Nova Scotia has given a big update regarding the Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NSPNP). Effective from November 28, all applications submitted to the province, regardless of the date of submission, will be treated as an Expression of Interest (EOI), the intake process already employed by most Canadian provinces.
In this new announcement regarding the application for permanent residence in Nova Scotia, the province has emphasized that having a case ID or an application that meets the program eligibility criteria does not ensure the processing of the application. This revised rule also applies to endorsements issued under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
Previously, full applications were submitted by applicants, and the applications were reviewed by the officials immediately and then either nominated or refused. With the implementation of the EOI model, the candidates are put under the candidate pool, and the province will now draw from the Nova Scotia PR application pool. The candidates will be drawn as per the province’s own immigration priorities before they are processed. This closely resembles the Express Entry process.
Note: The sectors can get updated depending on the labour market needs
Applicants of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSPNP) and employers seeking endorsements through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) in Nova Scotia still have to submit full applications. These applications will not be directly processed but will be classified as EOIs and placed in the centralized pool. Through the periodic draws, the EOIs will be selected and processed. The applicants will be notified of the selection and advancement of EOI to the processing stage. The Expression of Interest (EOI) Nova Scotia of the applicants that are not selected will remain in the pool without active processing or rejection.
EOI selection will take into account:
The province has stated that the demand exceeds the number of nominations the province can grant under the annual federal allocation from IRCC. The reduced nomination allocation is what made several provinces shift to the EOI model, and the same applies to Nova Scotia. It will allow the province to better manage the demand and flexibility to focus on direct nominations to in-demand sectors and demographic priorities.
While NSPNP candidates are in for controlled selectivity in the upcoming days, the year 2026 might see significant Nova Scotia PNP changes. As per the latest Immigration Level Plan, the overall provincial immigration through PNPs is to increase in 2026, leading to more provincial nomination slots. With respect to Canada PNP updates 2025, Nova Scotia's allocation had already increased from 3150 at the beginning of the year to 3709 in October.
With the shift to the EOI model, the selection of candidates through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) and Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) will be more competitive. We at ImmiLaw will guide you through the submission process, ensuring you meet the program requirements. We will access your profile to know whether your profile aligns with the given priority sectors. Our lawyers will help you to understand the evolving immigration policies and will advise on the best immigration pathways.
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