Nova Scotia PNP opens up for skilled foreign workers in the hospitality sector

There’s great news in store for people who want to immigrate to Canada. Nova Scotia, one of the country’s Atlantic provinces, has expanded its list of in-demand occupations for immigration under the Nova Scotia PNP (Provincial Nominee Program). Now, food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, related support occupations (NOC 671), food and beverage servers (NOC 6513), and light-duty cleaners (NOC 6731) are among the jobs that are open to foreign skilled workers.

The cherry on the cake is that employers would be able to offer these jobs without the need for a labour market impact assessment. Additionally, it won’t be mandatory for the employee to work with the employer for six months before applying to Nova Scotia’s Provincial Nominee Program.

“We’re excited to welcome newcomers who can help employers meet their labour needs and grow Nova Scotia’s population,” says Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills, and Immigration.

The move has been welcomed by the restaurant owners in the Atlantic province. “We look forward to seeing the impact of these new occupation additions and the relief it will bring to Nova Scotia’s restaurant industry as well as getting ready to welcome new Nova Scotians as our colleagues, neighbours, and friends,” says Gordon Stewart, executive director, Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia.

This development is in accordance with the province’s continued efforts to address the issue of labour shortage in certain high-demand job categories. 

Also read: Nova Scotia’s new immigration stream targets graduates in health and child care

Other positions that continue to be on the list of in-demand occupations for the province include nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 3413), transport truck drivers (NOC 7511), heavy equipment operators (NOC 7521), and construction trades helpers and labourers (NOC 7611).

Nova Scotia PNP: Eligibility

For the uninitiated, getting a job offer in one of the in-demand occupations is among the eligibility criteria for Nova Scotia Nominee Program. Other eligibility requirements include:

• having 1 year of work experience related to the job
• being 21 to 55 years old
• having a high school diploma
• having the appropriate training, skills, and/or accreditation for the job
• proving language ability equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 even if your first language is English or French
• showing enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia

Learn more about Nova Scotia’s Occupations in Demand immigration stream here.

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