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Latest round Jul 31, 2026 · Live data, checked Oct 19, 7:00 PM ET

Provincial Nominee Program · Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia NSNP 2026EOI selection, streams and the new fee

Nova Scotia rebuilt its program twice in three months. In November 2025 every application became an expression of interest: your complete file enters a central pool and the province periodically selects which applications it will process, based on priorities, remaining allocation and pool volume. Being eligible no longer means being assessed — unselected files can sit indefinitely. Then in February 2026 ten streams collapsed into four: Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Express Entry, Nova Scotia Graduate, and Entrepreneur.

Explore the streams Check my NSNP odds
Alberta — AAIP British Columbia — BC PNP Manitoba — MPNP New Brunswick — NBPNP Newfoundland and Labrador — NLPNP Nova Scotia — NSNP Northwest Territories — NTNP Nunavut — No PNP Ontario — OINP Prince Edward Island — PEI PNP Quebec — Own system Saskatchewan — SINP Yukon — YNP
2026 allocation
2,344
of allocation used
100%
rounds in 2026
7
latest round
Jul 31
CRS, enhanced nomination
+600

Live status

Where the NSNP stands today.

Four streams, one pool — and a $1,000 fee since September 1. EOI pool since Nov 2025 — selection is not guaranteed; fee due within 7 days of selection.

3,242candidates selected from the EOI pool in 2026 · 7 rounds
100% of the 2,344 nominations allocated for 2026 · Counts EOI selections, not nominations. Not every selected candidate is nominated, so this can pass 100%.

Invitations by month · 2026

Recent rounds
DateRoundInvited
Jul 31July 2026 monthly EOI selection total671
Jun 30June 2026 monthly EOI selection total531
May 31May 2026 monthly EOI selection total789
Apr 30April 2026 monthly EOI selection total161
Mar 31March 2026 monthly EOI selection total370
Feb 28February 2026 monthly EOI selection total357

Program status

Nova Scotia does not publish individual draws. Selections focus on healthcare, skilled trades and other priority occupations.

What to watch next

New from September 1, 2026: NSNP charges an application fee once an EOI is selected for assessment — $1,000 for the worker streams (Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, Nova Scotia: Express Entry) and $2,000 for the entrepreneur stream. Submitting an EOI remains free.

Source: the province’s own page (opens in a new tab), verified September 6, 2026. Verify before you rely on them. Every province in the live tracker

Atlantic Immigration ProgramREVIEWED

A separate federal program with its own allocation. These figures are not provincial nominations and are never added to the PNP totals above.

249
AIP expressions of interest approved (assessment stage)
0 rounds in 2026

Latest round · June 2026 — 130 approved, the largest month of the year so far

Nova Scotia runs AIP endorsement through a continuous EOI process and publishes no selection rounds. What it does publish, through its open data portal, is the outcome of finalised AIP assessments: 249 approved, 100 refused and 170 withdrawn between January and June 2026. That is an approval count on a quarterly lag, not an invitation count, so it is not comparable to the New Brunswick or Newfoundland figures. Nova Scotia's 2026 AIP allocation is 1,365 endorsement spaces, down from 2,630 in 2024 and 1,240 in 2025. AIP is unaffected by the NSNP application fee introduced September 1, 2026 — there is no provincial fee for AIP.

IRCC allocated 3,315 AIP endorsement spaces across the four Atlantic provinces for 2026, against an admissions target of 4,000 landings. IRCC has not published the per-province split — only Nova Scotia publishes its own share.

Source: official source ↗, verified September 16, 2026.

Analyst’s read

Nova Scotia in 2026: the picture.

The headline change lands on September 1, 2026: Nova Scotia becomes the first Atlantic province to charge four-figure fees — $1,000 for worker streams and $2,000 for entrepreneur pathways, payable within seven days of selection for workers, non-refundable even if the nomination is ultimately refused. The Atlantic Immigration Program, which Nova Scotia also runs through the same selection pool, remains free of provincial fees — expect it to absorb fee-sensitive demand.

Where people settle

Where people settle in Nova Scotia.

Atlantic Immigration Program endorsements run through designated employers, which are spread across the province rather than concentrated in Halifax.

  1. 01

    Halifax

    The Atlantic region's largest city: health care, universities, defence, ocean technology and finance.

  2. 02

    Sydney

    Cape Breton centre with health care, tourism and a growing international student population.

  3. 03

    Truro

    Central hub for agriculture, transport and trades.

Living in Nova Scotia is what the NSNP is for: a nomination ties you to this province, and you are expected to settle here. Talk to a licensed RCIC before you commit to a destination.

The program

How the NSNP works.

Nova Scotia Nominee Program, run by Nova Scotia Dept. of Labour, Skills & Immigration with IRCC. You qualify under a stream, get selected or nominated, then IRCC decides your PR. Official site

EOI

Scoring

  • Nova Scotia abandoned first-come processing in November 2025: complete applications sit in one EOI pool and the province selects which files it will even assess — eligibility no longer guarantees processing.

Allocation and fees

2026 snapshot

2026 nomination allocation
2,344
Application fee
$1,000 from Sep 1, 2026 ($2,000 entrepreneur)

Source: the province’s own site (opens in a new tab), verified October 9, 2026.

  1. 01Step

    Qualify under a stream

    EOI criteria. Job offer, work experience and language set the floor.

  2. 02Step

    Get selected

    EOI pool; monthly provincial selection. Selection is competitive; eligibility alone is not enough.

  3. 03Step

    Provincial nomination

    Nomination certificate. An enhanced nomination adds +600 CRS in Express Entry.

  4. 04Step

    Permanent residence

    IRCC assesses admissibility and issues PR. Federal processing, not provincial.

Pathways

NSNP streams.

Choose the stream that fits your profile. Criteria and open or closed status change often; we confirm what is live before you file.

  1. Stream 01

    Skilled Worker

    The consolidated core — absorbs the old Skilled Worker, Occupations in Demand, Critical Construction Worker Pilot and Physician streams. Job offer required, TEER 0–5, ages 21–55.

  2. Stream 02

    Nova Scotia Express Entry

    For candidates with a year of Nova Scotia work experience at TEER 0–3 — absorbs the old Experience and Labour Market Priorities streams, including physicians.

  3. Stream 03

    Nova Scotia Graduate

    For graduates of Nova Scotia institutions with offers in listed occupations: early childhood educators, nurse aides, paramedical and pharmacy technicians.

  4. Stream 04

    Entrepreneur

    Location-priced: roughly $600K net worth and investment inside Halifax, $400K outside — plus pathways for buying an existing business and for international graduates.

  5. Stream 05

    Atlantic Immigration Program

    Employer designations and endorsements are selected from the same provincial pool since November 2025 — but AIP stays free of provincial fees.

What matters: where Nova Scotia selection actually turns

  1. 01

    Selection, not queueing

    Since November 28, 2025 an acknowledged application is only in the pool. Nova Scotia states outright it cannot guarantee your file will ever be assessed.

  2. 02

    The September fee cliff

    Selected on or after September 1, 2026: $1,000 (workers, within 7 days) or $2,000 (entrepreneurs). Selected before: nothing. Timing has real money attached.

  3. 03

    Ten streams became four

    Old stream names — Occupations in Demand, Critical Construction Worker Pilot — died in February 2026. Applications citing them are built on sand.

  4. 04

    A tiered occupation map

    Health care and trades are open worldwide; NOC groups 2, 4, 8 and 9 only for temporary residents already in Nova Scotia; everything else needs NS residence at TEER 0–2.

A NSNP nomination adds 600 CRS points.

Through the Nova Scotia: Express Entry, an enhanced nomination lifts your Comprehensive Ranking System score by 600, which in practice means an invitation in the next round that includes provincial nominees.

See your CRS

Answers

NSNP questions.

When was the latest NSNP draw?
The most recent NSNP round on record was held on July 31, 2026, issuing 671 selections (July 2026 monthly EOI selection total). In 2026 so far, Nova Scotia has held 7 rounds for 3,242 selections. Every round is listed in the live tracker on this page and in our Canada PR draw tracker.
When is the next NSNP draw?
New from September 1, 2026: NSNP charges an application fee once an EOI is selected for assessment — $1,000 for the worker streams (Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, Nova Scotia: Express Entry) and $2,000 for the entrepreneur stream. Submitting an EOI remains free. Any EOI selected for assessment on or after September 1 pays, no matter when it was submitted; only candidates whose selection letter is dated before September 1, 2026 are exempt. Worker-stream fees are due within 7 calendar days of the selection notice, entrepreneur fees within 90 days of an ITA (180 for candidates buying an existing business). Fees are non-refundable, there are no waivers, and an unpaid EOI is closed rather than assessed. The Atlantic Immigration Program is not affected. Separately, since May 1, 2026 an EOI expires 12 months after submission, so profiles must be refreshed or resubmitted to stay in the pool. Based on 2026 rounds to date, Nova Scotia has drawn roughly every 31 days, and the last round was 80 days ago. The tracker on this page updates automatically when a new round is published.
I submitted a complete NSNP application. When will it be processed?
Possibly never — and that is not an error. Under the EOI model in force since November 28, 2025, complete applications wait in a pool and Nova Scotia periodically selects which to assess based on its priorities and remaining allocation. A case ID confirms pool entry, not a processing queue.
How much does the NSNP cost now?
Free to enter the pool. If your EOI is selected for assessment on or after September 1, 2026 — whatever date you submitted it — the fee is $1,000 for the worker streams and $2,000 for the entrepreneur stream. Worker-stream fees are due within seven calendar days of the selection notice; entrepreneur fees within 90 days of an Invitation to Apply, or 180 days if you are buying an existing business. Card only, one payment, no instalments, no waivers, and non-refundable except where the law requires it or Nova Scotia made an administrative error. Miss the deadline and the EOI is closed rather than assessed — you can submit a fresh one if you still qualify. The fee is per principal applicant; dependants do not change it. Anyone whose selection letter is dated before September 1 pays nothing.
Is the Atlantic Immigration Program a cheaper way into Nova Scotia?
Often, yes. AIP endorsements carry no provincial fee even after September 2026, and the program targets the same employer demand. But Nova Scotia uniquely routes AIP designations and endorsements through the same selection pool as the PNP, so it is rationed here too — designated-employer job offers are the practical bottleneck.
Which occupations does Nova Scotia actually want in 2026?
Health care (physicians through two dedicated pathways with return-of-service agreements, nurse aides, paramedical roles), construction and skilled trades, STEM, natural resources and manufacturing, plus early childhood educators through the Graduate stream. Accommodation and food service remain deprioritized, and TEER 5 is not prioritized at all.
Does a NSNP nomination guarantee permanent residence?
No. Nova Scotia nominates you, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes the final permanent-residence decision after its own admissibility, medical and security checks.
How does the NSNP connect to Express Entry?
If you're nominated through the Nova Scotia: Express Entry, an Express-Entry-aligned stream, you receive 600 additional CRS points, which effectively guarantees an invitation to apply in a following Express Entry round.
What is the NSNP scoring system?
EOI. Nova Scotia abandoned first-come processing in November 2025: complete applications sit in one EOI pool and the province selects which files it will even assess — eligibility no longer guarantees processing.
Can CHK Immigration help if I'm not in Ontario?
Yes. We're a licensed RCIC practice based in Brampton and London, Ontario, and we assist clients applying to provincial programs across Canada, working remotely and by video.

NSNP eligibility review

Would Nova Scotia actually invite you?

Send a few details and a licensed RCIC will tell you where you would rank under EOI, which NSNP stream fits, and whether another province is a faster route.

  1. 01Scored against the live NSNP cut-offs, not last year’s
  2. 02A written shortlist of the streams you realistically qualify for
  3. 03Reviewed by a CICC-licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
  4. 04Consultations are fee-based; you get the fee and available times by reply

CHK Immigration Services, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (CICC). Offices in Brampton and London, Ontario. Submitting this form does not create a client–consultant relationship; IRCC makes all final decisions. Prefer to talk first? Call 647-948-7200 or book a paid consultation.

Compare

Every other province.

The right province is often the one where your points go furthest. See every program on one map.

Next on your path

Keep your file moving.

The checklist, free tools and guides that usually come next.

  1. ChecklistProvincial nominee checklistThe nomination and federal-stage documents in one list.
  2. GuideLatest Express Entry and PNP drawsEvery 2026 round: CRS cut-offs, ITAs and provincial draws.
  3. GuideProvincial nominee programsEvery province's streams side by side.
  4. Free toolCRS calculatorYour Express Entry score, line by line.
  5. Latest articleNova Scotia introduces NSNP application fees from 1 September 2026August 6, 2026