NSNP β International Graduate stream β permanent residence for NS graduates working in four high-demand occupations.
A targeted provincial route for international graduates of Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions who are working β or have a job offer β in one of four occupations: paramedical, pharmacy technicians, nurse aides & patient service associates, and early childhood educators & assistants. Outside these four occupations, this stream does not apply, even if you graduated from an eligible NS institution.
This stream is restricted to these NOC codes.
If your job (or job offer) doesn’t fall into one of these four occupations, this stream does not apply to you β regardless of which NS institution you graduated from. Other paths may still fit, but not this one.
You’re a real candidate for NSNP-International Graduate if all of these are true.
Take 30 seconds. The eligibility is narrower than other NSNP streams β read carefully.
- You graduated from a recognized Nova Scotia post-secondary institution. Universities and NSCC qualify. The credential must come from a recognized NS institution β out-of-province credentials don’t count for this stream.
- You have, or have a job offer in, one of the four eligible NOCs. NOC 32102 (paramedical), 32124 (pharmacy technicians), 33102 (nurse aides & patient service associates), or 42202 (early childhood educators). Any other occupation, even if related, does not qualify under this stream.
- The job offer is from a Nova Scotia employer and meets the program’s standards. Permanent or sufficient duration, full-time, at the prevailing wage for the occupation in NS.
- You meet the language minimum. Typically CLB 5 in English or French, with required band scores varying by NOC. IELTS, CELPIP, or TEF accepted.
- Your status in Canada is in order. Most candidates apply on a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). If your PGWP has expired or is close to expiring, talk to me before assuming you can still apply.
- You intend to live and work in Nova Scotia. The program nominates you on the basis that you’ll continue working in NS in the qualifying occupation after PR.
Three reasons this is the right tool when it fits.
The four occupations on this stream’s list aren’t arbitrary β they’re roles where Nova Scotia has structural, ongoing labour shortages that the province has formally identified as priorities. If your training and job land in one of these four, you’re applying through a door the province has actively held open for you.
Targeted at real shortages. Healthcare support roles and early childhood education are among NS’s most urgent labour needs. The program exists because the province needs workers in exactly these positions β not as a general-graduate goodwill gesture.
Leverages your NS-graduate credential. Studying in Nova Scotia already gave you Canadian credentials, work experience through PGWP, language exposure, and local references. This stream is designed to convert that investment into permanent residence efficiently.
Faster than retraining for a different stream. If you’re already qualified in one of the four NOCs and currently working in it, this is the most direct route to PR available to you. Trying to pivot to NSNP Skilled Worker or Express Entry in a different occupation would mean restarting your work experience clock.
One consultant. Every step. End to end.
When you retain me for an NSNP-International Graduate file, the scope is the whole thing β not a slice of it.
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1
Eligibility assessment and NOC verification. I can confirm with you that your specific role and credentials fit one of the four eligible NOCs. NOC misalignment is the #1 reason this stream gets refused; getting this right upfront is non-negotiable.
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2
PGWP and status review. I verify your work permit status, expiry timing, and any restoration options if needed β so the application timeline doesn’t run into a status problem.
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3
Employer support coordination. I prepare the employer’s portion of the application β job offer letter language, NOC alignment, supporting documents β so your employer’s burden is minimal.
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4
Document strategy and preparation. Language test scheduling, reference letters drafted to NSNP standards, transcripts, credential documentation β I prepare or coordinate everything.
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5
Provincial nomination application. I file the nomination package with the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration and respond to any provincial requests for clarification.
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6
PR application to IRCC. Once nominated, I file your PR application β Express Entry route if eligible, paper-based if not β and manage every IRCC communication.
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7
Landing and post-PR follow-up. I walk you through your Confirmation of Permanent Residence, the landing process, PR card application, SIN, and provincial healthcare enrolment.
What the months actually look like.
Below is a realistic timeline assuming you’ve graduated, hold a valid PGWP, and have a qualifying job offer. Total elapsed time is typically 12β18 months from engagement to landing.
Initial consultation, document review, NOC analysis, written eligibility opinion, retainer signed, game plan agreed.
You complete language test if needed. I prepare reference letters, coordinate the employer’s job offer letter, and assemble your educational and PGWP documentation.
I file the nomination package with the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration. During processing, you don’t need to do anything unless the province requests additional documents.
Once nominated, I file your PR application β Express Entry route is faster (~6 months) and non-EE route can run 9β12 months. Medicals and biometrics happen in this phase. All IRCC communication runs through me.
You receive your Confirmation of Permanent Residence. I walk you through landing, PR card, SIN, and provincial healthcare.
When NSNP-International Graduate isn’t the right door.
This stream’s eligibility is unusually narrow. Most “international graduate” prospects don’t actually qualify β saving everyone time on this list now is worth more than discovering it later.
NSNP-International Graduate probably isn’t your program if:
- Your occupation isn’t NOC 32102, 32124, 33102, or 42202. This is non-negotiable. Even if the role is closely related (e.g., registered nurse instead of nurse aide), it’s a different NOC and the stream doesn’t apply.
- Your post-secondary credential is not from a recognized Nova Scotia institution.
- You don’t have a Nova Scotia job offer in the qualifying occupation, and don’t have a realistic path to one.
- Your PGWP has expired or you’re out of status, with no clear restoration path.
- Your language scores fall below the required CLB.
- You don’t intend to actually live and work in Nova Scotia in the qualifying occupation after PR.
Tsung Ju Tsai, RCIC (R712983)
I’m a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and an immigrant myself. Before Canada, I spent several years as a legal specialist in Taiwan β the kind of procedural rigor that NOC-restricted streams especially reward.
Vizaut is a solo practice on purpose. When you hire me for an NSNP-International Graduate file, the work doesn’t get handed to a paralegal. You work with me, from the first call to the day you land.
Questions clients usually ask first.
No β registered nurses fall under a different NOC (typically NOC 31301), which is not on this stream’s list. NOC 33102 covers nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates β adjacent but distinct roles. Registered nurses typically apply through NSNP Skilled Worker or Express Entry direct, depending on case specifics. Talk to me to map your specific path.
The stream looks at your current job (or job offer), not just your program. If your job is in one of the four eligible NOCs, you qualify regardless of what you studied. If it isn’t, you don’t qualify for this specific stream β but other paths may fit. We assess case-by-case.
Possibly β provincial nomination typically takes 3β6 months and can be filed while your PGWP is still active. Once you have nomination in hand, you may be eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit while your PR application processes. Timing is tight but workable. Don’t wait β book a consultation now to confirm the path.
Yes. Spouse and dependent children are included as accompanying family in your PR application. Your spouse may also be eligible for an open work permit during processing, and children for study permits. All of these are included in the engagement.
NSNP Skilled Worker accepts a much broader NOC range (TEER 0β3 plus selected TEER 4) and doesn’t require you to be a NS graduate. NSNP-International Graduate is narrower β only four NOCs β but is structurally easier when you fit, because you’ve already done your post-secondary in NS and have local credentials. If you fit the four-NOC list, NSNP-International Graduate is usually the right choice. If you don’t, NSNP Skilled Worker is the alternative.
No. Once you have permanent residence, you’re free to change employers, change occupations, or move provinces β same as any other PR. There is, however, an expectation of good-faith intent at the time of application. I’ll explain what that means in practice during our consultation.
Ready to find out if NSNP-International Graduate is your door?
Book a consultation. I’ll give you an honest read on whether this stream is realistic in your case β and if it isn’t, which program is.
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