NS PNP - (Worker) Physician Stream

1) Program Overview

The Physician Stream is part of Nova Scotia's economic immigration program. If approved under this stream, you, your spouse, and dependent children can apply to the Federal Immigration and Citizenship Services (IRCC) for permanent residency.

You may be eligible if:

• You have an approved job offer from the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) or the IWK Health Centre (IWK).
• Experience/skills suitable for one of the following NOCs:
  • NOC 31100: Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
  • NOC 31101: Specialists in surgery
  • NOC 31102: General practitioners and family physicians

This category is not applicable for: family reunification, protected persons, or humanitarian/humanitarian reasons.

2) Physician Stream's "Expression of Interest (EOI)" Mechanism

Applications submitted to the NSNP are considered Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and placed in the EOI pool. Nova Scotia will periodically select which applications to process based on provincial priority, remaining quotas, the number of applications in the pool, and program integrity.

• You will only receive a notification if your application is selected for processing.
• Being "selected for processing" does not guarantee approval.

3) Eligibility Requirements (Who Should Apply)

You should apply if you meet ALL of the following criteria:

• There is a job offer that has been approved by NSHA/IWK under NOC 31100/31101/31102.
• Commitment to live and work in Nova Scotia for at least two years.
• Have a valid ECA from the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) OR provide proof that you meet the requirements to apply for a license to practice in Nova Scotia from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia.
• There is evidence that you can practice your profession in English or French.
• You must have proof of legal residency in the country where you live (including Canada if you are in Canada).

4) Who should NOT apply (likely to be disqualified)

Do not submit if even one of the following is true for you:

• I am in a country illegally.
• Currently applying for immigration to Canada under humanitarian/humanitarian or refugee categories; or have previously applied for asylum and been denied.
• There is a deportation order from IRCC/CBSA.
• There are unresolved issues regarding child custody/support for dependent children.
• Currently studying at a post-secondary educational institution in Canada.
• I received a scholarship/award that required me to return to my home country after graduation, but I haven't fulfilled that obligation yet.

5) The job offer needs to meet the criteria.

The job offer must be in the official letterhead of NSHA or IWK and must:

• Signed and dated by an authorized physician recruiter at NSHA/IWK.
• Please sign and date to confirm your acceptance.
• Demonstrate that you meet the requirements to apply for a professional license in Nova Scotia.
• Demonstrate that you are eligible to apply for privileges and credentials with NSHA or IWK.
  Note: This job offer can also be used as proof that you can practice your profession in English/French.

6) Documents/papers to prepare

General file requirements: all documents must be clear PDFs; color scanned images; 300 dpi resolution; total attached file size when submitted online maximum 50MB; maximum 30MB per email; file name maximum 50 characters. Incomplete/unsigned/unclear/edited applications may be rejected or closed.

(A) Physician Stream related documents

• A copy of the job offer has been approved by NSHA/IWK.

(B) Education & Training

• Copies of your degree/transcript/certificate proving you meet the eligibility requirements for a Nova Scotia license.
  OR
• ECA from Medical Council of Canada meets the requirements (correct IRCC format, valid for 5 years from the date NSOI receives the application and the date PR is submitted; do not need to send the ECA directly to NSOI—keep a copy yourself to submit).

(C) Personal & Family Documents

• Passport (copies of pages as instructed; should be valid for at least 2 years from the date of submission).
• Documents proving your legal residency status (including Canada if you are in Canada; your work permit must be valid when submitted).
• If available: correspondence from previous Canadian/provincial immigration applications.
• If family members are accompanying: marriage certificate/statutory declaration of common-law union/birth certificate/adoption certificate/guardianship documents & permit for children under 19 to enter Canada (if applicable).

(D) Translation

Documents that are not in English/French must be translated by a certified translator. Submit the original document, a certified translation, and proof of the translator's certification. Relatives and those working for a paid representative are not permitted to translate.

7) Application Submission Process

Step 1: Submit your Physician Stream application (to the province/state).

• Submit online at novascotia.ca/ensnp using eNSNP 100 and attach all necessary documents.

Step 2: NSNP evaluation

• Check if you meet the eligibility requirements and have the necessary documentation.
• It is possible to request an in-person interview in Nova Scotia.

Step 3: Receive the decision

• If nominated: you will receive a nomination certificate (valid until the end of the month, exactly one year after the nomination date). You need to submit your PR application to IRCC within 12 months.
• You may apply for one extension (maximum 6 months) if you can demonstrate that: you submitted your PR application 12 months before the deadline, it was rejected by IRCC after its expiration, and you have rectified the reason for the rejection. No extensions will be granted after 18 months from the original nomination date.
• If rejected: the decision is final, no appeals allowed.

Step 4: Apply for a Letter of Support for your work permit (if needed).

• After being nominated, you can apply for a Letter of Support to apply for/renew your work permit (instead of an LMIA). Work permits can only be renewed up to 3 months before the expiration date; your passport must be valid for the full duration.

Step 5: Submit PR to IRCC

• Submit your PNP Non-Express Entry application to the address in Sydney, NS as shown in the guide.

Steps 6-7: Receive COPR and report back to Nova Scotia

• After becoming a Permanent Resident (PR): notify within 30 days (send COPR + contact information in Nova Scotia).

8) Fees & Liability Notice

• NSNP does not charge an application fee, but you may incur translation/representation fees.
• IRCC charges a fee for filing a PR application, as per the IRCC fee schedule.
• You are responsible for preparing all the necessary and correct documents; missing or invalid documents may result in rejection.

What support can KeyApply provide for Physician Stream profiles?

KeyApply supports you according to the program's checklist:

• Review eligibility according to Physician Stream
• Create a checklist of required documents and standardize them according to specifications (PDF/resolution/size).
• Verify the validity of job offers according to NSHA/IWK criteria.
• Assist in preparing the eNSNP 100 application package and monitor for any additional requirements (if any).

Immigration Event Calendar and Live Stream