Maple News reports that Nova Scotia has issued invitations to 329 French-speaking candidates through its Express Entry-aligned Labour Market Priorities stream. The draw, held on March 29, 2024, focused on individuals with strong French and English language skills, supporting the province’s goal of enhancing its bilingual workforce.
To qualify, candidates were required to have identified French as their first official language and demonstrated a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 9 in all four competencies: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Additionally, eligible applicants needed to show a minimum CLB score of 7 or higher in all English language abilities.
Educational credentials were also a key selection criterion. Candidates needed to possess either a bachelor’s degree or completion of a post-secondary program lasting three years or more. All invitees were already registered in the federal Express Entry system and met the minimum requirements to be included in the pool.
Interestingly, this selection round did not impose a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, emphasizing the province’s targeted approach to addressing specific labour market demands. A provincial nomination from Nova Scotia grants candidates an additional 600 CRS points, significantly increasing their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence through the federal Express Entry system.
Those who received a Letter of Interest in the March 29 draw now have 60 calendar days to submit a complete application to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). Required documents include official language test results and proof of education.
The Labour Market Priorities Stream is a specialized immigration channel that enables Nova Scotia to select candidates from the Express Entry pool based on evolving sector needs and occupational shortages in the province.
This latest draw continues Nova Scotia’s active role in attracting multilingual skilled professionals, aligning with Canada’s broader strategy to enhance linguistic diversity and economic resilience through immigration.