PR Jobs Nova Scotia Critical Construction Stream Top Hiring Companies and Jobs

Key statistics & summary (August 2025)

1.Nova Scotia’s Critical Construction Worker Pilot – Job Offer Pathway is a fast, employer-driven route to permanent residence (PR) for selected construction occupations. 

3.QuestJobs currently tracks 300 PR-eligible job postings mapped to this pathway in Nova Scotia.

4. Most common jobs hired under this pathway are  metal worker, carpentry/cabinetry, plumbing-related roles, mechanics, and site cleaning/support. 

5. Search for PR-eligible Critical Construction roles right now, you can filter by occupation/TEER and employer on QuestJobs.

6.QuestJobs has a total of four PR Pathways in Nova Scotia with a total of more than 2,000 PR jobs across the province. 

Hiring now: notable employers 

The companies below have frequent construction-related postings in Nova Scotia; use them as starting points for a targeted search on QuestJobs.

What jobs are appearing most often?

QuestJobs sees steady demand (about 300 live postings) for; 

Sheet-metal and metal-fabrication roles

Carpentry/cabinetry

Plumbing-adjacent trades

Heavy-duty mechanics

Equipment operators

Site support/clean-up.

Make sure each posting’s NOC maps to the approved list (for example, a “cleaner” posting should align to 75110 – construction trades helpers rather than general light-duty cleaning).

How to apply effectively

First, applicants need a full-time, permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in NAICS 23 construction

The role must be on the province’s approved NOC 2021 list. 

Identify the correct NOC for your offer, confirm the wage range meets the NS standard, and ensure your experience and any trade certification match the role.

Then submit to the NSNP Critical Construction Worker Pilot – Job Offer Pathway.

If nominated, file your PR to IRCC within 12 months—you may include your spouse/partner and dependent children in that PR application. 

Critical Construction Stream Defined

The stream sits under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) and helps provincial employers hire and retain key construction talent they can’t source locally. It is job-offer based: you must secure an indeterminate, full-time offer before you apply to the province. If nominated, you then submit a federal PR application to IRCC (you can include your spouse/partner and dependent children). There is no provincial fee to apply. To see whos getting invited for PR in Nova Scotia, read here.

Occupations included

Nova Scotia lists eligible NOCs for this pilot, including (selection)

70010 construction managers

72011/72014 contractors & supervisors (trades)

72102 sheet-metal workers

72106 welders

72200/72201 electricians

72310 carpenters

72320 bricklayers

72401 heavy-duty equipment mechanics

72402 HVAC mechanics

72500 crane operators

73100 concrete finishers

73102 plasterers/drywallers

73110 roofers

73200 residential/commercial installers & servicers

73400 heavy equipment operators

75101 material handlers

75110 construction trades helpers

75119 other trades helpers.

See the full, current list in the official guide. 

Who can apply for PR (candidate essentials)

To qualify for nomination in this stream, the applicant typically must:

Be 21–55; hold a permanent, full-time Nova Scotia job offer in one of the approved NOC's

Show 12 months / 1,560 hours of paid, related work within the last five years

Have at least high-school or construction-specific training

And plan to live in Nova Scotia. Offers must meet provincial wage standards and be located in Nova Scotia

After nomination, you apply to IRCC for PR (within 12 months) and may include family members in that PR application. Live in NS

What a company must meet to sponsor (employer eligibility)

A sponsoring employer must be a Nova Scotia employer in construction (NAICS 23)

Registered and established in NS for at least 2 years

In good standing with labour, OHS and employment standards

The job must be indeterminate, full-time (≥30 hrs/week), in Nova Scotia, meet prevailing wage ranges, and

Be offered where there is a documented shortage of Canadians/PRs (ads/LMIA evidence or exemption)

Employers may not recover recruitment/relocation costs from the worker and must comply with all laws and policies

Sources you can trust (embedded above)

Nova Scotia’s official Application Guide for the Critical Construction Worker Pilot – Job Offer Pathway.

Search PR jobs apart from the NS Critical Construction Program at Questjobs. The portal currently has over 25,000 PR eligible jobs across the different provinces in Canada. There are 21 PNP's in the portal from BC, Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba. Saskatchewan, PEI, NB, NL. The PNP's had been categorized, researched and filtered as per the eligibility requirements stated by each province. 

Always verify that the posting’s NOC matches the approved list (e.g., site “cleaner” roles should map to an eligible construction NOC such as 75110 – Construction trades helpers and labourers, not general light-duty cleaning). 

Notes: Headcounts reflect public global estimates or ranges where available; for Marwood, the firm does not publish a definitive employee count. Verify current openings on each career site and match to the pilot’s NOC list before applying.

Useful Resources: 

AIP NS Review

NS Pauses PR Processing 

Best PNP for Healthcare Jobs, NS Tops a Spot

Readers must note though that companies mentioned in this article had been categorized based on the employer eligibility requirements of this pathway. QuestJobs did not have any consultation nor a discussion with the companies mentioned. It is always highly recommended by QuestJobs to always ask and confirm with the companies about their eligibility and willingness to sponsor for permanent residency via this pathway.