Earlier this month, the government of Nova Scotia announced the introduction of a new immigration stream called Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry.
Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry provides a pathway to permanent residency for highly skilled applicants who have worked for a Nova Scotia-based employer for at least one year. Like the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream, it uses the new Canadian Federal Government intake system, Express Entry.
“The new immigration stream is a positive step to ensure well-qualified candidates, who are already working for Nova Scotia employers, have a viable immigration pathway,” said Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. “It complements the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream which we launched in January.”
The new immigration stream is a response to a recognition that some well-qualified candidates, with experience working in Nova Scotia, such as recent international graduates, were not being drawn from the federal Express Entry pool.
“As with all our Provincial Nominee Programme streams, our new stream is intended to attract individuals who are able to contribute to the Nova Scotia economy and attach to the labour market,” said Ms. Diab.
“Nova Scotia Office of Immigration is listening to employers and finding solutions to our needs,” said Michele Williams, managing partner of Grant Thornton, Nova Scotia. “This stream is another way for employers to attract and retain good international employees.”
“I have seen some recent international graduates who are working for Nova Scotia employers falling through the cracks of the federal intake system,” said Colin Dodds, international chair of the Premier’s Immigration Advisory Council. “Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry is an opportunity for hundreds of highly-skilled international graduates.”
Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry will be used as a pilot project for the rest of this year.