A person who is approved as a Nova Scotia nominee, his or her spouse/common-law partner and dependent children, whether accompanying or not, will all be required to have a medical examination. The medical examination is a federal requirement for permanent residency set by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. If you are nominated by Nova Scotia, you will receive further instructions from the visa office regarding how and when to get medical examinations done for you and your family members. Any related costs are your responsibility.
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If I am nominated, will background checks be done on me or my family?Yes. If you are nominated by Nova Scotia, you and your adult family members (18 and over) will undergo a background check by Citizenship and Immigration Canada for security and criminality purposes, as do other immigrants to Canada. Any related costs are your responsibility.
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Do I need a passport and travel documents to apply?You and your dependents must have valid passports or travel documents. If any documents are soon to expire, you should renew them. Diplomatic, official, service or public affairs passports cannot be used to immigrate to Canada. You must have a valid regular or private passport when you arrive. The validity of your visa may be affected by the validity of your passport.
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How long will it take to receive my permanent resident visa?Applying for a permanent resident visa under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program is a two-step process.
The first step is the assessment and decision made on your application by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration. Applications eligible for consideration can take 3 months or more to process depending on the volume of applications received and the time required for verifications of documents included with the application.
If approved as a Nova Scotia provincial nominee, the second step begins when you apply to a CIC visa office for a permanent resident visa. CIC attempts to process Nova Scotia provincial nominees as quickly as possible. While processing times will vary from post to post, processing times on average are significantly less for provincial nominees than for applications through the other federal classes of immigrants. A significant difference is that if all documents are complete, an interview by the CIC visa office may not be required for Nova Scotia, although there is no guarantee that an interview will be waived. The average processing times at CIC visa offices for nominee files is 9 to 12 months depending on the office and the application.
The following can delay processing of your application:
- Errors, omissions or inconsistencies;
- Incomplete or unsigned application forms;
- Missing documents;
- Insufficient postage;
- Missing fees or photographs;
- Unclear photocopies;
- Documents not accompanied by a certified English or French translation;
- Medical condition that may require additional tests;
- Family situations such as divorce, family support/ maintenance, or child custody issues;
- Failure to notify the visa office of a change of address.
Your application will be processed more quickly if you are careful in assembling your documentation to avoid these problems. CIC publishes processing times for visa offices at:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.aspBack to top
Is there a fee to apply to the NSNP?No. There is no provincial application fee.
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If I am nominated, are there fees to apply to CIC for my permanent resident visa?Yes, if you are nominated by Nova Scotia, you will have to pay federal processing fees and Right of Landing fees that apply to each member of your family. Information on federal fees can be found at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. You will also have to pay costs associated with medical examinations, and police and security checks. Please refer to:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp Back to top
Do my documents have to be translated by a certified translator?Yes. All documents must be accurately translated into English or French for the Nova Scotia Nominee Program and must be certified translations. You must always include copies of the original language documents.
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Is there a deadline to apply to the NSNP?No. Applications can be submitted on an on-going basis to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program. However, the selection criteria may change without notice.
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How much money must I bring with me to settle in Nova Scotia?Provincial nominees are expected to be financially self-sufficient when they arrive in Nova Scotia. The amount of available money that you need will depend on a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to your job situation, whether you are already living in Nova Scotia, whether you have close relatives to assist you and how many dependents you have.
All applicants to the NSNP must provide evidence of financial resources in the name of the Principal Applicant or spouse. It is your responsibility to provide evidence to the Office of Immigration that you have sufficient support. We reserve the right to ask for further information about your financial resources when necessary.
As a general federal guideline, it is recommended that you arrive in Nova Scotia with at least $10,000 (Canadian) plus $2000 for each accompanying dependent. This amount is reduced in the case of an immigrant with a job offer and/or who is already living in the province.
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Do I have to visit Nova Scotia or undergo an in-person interview with the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration?It depends on the NSNP category to which you are applying.
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Do I need a Temporary Resident Visa to attend the NSNP interview?It depends on your country of nationality whether or not you require a Temporary Resident Visa. To find out which countries require a visa, please go to:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp. If you are a citizen of a country and territory which requires a visa to visit Canada, you must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a Temporary Resident Visa. You will need to fill out an application form and pay a fee to CIC to request a visa.
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Can I get a Temporary Resident Visa from your office?No. The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration does not issue Temporary Resident Visas. Temporary Resident Visas are issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) based on established criteria according to Canadian immigration law.
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Does an invitation from the NSNP guarantee that a Temporary Resident Visa will be issued?No. A letter of invitation from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration does not guarantee that a Temporary Resident Visa will be awarded. The awarding of a Temporary Resident Visa is the decision of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
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Does it help to have a relative in Nova Scotia?The Nova Scotia Nominee Program is not a family reunification program. However, if you or your spouse/common-law partner has close relatives in Nova Scotia, it may impact favourably on your application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program. Your relative in Nova Scotia must be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen who is 18 or over. You must provide documentation to prove the relationship.
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Do I need to get my trade or profession credentials recognized and licensed before applying to Nova Scotia?You must provide documented proof of your education, training, occupational work experience, that show that you can become eligible to work in your occupation in Nova Scotia. Depending on your occupation, the Nova Scotia Nominee Program may refuse to consider your application without proof that you are licensed to work in Nova Scotia. Each province has different accreditation requirements. Please research your individual case carefully.
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I am eager to move to Nova Scotia. When should I make arrangements?You should not make arrangements to move from your country of residence (such as quitting your job, selling your house or business) until after you have been notified by Citizenship and Immigration Canada that a permanent resident visa will be issued to you.
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If I have applied for refugee status in Canada, can I also apply to the NSNP?No. The Nova Scotia Nominee Program will not process any applications for individuals who have a refugee claim or are under removal orders.
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Do I need a job to apply to the NSNP?It depends on the NSNP category to which you are applying.
Under the Skilled Worker, Family Business Worker and International Graduate Streams, a guaranteed full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer is required. A job offer is not required for the Community Identified Stream.
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Can I get a temporary work permit through your office?No. We do not issue temporary work permits. These permits are the responsibility of
Citizenship and Immigration Canada and
Service Canada. Please visit www.cic.gc.ca for information on how to apply for a temporary work permit.
However, if you are nominated by the province, you may be able to get a temporary work permit or renew an existing one while your permanent residence application is in process. Provincial nominees who have a letter of support from the NSNP indicating that they are required to work in Nova Scotia, do not need a Service Canada labour market opinion to apply for a work permit.
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What if I apply to another province's nominee program? Will that speed up my Nova Scotia application?No. Nova Scotia is looking for a solid commitment from you to live and work in Nova Scotia. If you apply to another province at the same time, it could suggest that you are not serious about wanting to come to Nova Scotia.
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What if some of my information changes after I have submitted my provincial nominee application?Changes in personal information do require that you inform the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration and the visa office. Any changes in marital status, address, birth of a new child and any other changes that affect the information submitted on the application should be communicated in writing, with accompanying supporting documents (i.e. birth, marriage, divorce certificates, education certificates, etc.) to the attention of the Office of Immigration and to the visa office where the permanent residence application was submitted. It is a serious offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to knowingly make a false or misleading statement. If any information changes before arrival in Canada (even if a visa has already been issued), you must inform the visa office in writing. Additional supporting documents may also be required as determined by the visa office.
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What are Canada's immigration laws?To find out about Canada's immigration law, you can consult the
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/index.aspBack to top