Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream (NSE)
- P.N.P: Provincial Nominee Programs
- E.O.I: Expression of Interest
- P.S: Point System
- Permanent Resident
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SUMMARY
Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
The following requirements must be met if you are applying to the Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream:
1- Age
2- Net Worth
- A minimum net worth of:
- $600,000 CAD in readily transferable funds if your business is located within Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).
- $400,000 CAD in readily transferable funds if your business is located outside of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).
- The net worth must have been accumulated through legal and legitimate sources.
3- Language Ability
You must have taken within two (2) years prior to submission of EOI, an approved test results and have obtained a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark CLB 5 in all for abilities in English or French (➨Appendix 5).
4- Education
You must have a minimum of Canadian high school diploma or equivalent foreign credential, taken in the last five (5) years prior to the date the EOI is submitted.
Candidates with a foreign education must provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report (➨Appendix 3) for their foreign education.
The ECA Report must not be more than five (5) years old prior to the date the Expression of Interest is submitted.
5- Business Experience
In the last ten (10) years you must have:
- at least three (3) years’ experience managing and owning a business (33.33% ownership minimum); OR
- more than five (5) years’ experience in a senior business management role
Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.
NOVA SCOTIA BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
In order to qualify as an eligible business under the Entrepreneur program, you must have an intention to buy or establish a business in Nova Scotia that meets the following criteria:
1- Business Investment
Investment amounts derived from loans or other forms of financing are not eligible.
The following list of equity expenditures may be included as business investments: land; buildings; equipment; software; licenses; franchise fees; leasehold improvements; professional fees associated with the establishment of business; one vehicle and furniture and fixtures.
A maximum of six (6) months of operating expenses for establishment of new business and a maximum of three (3) months operating expenses for purchase of an existing business may be eligible as part of initial business expenses.
2- Business Ownership
You must own at least one third (33.33%) of the equity of a business in Nova Scotia.
If purchasing an existing business, the Nova Scotia based business must have been in continuous operation by the same owner in Nova Scotia for the previous five (5) years. It must also be actively in operation.
3- Type of Business
The business purpose must be to make a profit from active income through the sale of goods and/or services.
The following types of businesses are not eligible under Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream:
- Businesses that are conducted remotely
- Property rental, investment, and leasing activities
- Real estate construction/development/brokerage, insurance brokerage or business brokerage
- Any professional services or self-employed business operators requiring licensing or accreditation
- Pay day loan, cheque cashing, money changing and cash machines
- Pawnbrokers
- Credit unions
- Home-based businesses
- Co-operatives
- Investments into a business operated primarily for the purposes of deriving passive investment income
- Businesses involved in the production, distribution or sale of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services
- Joint ventures between NSNP program applicants
- Any other type of business that by association would tend to bring the NSNP or the Government of Nova Scotia into disrepute
Real estate considerations: The Labour Market Service Integration (LMSI) will now consider real estate construction and development applications on a case-by-case basis.
4- Job Creation
If starting a new business, you must create at least one (1) permanent full-time job for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
If purchasing an existing business, you must offer employment on similar terms and conditions to existing staff, including maintaining existing wages and employment terms.
5- Active Management
You must provide active and on-going participation in the day to day management and direction of the business at the business site.
6- Ineligibility
You are not eligible to apply under the Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream if:
- You are a passive investor (individuals who intend to invest in a Nova Scotia business with very limited or no involvement in the day-to-day management of the business).
- You are a refugee claimant in Canada, a failed refugee claimant, had a removal order, are prohibited from entering or being in Canada, do not have status in Canada or are living illegally in your country of residence.
CALCULATE YOUR SCORE
If you meet the above minimum requirement, then you must calculate or estimate your total score based on the following selection factors. There is no minimum required score. But you will be ranked based upon your points assessment score and placed in an Expression of Interest (EOI) pool.
Candidates will be ranked against each other and only top ranked candidates will be invited to apply. A draw will occur with only the top ranked candidates being selected and issued an invitation to apply.
| Selection Factor | Maximum Points | ||||
| Factor 1: Language Ability | 35 | ||||
| Factor 2: Education | 25 | ||||
| Factor 3: Experience | 35 | ||||
| Factor 4: Net Worth | 10 | ||||
| Factor 5: Age | 10 | ||||
| Factor 6: Adaptability | 10 | ||||
| Factor 7: Economic Priorities | 10 | ||||
| Factor 8: Investment | 15 | ||||
| Maximum Points Total | 150 | ||||
| Selection Pass Mark | Varies * | ||||
| * For latest draws go to (➨immilib.com/NSE-Draws) | |||||
Factor 1: Language Ability
To be awarded point for language, you must have taken an approved test results (➨Appendix 5).
Test must be taken no more than two (2) years prior to the date the EOI is submitted.
| First official language (English or French) | ||||
| Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing | |
| CLB 8 or higher | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| CLB 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| CLB 5 | Not Eligible | Not Eligible | Not Eligible | Not Eligible |
| Second official language (English or French) | |
| At least CLB 5 in all of the 4 abilities | 7 |
| CLB 4 or less in any of the 4 abilities | 0 |
- English: IELTS General or CELPIP General or PTE Core
- French: TEF Canada or TCF Canada
Factor 2: Education
| Level of Education | Points |
| Doctoral (PhD) level | 25 |
| Master's degree or equivalent 23 | 23 |
| University level entry-to-practice professional degree | 23 |
| Two or more post-secondary credentials, one of which is a three-year or longer post-secondary credential | 22 |
| Three-year or longer post-secondary credential | 21 |
| Two-year post-secondary credential | 19 |
| One-year post-secondary credential | 12 |
| Secondary school/high school diploma | 8 |
You will be awarded points for your Canadian educational credential or foreign credential accompanied by Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) Report (➨Appendix 3).
The ECA Report must not be more than five (5) years old prior to the date the EOI is submitted.
Factor 3: Business Ownership or Senior Management Experience
You may claim points based on your business experience. The number of points is based on your past business ownership experience OR senior management experience.
| 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 |
| No or Less than above management or business ownership experience | Not Eligible |
Factor 4: Net Worth
| Net Worth | Points |
| $400,000 CAD – $999,999 CAD | 5 |
| 1 Million CAD – $1.5 Million CAD | 7 |
| Greater than $1.5 Million CAD | 10 |
| Less than $400,000 CAD | Not Eligible |
Factor 5: Age
You’ll get points based on your age on the day you submit your EOI.
| Age | Points |
| Under 21 | Not Eligible |
| 21-24 | 5 |
| 25-32 | 7 |
| 33-39 | 10 |
| 40-44 | 7 |
| 45-55 | 5 |
| 56+ | 0 |
Factor 6: Adaptability
You can get maximum of 10 points for any combination of the following factors:
| Adaptability | Points |
| Spouse/common-law partner Language level at least CLB 4 in all abilities in English of French | 5 |
| 2 years full-time study in Nova Scotia (secondary or post-secondary) | 10 |
| Spouse/common-law partner 2 years full-time study in Nova Scotia (secondary or post-secondary) | 5 |
| 1 year of full-time work in Nova Scotia at skill type 0, or skill levels A or B | 10 |
| Spouse/common-law partner 1 year of full-time work in Nova Scotia | 5 |
| Yours or your spouse/common-law partner’s relatives in Canada (parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew) who are 19 years or older, living in Nova Scotia for at least one continuous year as permanent resident or citizen. | 5 |
Factor 7: Nova Scotia Economic Priorities
You can get maximum of 10 points for any combination of the following factors:
| Priorities | Points |
| Export-oriented business | 5 |
| Proposed business location outside of Halifax County | 5 |
| If you are purchasing a business in Nova Scotia that has been in operation by the same owner for the past 5 years | 5 |
Factor 8: Investment
Points are awarded for the amount of investment to establish or purchase a business in Nova Scotia. The investment may include but not limited to the start-up costs, inventory, equity expenditures and a portion of operating expenses.
| Investment | Points |
| $100,000 CAD– $300,000 CAD | 10 |
| Greater than $300,000 CAD | 15 |
| Less than $100,000 CAD | Not Eligible |
| Your Total Score |
GCYSA
WHAT STEPS SHOULD YOU TAKE?
If you meet all the requirements and if you believe you are likely to be invited based on your score, you can start the process to apply under Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream.
Step 1: Exploratory Visit
The exploratory visit is mandatory for persons purchasing an existing business. If you are starting a new business, the exploratory visit is not mandatory, but recommended.
You must prepare a detailed report of your whole exploratory visit. Your report on the visit must cover the entire length of your stay in Canada, including time spent in other provinces, if any.
The information required must be submitted as part of your Business Establishment Plan, including any relevant documents.
Details must include:
- Length of your stay.
- The name of the professional business service providers or settlement organizations visited during your trip, including mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and emails.
- A description of the activity and/or meeting and how it relates to the applicant’s business establishment or settlement.
- Copies of all airline tickets, boarding passes and hotel receipts during your entire stay in Canada.
- Copies of business cards collected from relevant contact and business service providers contacted during your visit.
- Details of visit to existing business location and meetings with current owners if you are planning to purchase an existing business. You should include the business name, location and the current owner’s names and contact details.
To find out how you can travel to Canada for a temporary visit, see (➨Page).
Step 2: Submit an Online Expression of Interest (EOI)
EOI is an online system where you submit information about yourself to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program.
To complete the EOI, you’ll need information from some documents including passports, language test results, etc. But you don’t need to upload any documents.
EOIs will be ranked against each other and only top ranked candidates will be invited to apply. A draw will occur with only the top ranked EOIs being selected and issued an invitation to apply.
|
Recent Draws – Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream |
||
| Date of Draw | No. of ITA | Min. Score |
| Oct 30, 2024 | 8 | 93 |
| Sep 25, 2024 | 8 | 88 |
| Aug 1, 2024 | 11 | 88 |
| Jun 7, 2024 | 9 | 88 |
| Apr 25, 2024 | 15 | 85 |
| Mar 11, 2024 | 15 | 89 |
| Feb 6, 2024 | 32 | 105 |
| Jan 3, 2024 | 30 | 114 |
| Nov 1, 2022 | 6 | 128 |
| Dec 22, 2021 | 20 | 119 |
| Sep 13, 2021 | 28 | 120 |
|
Updates and Complete list of previous Draws available at: immilib.com/NSE-Draws |
||
Step 3: Prepare Documents
Business Establishment Plan
Net Worth Verification Report
| List of Nova Scotia Designated Net Worth Verifiers | |
|
KPMG-Toronto 4600 – 333 Bay St Bay Adelaide Centre Toronto ON M5H 2S5 (416) 777-3887 |
MNP 200 – 100 Venture Run Dartmouth NS B3B 0H9 (902) 493-5452 |
Step 4: Submit Application to NSNP
- Application Forms;
- All supporting documentation;
- A Business Establishment Plan; and
- A Net Worth Verification Report
You will have 180 calendar days from the issuance date of the ITA letter to submit your Net Worth Verification Report. If you are buying an existing Nova Scotia business you must also submit a Preliminary purchase price and evaluation of the business.
After assessment of the application is complete, if you appear to meet the Entrepreneur Eligibility Criteria you will be contacted to participate in an in-person interview. You will be required to travel to Nova Scotia to participate in this interview.
| NSNP Application | |
| Submit application to: | |
Nova Scotia Office of Immigration 1469 Brenton Street, 3rd floor PO Box 1535 Halifax, NS, Canada B3J 2Y3 | |
| Official Program Guide: | |
| immilib.com/NSE-Guide | |
| NSNP Application Fee: | |
| None | |
| Processing Time: | |
| immilib.com/NS-PT | |
| Document Checklist: | |
(page 54) | |
| Contact: | |
| 902-424-5230 | |
| nsnp@novascotia.ca | |
To find out how you can travel to Canada for a temporary visit, see (➨Page).
Step 4: Business Performance Agreement
Step 5: Apply for Work permit
You must then provide the letter of support, your business plan and your signed Business Performance Agreement to the Government of Canada with an application for a temporary work permit (➨Page).
Step 6: Business Establishment in Nova Scotia
Step 7: Request for Nomination
In order to be eligible for nomination you and your dependents must be living in Nova Scotia and you must have fulfilled the terms outlined in the Business Performance Agreement including transferring the required funds to Canada, and maintaining legal status in Canada.
Once you have fulfilled your Business Performance Agreement, you can request nomination. To do so, you should submit a formal request in writing to your business officer. You are required to submit a “Review Engagement and Special Purpose Report” prepared by an authorized financial statement review service provider list below:
| List of Nova Scotia Authorized Financial Statement Review Service Providers | ||
|
MNP 200 – 100 Venture Run Dartmouth NS B3B 0H9 (902) 493-5452 |
||
- The financial viability and sustainability of the business, discussing any relevant issues affecting the business’ ability to continue in the near future as a going concern;
- Recommendations for the business to improve its viability and sustainability;
- A determination of any issues, challenges or concerns pertaining to auditing the financial statements; and
- A business review which may for example include but not be limited to: market analysis, product analysis, competitive analysis, and financial analysis.
You must demonstrate that you have actively managed your business for a minimum of twelve (12) months in Nova Scotia and also satisfy the officer that you have been, and remain, a resident in Nova Scotia. An officer will arrange a meeting with you to assess your request for nomination.
Step 8: Apply for Permanent Residence
You must submit your application using the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal (PR Portal) (➨ immilib.com/PR-Portal).
If your application is complete, you will receive a letter or an email confirming that your file has been received and accepted for processing. This letter is called the Acknowledge of Receipt (AOR) and will include your IRCC file number.
Once you have received your acknowledgement of receipt, you can create an online account and link your application to it. By creating an account, you will be able to receive email updates and a more detailed case status.
Step 9: Landing in Canada
You will only become a Permanent Resident of Canada when you cross a Canadian port of entry. This is referred to as ‘landing in Canada' (➨Page).
Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.
WELCOME TO NOVA SCOTIA!
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