Nova Scotia Immigration — Latest Snapshot

Nova Scotia Immigration — Latest Snapshot September 2025

Immigration Quota Tightened, Demand Soaring

• Nova Scotia’s combined allocation for provincial and Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) nominations stands at 3,150 seats for 2025, marked by a 50% reduction compared to 2024

• As of early August, 1,838 spots have already been used, leaving 1,312 nomination spaces still available

• There are 250,000 jobs posted on Linkedin Canada and only about 8.6% of this is PR eligible jobs as per QuestJobs data. This translates to 29,000 PR jobs across Canada.  

Expression of Interest (EOI) Queue Is Stackin’ Up

Around 9,774 EOIs are still pending, with the vast majority waiting in key streams such as:

• • Skilled Worker: 3,588

  • Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry: 1,734

  • Occupations in Demand: 1,267

  • Critical Construction Worker: 434

  • International Graduates in Demand, Physician streams, and Entrepreneur categories make up the balance (source)

Priority Focus for 2025

Nova Scotia is laser-focused on applicants with:

• Work permits expiring this year, especially those in:

  • Healthcare

  • Social Assistance

  • Construction sectors

• Applications from outside Canada, particularly in non-priority areas, are largely not being processed, except in a few targeted fields like:

  • Trucking

  • Science & Technology

  • Clean Energy

  • Resource Development (especially through the AIP)

Reality for Temporary Foreign Workers Inside Canada

Many Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) spend years in “dead-end jobs” with no pathway to permanent residency. They build Canada’s economy, staff our hospitals, care for our children, and work on construction sites — yet far too often, their contributions end in uncertainty and exploitation.

This reality is exactly why we created QuestJobs.

For years, foreign workers have faced a confusing labour market where not all jobs lead to permanent residency. Canada currently has over 250,000 jobs posted on Indeed, but only about 8.6% (29,000) are actually eligible for PR.

That means 9.5 out of 10 workers could spend their visa tenure in roles that go nowhere — jobs that provide income today but no future tomorrow.

We designed our platform to,

• Filter out the noise: Instead of wasting time on jobs that don’t qualify, QuestJobs highlights only those that can directly contribute to PR eligibility.

• Provide clarity: Each job posting is mapped against Canada’s immigration streams, so workers know if it’s a PR-track role or not.

• Offer a roadmap: Beyond job listings, we connect workers to the steps they need to take — from securing employer sponsorship to preparing for Express Entry draws.

For every worker who dreams of calling Canada home, QuestJobs makes the job hunt not just about finding employment — but about building a future.

Why the Slowdown on NS PNP?

• A massive backlog and limited federal allocations have throttled activity.

• Certain sectors, notably Accommodation and Food Services, have been on pause since April 2024 due to inventory overwhelm

• As a result, the NSNP is tightly managing inventory, only advancing applications that meet their pressing economic and labour needs.

At-a-Glance Summary

What This Means for You

• If you're already working in Nova Scotia—especially in healthcare, construction, or social services—and your work permit is expiring this year, you're in a stronger position.

• International applicants outside Canada: Unless you're in a high-priority sector or under AIP, progress is limited for now.

• Low-demand sectors such as hospitality and food services? Those doors are seriously narrowed—apply only if you're in upper-priority streams.

• Stay alert: Allocation shifts or easing of restrictions in 2026 may reopen more options—but for now, the province is highly selective.

Nova Scotia's nomination landscape in 2025 is all about focused action over volume. Priority sectors + local applicants = faster movement; everyone else—based on space, backlog, and economic alignment—will need patience and strategy.