Nova Scotia Immigration Conducts First Entrepreneur Draw of 2018

Nova Scotia immigration officials conducted the latest draw under its Entrepreneur stream on January 16, 2018.

The draw saw 27 candidates issued with Invitations to Apply for Nova Scotia immigration, with the lowest-ranked candidate scoring 91 points.

The previous draw, on December 19, 2017, also saw 27 Invitations to Apply issued and the same score of 91 for the lowest-ranked candidate.

Historically, the highest number of invitations from a monthly draw is 36, while the lowest minimum score is 90.

Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream Draws

Source: novascotiaimmigration.com

The Nova Scotia Entrepreneur stream targets candidates with business ownership or senior management experience. They must live in Nova Scotia, either start a new business or buy an existing business, and actively participate in the day-to-day management of that business.

Under the Entrepreneur stream, candidates are first issued a temporary work permit before applying for permanent residence after operating the business for a year. The stream uses an Expression of Interest format, where candidates in a pool are invited to apply.

Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream: Steps

1. Expression of Interest
2. Invitation to Apply
3. In Person Interview and Business Performance Agreement
4. Work Permit and Business Establishment in Nova Scotia
5. Request for Nomination
6. Apply for Permanent Residence

Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream: Candidate Requirements

• Be aged 21 or older.
• Want to live permanently in Nova Scotia while owning and actively managing a Nova Scotia business.
• Minimum net worth of $600,000.
• Minimum investment of $150,000 to establish or purchase a business in Nova Scotia.
• Minimum 3 years of experience actively managing and owning a business (33 per cent ownership minimum) OR more than 5 years of experience in a senior business management role.
• Score minimum of 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark in speaking, listening, reading and writing in English or French.

Nova Scotia is among the several Canadian provinces that has moved away from a direct path to Canada for wealthy immigrants and turned to a two-step immigration program aimed at entrepreneurs looking to establish businesses and be granted Canadian permanent residence.

Increasingly, provincial entrepreneur programs require candidates to spend up to two years in Canada on a conditional temporary work permit, before being issued a nomination for permanent residence.

The latest province to switch to the two-step format was Manitoba, following the introduction of a new Business Investor Stream which began operation at the start of 2018. The new stream replaced the one-step MPNP-Business stream, which required a deposit refundable once the candidate’s business was satisfactorily established.

Manitoba joins British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia in changing to a two-step process.

Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick both still operate one-step entrepreneur programs, while Alberta’s Self-Employed Farmer Streamis directed specifically at agriculture specialists. Newfoundland & Labrador does not operate a business category of any description.  PEI recently introduced an expression of interest system.

Meanwhile, the popular Quebec Immigrant Investor Program remains the only outright passive investment program offering a direct route to Canadian permanent residence.  However, the province will table new legislation in Spring 2018 featuring a work permit based entrepreneur program to complement the highly successful QIIP.

Further reading

• Entrepreneur Candidates Invited To Apply For Nova Scotia Immigration
• Nova Scotia Immigration Invites 24 Entrepreneurs To Apply In Latest Draw