Guide
Nova Scotia PNP for international graduates, explained
Nova Scotia is a popular landing spot for international students precisely because it offers two real, faster-than-CEC paths to a provincial nomination. Here's how each one actually works, and which one most graduates will end up using.
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1 yr
NS work experience
Express Entry stream
CLB 5–7
Language, by TEER
600
CRS points on nomination
The path most graduates actually use
The Nova Scotia: Express Entry stream is built for exactly this situation: you studied in Canada, you're working in Nova Scotia on a post-graduation work permit, and you want a faster route than CEC alone. Once you have a year of skilled Nova Scotia work experience behind you, this stream nominates you directly into the federal Express Entry pool — and a provincial nomination is worth 600 CRS points, enough to place almost anyone at the top of the pool.
Nova Scotia doesn't publish a fixed hour count the way IRCC does for CEC — the requirement is stated as "1 year of work experience in Nova Scotia." Our tracker treats that as 1,560 hours at a 30-hour weekly pace, the same full-time equivalence used everywhere else on this site — not an official NSNP figure.
What a nomination is worth
CRS scores run out of 1,200 points. A provincial nomination adds 600 — literally half the maximum possible score, on top of whatever you already have from age, education, language, and experience.
Two different NS pathways — which one fits you?
It's easy to mix these up because both are run by the same office. They have almost nothing in common requirement-wise.
Nova Scotia: Express Entry
- Open to any TEER 0–3 occupation, not a fixed list
- 1 year of work experience gained in Nova Scotia
- Ages 21–55, Canadian high school credential or equivalent
- CLB 7 (TEER 0/1) or CLB 5 (TEER 2/3)
- Requires an active federal Express Entry profile
Nova Scotia Graduate
- Only 4 specific occupations qualify (below) — not TEER-based
- No minimum work experience — a qualifying job offer instead
- Ages 19–55, graduated an eligible NS program within 3 years
- Program was 30+ weeks (24 for NOC 33102), 50%+ completed in NS
- CLB 5, plus any NS regulatory certification the job requires
Nova Scotia Graduate — eligible occupations
As of this stream's last update, only these NOCs qualify. Nova Scotia can change this list at any time.
Track your Nova Scotia year without the guesswork
Canadian PRLedger's hours tracker works the same way for Nova Scotia as it does for CEC — log your pay periods, and see your progress toward a year of skilled work, free, no account needed to try it.
Canadian PRLedger is an independent project, not affiliated with the Government of Nova Scotia, IRCC, or the Government of Canada. This guide is informational only — not legal or immigration advice. Nova Scotia updates eligible occupations and stream rules periodically; if this disagrees with the official NSNP page, the official page governs.