Nova Scotia Graduate Stream: PR for Recent International Graduates

The Nova Scotia Graduate stream is one of four streams in the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), the province's part of the federal Provincial Nominee Program. It is for recent international graduates whose studies match specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) job categories that Nova Scotia needs.

The stream launched on February 18, 2026, when Nova Scotia consolidated ten streams into four. It carries the eligibility rules of the former International Graduates in Demand stream. If you had an EOI in the pool under the old stream, it stays active and you do not need to do anything.

A nomination from this stream is a "base" nomination. You apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence outside Express Entry.

As of September 2026, the stream is open only to workers in these job categories:

Your job must be in one of these categories and must match your recent field of study. The province can change the list, so check the official stream page before you plan your studies around it. Nova Scotia itself warns that choosing a program only because of current immigration priorities may not help you later, because priorities change.

To submit an expression of interest (EOI), you must:

• have a full-time, permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in one of the listed categories, matching your recent field of study
• have a high school diploma
• have completed a program of study at an eligible Nova Scotia designated learning institution within 3 years of your application
• have studied in a program of at least 30 weeks, or at least 24 weeks for NOC 33102 (nurse aides and continuing care assistants)
• have completed at least 50% of the program in Nova Scotia
• hold any certification from a Nova Scotia regulatory body that the job requires
• prove language ability at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5
• show enough money to settle in Nova Scotia

Most graduates work on a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) while they apply. Make sure your permit stays valid, because the NSNP does not guarantee a decision before it expires. Options such as maintained status or a bridging open work permit have their own rules.

Your EOI enters a pool. Nova Scotia selects from the pool periodically based on provincial priorities and available nomination spaces. Selection is not first come, first served, and meeting the rules does not guarantee selection.

Health care is a top priority for the province in 2026, and all four eligible NOC codes are in health care or social services. In its July 2026 update, Nova Scotia also said that a one-time expanded selection would include graduates of Nova Scotia designated learning institutions working in TEER 0-5 jobs who submitted EOIs on or before June 30, 2026 and whose work permit expires in 2026 or earlier.

EOIs submitted on or after May 1, 2026 are valid for 12 months. If yours expires, you can submit a new one if you still qualify.

Submitting an EOI is free. From September 1, 2026, if Nova Scotia selects your EOI for assessment, you pay a $1,000 non-refundable application fee within 7 calendar days, online by credit card. The fee is per principal applicant, not per family member. IRCC charges its own permanent residence fees later. Budget for a language test, a medical exam, and police certificates.

If Nova Scotia approves your application, you receive a nominee certificate. You then have 12 months to apply to IRCC for permanent residence. You and your family must meet medical, security and criminal admissibility rules, and IRCC makes the final decision.

International graduates of Nova Scotia schools have several possible routes. Which one fits depends on your job and experience:

If your job is on the Nova Scotia Graduate list, this stream is usually the most direct fit because it does not require a year of work experience. Check each official page before choosing, because details change.

• The Skilled Worker stream accepts recent graduates with a job offer in many occupations. PGWP holders in TEER 5 jobs are excluded there.
• With one year of skilled work in Nova Scotia and an Express Entry profile, try the Nova Scotia: Express Entry stream.
• If you started or bought a business after graduating from a Nova Scotia university or the Nova Scotia Community College, see the international graduate sub-criteria of the Entrepreneur stream.
• Graduates of Canadian schools can also qualify for the Atlantic Immigration Program through a designated employer.