Nova Scotia International Graduate Entrepreneur: Now Part of Entrepreneur

International Graduate Entrepreneur was a Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) stream for international students who stayed in Nova Scotia after graduation and started or bought a business instead of taking a job. After running the business for at least a year, a graduate who intended to settle in Nova Scotia could be nominated for permanent residence. Application was by invitation only.

On February 18, 2026, Nova Scotia replaced its ten Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) streams with four: Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, Entrepreneur, and Nova Scotia: Express Entry. The International Graduate Entrepreneur stream no longer exists as a separate stream. Its eligibility requirements now sit under the International Graduate sub-criteria of the Entrepreneur stream.

The province says the new streams include sub-criteria that mirror the requirements of the old streams, and that the consolidation "does not affect your eligibility." In practice, that means:

• If you qualified for the International Graduate Entrepreneur stream before, you should qualify under the new stream, as long as you still meet every requirement on the day you submit.
• The changes apply only to new expressions of interest (EOIs) submitted after February 18, 2026.
• EOIs already in the pool on that date remain active, and you do not need to do anything.
• The NSNP application portal was closed from February 13 to 18, 2026 while forms were updated.

You must:

• be 21 or older and intend to live permanently in Nova Scotia while owning and actively managing your business
• 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 university in Nova Scotia or at the Nova Scotia Community College
• hold a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
• score at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in speaking, listening, reading and writing, in English or French
• complete an online expression of interest (EOI) and receive an Invitation to Apply

Unlike the main Entrepreneur criteria, the province's page does not list a minimum net worth or investment for this option. Because your PGWP has a fixed end date, plan the timing carefully: you need a full year of operating the business before you can qualify.

• Fee: from September 1, 2026, the Entrepreneur stream fee is $2,000. International graduates must pay within 90 calendar days of receiving an Invitation to Apply. If you miss the deadline, your EOI is closed.
• EOI validity: EOIs submitted on or after May 1, 2026 are valid for 12 months. EOIs submitted between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026 expire on April 30, 2027 if not selected.
• Existing EOIs: EOIs already in the pool on February 18, 2026 remain active.
• After nomination: apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) within 12 months.

A closed or expired EOI is not a refusal. You can submit a new EOI at any time if you still qualify.

1. If you meet the rules, submit an EOI under the Entrepreneur stream and select the International Graduate sub-criteria.
2. If your business is not yet a year old, you may be able to qualify as an employee instead. Look at the Skilled Worker stream, the Nova Scotia Graduate stream, or Nova Scotia: Express Entry.
3. Graduated in another Atlantic province? Newfoundland and Labrador runs a similar International Graduate Entrepreneur category.
4. Get qualified help for business plans and immigration strategy from a lawyer or licensed consultant, and verify their license first.