Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream: Start or Buy a Business in Nova Scotia

The Entrepreneur stream is the business stream of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). It is for people who want to live in Nova Scotia permanently and either start a new business or buy an existing one. You must take part in the day-to-day management of the business. After you have operated it for a year, Nova Scotia may nominate you for permanent residence under the federal Provincial Nominee Program.

Application is by invitation only. You first submit an expression of interest (EOI), and Nova Scotia invites selected candidates to apply.

When Nova Scotia consolidated its program into four streams on February 18, 2026, the Entrepreneur stream kept its name and absorbed the former International Graduate Entrepreneur stream as a sub-criteria with the same rules.

You must:

• be 21 years of age or older
• want to live permanently in Nova Scotia while owning and actively managing a Nova Scotia business
• have at least 3 years of experience actively managing and owning a business (at least one-third ownership), or more than 5 years in a senior business management role
• score at least CLB 5 (Canadian Language Benchmark) in speaking, listening, reading and writing, in English or French
• complete an online EOI and receive an Invitation to Apply from the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration

The money rules depend on where your business will be:

These are the figures on the province's stream page as of September 2026. Your net worth must be verified by one of the financial statement review service providers the province lists, using its net worth verifier checklist.

This option is for recent graduates of a Nova Scotia university or the Nova Scotia Community College who have already started or bought a Nova Scotia business and operated it for at least a year. You must:

• be 21 or older and intend to settle in Nova Scotia
• have at least one year of continuous experience actively managing and owning your current Nova Scotia business, with at least 33.33% ownership
• have completed a degree or diploma after at least 2 academic years of full-time, in-person study at a Nova Scotia university or the Nova Scotia Community College
• hold a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit
• score at least CLB 7 in all four language skills, in English or French
• submit an EOI and receive an Invitation to Apply

There is no minimum net worth listed for this option on the province's page.

For the main criteria, the path is usually: EOI, invitation, full application with a business plan and net worth verification, approval, then arrival in Nova Scotia to start or buy the business. Approved candidates sign a Business Performance Agreement (BPA) that sets out what the business must achieve. Nova Scotia can issue a letter supporting a work permit when one is needed. After you run the business for a year and meet the agreement, Nova Scotia may nominate you.

Once nominated, you have 12 months to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence. You, your spouse and your dependents must pass medical, security and criminal checks. IRCC makes the final decision.

Because business immigration involves large sums, use only a lawyer or a licensed consultant (RCIC) if you want help, and check their license first. Nova Scotia runs a confidential tool for reporting immigration fraud.

The fee deadline depends on your plan: 90 calendar days after the invitation if you are starting a new business, 180 calendar days if you are buying an existing business, and 90 calendar days for the international graduate option. If you miss the deadline, your EOI is closed. The fee is non-refundable and there are no waivers. Budget separately for the investment itself, travel, and professional help with the business plan.

The Atlantic provinces set different money and language rules. Figures below are from each province's official pages as of September 2026:

All three require you to manage the business actively and run it for a period before nomination. Newfoundland and Labrador also requires an exploratory visit if you apply from outside the province. Read each stream's page for the full rules before you decide where to invest.

• The federal Start-Up Visa closed to new applicants at the end of 2025, and the Self-Employed Persons program is paused, so provincial entrepreneur streams are one of the few business routes left in 2026.
• Other provinces run their own business streams; see the provincial nominee overview.
• If you would rather work for an employer, see the Nova Scotia Skilled Worker stream.