The Nova Scotia Entrepreneur stream is one of the streams of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), operated by the province of Nova Scotia. This stream is designed to target experienced business owners or senior business managers who want to live in Nova Scotia.
Get StartedSuccessful applicants must start a new business or buy an existing business in which they participate in the day-to-day management duties. After operating the business for one year, the entrepreneur may be nominated for permanent resident status.
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Express Entry Profile | No |
| Connection to Province | No |
| Job Offer | No |
| Language Proficiency | CLB 5 |
| Level of Education | No minimum |
| Work Experience | 3 years business ownership or 5 years senior business management |
| Investment Requirement | Investment: $150,000 CAD Personal Net Worth: $600,000 CAD |
Language Proficiency
To be eligible for the Nova Scotia Entrepreneur stream, candidates must have official language test scores showing proficiency equivalent to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5 or higher.
Work Experience
Since this is a business immigration stream, candidates must demonstrate that they have enough business ownership or management experience to successfully establish and run a business in Nova Scotia. Candidates must have at least three (3) years of business ownership experience, or five (5) years of senior business business management.
Investment Requirement
Candidates must demonstrate a personal net worth of at least $600,000 CAD. As well, successful applicants must invest a minimum of $150,000 CAD in a Nova Scotia business which they will establish and manage.
The Nova Scotia Entrepreneur stream operates on an Expression of Interest (EOI) system. Eligible candidates must submit a profile to a pool of candidates. All the profiles are then assigned a score based on the Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Ranking System. The candidates with the highest-ranking profiles will be invited to apply to the stream in one of the program’s periodic intakes. Candidates must include a business establishment plan and a net worth verification report with their application to the stream.
If the applicant successfully demonstrates that they meet the stream requirements, they will be invited to participate in an interview with an immigration officer in Nova Scotia. If the interview is successful, the candidate will be invited to sign a business performance agreement. Once the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI) receives the signed business performance agreement, it will issue the applicant a letter of support for a work permit. The applicant must then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a temporary work permit. Work permits issued to business immigration candidates generally do not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
If the applicant is issued a temporary work permit, they may then travel to Nova Scotia to establish their business. If the applicant meets the conditions described in the business performance agreement, they will be eligible for a provincial nomination from Nova Scotia once the business has been in operation for at least 12 months.
After receiving a provincial nomination, an applicant has six months to submit a federal application for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants in this program must complete and submit a paper-based application for permanent residence and submit it by mail to the appropriate application centre. Paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence are generally processed within 18 months.
The Nova Scotia Entrepreneur stream uses the following system to rank candidates who have submitted Expressions of Interest (EOIs). There is no minimum score, but only those candidates with the most competitive scores will be invited to apply to the program.
| Selection factor | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Language | 35 |
| Education | 25 |
| Business Ownership or Management Experience | 35 |
| Net Worth | 10 |
| Age | 10 |
| Adaptability | 10 |
| Economic Priorities | 10 |
| Investment | 15 |
Language Ability Points Documentation required
First official language Speaking Listening Reading Writing
CLB level 7 or higher 7 7 7 7 English language: CELPIP – General test or IELTS- General training test
French: TEF
Test must be taken no more than two years prior to the date the EOI is submitted.
CLB level 6 6 6 6 6
CLB level 5 5 5 5 5
Second official language
At least CLB 5 in all of the four abilities 7
Maximum 35
Note: You can only get 7 points in total for basic-level skills in your second official language, and only if you have a score of at least CLB 5 in each of the four language abilities in your first official language.
Education Points
Canadian high school diploma, or equivalent 8
Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a one-year program, or equivalent 12
Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a two- year program, or equivalent 19
Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a program of three years or longer, or equivalent 21
Two or more Canadian post-secondary degrees or diplomas or equivalent (at least one must be for a program of at least three years) 22
Master’s degree or equivalent 23
University level entry-to-practice professional degree
Occupation related to the degree must be:
- NOC 2016 Skill Level A, and
- Licensed by a provincial regulatory body.23
University degree at the Doctoral (PhD) level or equivalent 25
Maximum 25
Business Ownership or Senior Management Experience Points
3 to 5 years of business ownership experience (minimum 1/3 ownership) in the last 10 years 20
Greater than 5 years of experience in a senior management role in the last 10 years 20
Greater than 5 years of business ownership experience (minimum 1/3 ownership) in the last 10 years 35
Maximum 35
Net Worth Points
$600,000 CAD – $999,999 CAD 5
1Million CAD – $1.5 Million CAD 7
Greater than $1.5 Million CAD 10
Maximum 10
Age Points
21-24 5
25-32 7
33-39 10
40-44 7
45-55 5
56+ 0
Maximum 10
Adaptability Points
Your spouse or common-law partner’s language level
Your spouse or common-law partner has a language level in either English or French at CLB 4 level or higher in all four language abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing)5
Your past study in Nova Scotia
You have finished at least two years of full-time study (in a program at least two years long) at a secondary or post- secondary school in Nova Scotia (full-time study means at least 15 hours of instruction per week), and have remained in good academic standing (as defined by the school) during the period of full-time study in Nova Scotia.10
Your spouse or common-law partner’s past study in Nova Scotia
Your accompanying spouse or common-law partner has finished at least two years of full-time study (in a program at least two years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Nova Scotia (full-time study means at least 15 hours of instruction per week), and has remained in good academic standing (as defined by the school) during the period of full-time study in Nova Scotia.5
Your past work in Nova Scotia
You did at least one year of full-time work in Nova Scotia:
- In an occupation listed in Skill Type 0 or Skill Levels A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC), and
- on a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada.10
Your spouse or common-law partner’s past work in Nova Scotia
Your spouse or common-law partner did at least one year of full-time work in Nova Scotia on a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada.5
Relatives in Nova Scotia
You, or, if it applies, your spouse or common-law partner, have a relative, either a parent, grandparent, brother/sister, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, who is living in Nova Scotia for at least one continuous year, 19 years or older, and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.5
Maximum 10
Nova Scotia Economic Priorities Points
Export-oriented business 5
Proposed business location outside of Halifax County 5
Business succession 5
Maximum 10
Investment Points
$150,000 CAD– $300,000 CAD 10
Greater than $300,000 CAD 15
Maximum 15
Below is the information regarding recent Nova Scotia Entrepreneur draws and the historic information about issuance of invitations to apply.
| Draw date | Number of invitations | Score of lowest-ranked candidate invited |
|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2022 | 6 | 128 |
| December 22, 2021 | 20 | 119 |
| September 13, 2021 | 28 | 120 |
| February 24, 2021 | 43 | 118 |
| December 9, 2020 | 34 | 122 |
| February 5, 2020 | 27 | 115 |
| November 12, 2019 | 20 | 118 |
| September 6, 2019 | 46 | 113 |
| June 24, 2019 | 43 | 110 |
| May 17, 2019 | 27 | 112 |
| April 4, 2019 | 27 | 112 |
| February 19, 2019 | 22 | 112 |
| January 7, 2019 | 33 | 112 |
| November 14, 2018 | 30 | 112 |
| October 9, 2018 | 44 | 109 |
| September 20, 2018 | 43 | 109 |
| August 7, 2018 | 32 | 116 |
| June 26, 2018 | 22 | 120 |
| May 21, 2018 | 18 | 123 |
| March 27, 2018 | 22 | 108 |
| February 20, 2018 | 22 | 100 |
| January 16, 2018 | 27 | 91 |
| December 19, 2017 | 27 | 91 |
| November 15, 2017 | 24 | 91 |
| October 10, 2017 | 12 | 97 |
| September 15, 2017 | 28 | 91 |
| August 9, 2017 | 25 | 94 |
| July 11, 2017 | 20 | 97 |
| June 13, 2017 | 30 | 95 |
| May 9, 2017 | 35 | 98 |
| March 7, 2017 | 26 | 100 |
| January 18, 2017 | 28 | 90 |
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