Frequently Asked Questions (French Version)
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The Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) enables the Province of 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.
The NSNP was established through an agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia in 2002, and became operational in 2003.
(03/13/2006)
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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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Individuals who meet certain selection criteria and have demonstrated 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.
(03/13/2006)
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The NSNP is the first step in a two-step application process for permanent resident status in Canada.
Step one - Applying 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 forms can be obtained by contacting the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration at www.novascotiaimmigration.com or at:
1741 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, a Certificate of Nomination will be issued by the Office directly to the appropriate CIC visa office.
Step two - Applying 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.
(03/13/2006)
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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/offices/apply-where.html.
(03/13/2006)
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You application will be reviewed and assessed by 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.
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Nominee officers with the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration will review and assess NSNP applications. 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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Your spouse/common-law partner and all your dependent children must be included in your application. Dependent children are defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations as the biological or adopted child of the parent and who is in one of a variety of situations of dependency. For further reference, please go to: www.cic.gc.ca.
(03/13/2006)
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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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Processing times will vary depending on the applicant's individual circumstances. However, processing times are expected to be significantly shorter for the NSNP than through other federal immigration classes.
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Processing times will vary. However, if you are nominated by Nova Scotia, you will typically receive your visa considerably quicker than people applying though other federal immigration classes. 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;
- a 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/department/times/index.html
(03/13/2006)
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For applications received on or after July 1, 2006, there are no application fees. For further information, please refer to www.novascotiaimmigration.com or contact the Office of Immigration at (902) 424-5230 or immigration@gov.ns.ca
(03/13/2006)
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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: www.cic.gc.ca/english/applications/fees.html
(03/13/2006)
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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No. Applications can be submitted on an on-going basis to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program. However, the selection criteria may change without notice.
Please note: Applications under the Economic category will not be accepted after July 1, 2006.
(03/13/2006)
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The amount of money required varies depending on the NSNP categories.
Economic category nominees must have a minimum net worth of $300,000 to qualify.
For the other categories, no specific net worth is specified. However, provincial nominees are expected to be financially self-sufficient when they arrive to settle in Nova Scotia. Federal guidelines recommend that you arrive with a minimum of $10,000, plus $2,000 for each dependent.
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It depends on the NSNP category to which you are applying.
Economic category: A pre-nomination five working day exploratory visit and in-person interview with a nominee officer of the Office of Immigration is required. The exploratory visit enables you to familiarize yourself with the province, the business climate and the economic opportunities, and to demonstrate your commitment to living in Nova Scotia. The interview enables the Office of Immigration to clarify information in your file, confirm that you meet eligibility criteria, assess your management experience, financial situation and language ability, and evaluate your intention and ability to settle in Nova Scotia.
Other categories: The exploratory visit and interview are not mandatory. However, the Office of Immigration reserves the right to request a pre-nomination interview following an assessment of your file.
(03/13/2006)
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It depends on your country of nationality whether or not you require a visitor visa. To find out which countries require a visa, please go to: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.html. 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 visitor visa. You will need to fill out an application form and pay a fee to CIC to request a visa.
(05/16/2006)
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No. The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration does not issue visitor visas. Visitor visas are issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) based on established criteria according to Canadian immigration law.
(05/16/2006)
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No. A letter of invitation from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration does not guarantee that a visitor visa will be awarded. The awarding of a visitor visa is the decision of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
(05/16/2006)
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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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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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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It depends on the NSNP category to which you are applying.
Under the Skilled Worker category, a guaranteed full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer or organization is required.
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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.
(03/13/2006)
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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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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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To find out about Canada's immigration law, you can consult the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the accompanying Regulations, available to be viewed on www.cic.gc.ca/english/irpa/key-ref.html
Canadian Government Publishing Public Works and Government Services Canada Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0S9 Tel.: (819) 956-4800 * Fax: (819) 994-1498 Toll free: 1 800 635-7943 * Fax: 1 800 565-7757
(03/13/2006)
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The Nova Scotia Nominee Program is intended only for people genuinely interested in living and working in Nova Scotia. If you are nominated under the NSNP, you are fully expected to reside, work and conduct business in Nova Scotia and become a permanent resident of this province.
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Nominees are expected to provide the Office of Immigration with contact information and landing status confirmation upon arrival to the province. Nominees also agree to participate in the evaluation of the NSNP as part of the application process. This enables the province to evaluate the program's success.
(03/13/2006)
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(03/24/2004)
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