Nova Scotia Provincial Immigration Policy Update (March 2022)

On March 11th, Nova Scotia (NS) unexpectedly released updates to its immigration policy, impacting two major areas:

1) Suspension of Food Service Supervisor Applications:

According to the official website, NS has decided to suspend applications under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) and the Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry (NSEEE) related to the category of Food Service Supervisors (NOC 6311). The following two situations are not eligible for application:

• Applicants under the NSEEE category with work experience as Food Service Supervisors (NOC 6311). 
• Applicants under the AIP category with a job offer for the position of Food Service Supervisor (NOC 6311). 

However, the following aspects of immigration remain unchanged:

• Applicants with NOC 6311 Food Service Supervisor experience can still apply through the Skilled Worker stream.
• Businesses operating in the food and hospitality industry can continue to recruit Food Service Supervisors through the Skilled Worker stream.
• Employers can still use the Occupations in Demand (OiD) stream to hire Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6513), Food Counter Attendants, and Kitchen Helpers (NOC 6711).

2) Updated Employer Requirements:

Nova Scotia's Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry (NSEE) program has introduced changes regarding employer requirements. Employers are now required to have a minimum of 2 years of operation, and the work experience of immigration applicants will be counted from a minimum of 2 years after the employer's establishment.