The province of Nova Scotia in Canada recently launched a pilot program for people who may be interested in relocating to Canada, and would do construction jobs while there.
Specifically, the Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program caters to the Canadian construction industry.
It is specifically for people interested in or experienced in any form of construction work.
The program is a Pilot program which the Canadian Government is test-running to see if it would work and if it does, the government can then make it a permanent Canada immigration program.
In this article, I discuss what the Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program is about, the benefits of the program, eligibility to apply for the program, and how to apply.
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Let’s start with the basis of the Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program.
Table of Contents
About Nova Scotia, Canada
Nova Scotia is located in the Eastern part of Canada.
It is one of the Atlantic regions or provinces in Canada. It is located around Novinsky province and Prince Edward Island.
Nova Scotia is a bubbling area with lots of construction work ongoing but with a shortage of manpower hence the establishment of the Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program to alleviate this deficit.
The Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program is also known as a Provincial Nomination Program (PNP).
Types of PNP Programs
There are two types of PNP programs namely:
- Enhanced PNP
- Base PNP
(1) Enhanced PNP
The enhanced PNP requires that you have an express entry program whereby if you get nominated, you will have 600 points added to the points you have already.
The enhanced PNP is the most common type of PNP.
(2) Base PNP
Base PNP does not require that you have an express entry profile. The Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program is under the base PNP.
The requirements for the Base PNP are very basic thus allowing many people to be qualified to apply for it.
Don’t miss out;
Why the Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program?
Currently, there is a huge demand for construction workers in the province of Nova Scotia.
Because of this, the Canadian government decided to create the Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program as a test program to meet this demand.
Benefits of this Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program
1. You don’t need an express entry profile:
In the Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program, you do not need an express entry program to qualify, which is the standard for qualifying people to migrate to Canada legally.
The express entry program is a system by which the Canadian Government organizes and processes applications for skilled workers seeking to migrate to Canada.
2. No need for a Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) score:
The CRS score is a system whereby the Canadian government awards points to people to qualify would-be Canadian immigrants to be selected from the large pool of Canadian immigrants.
3. No Provincial Nomination Fee:
Normally, when a province selects an immigrant to apply for permanent residence the immigrant could be asked to pay a provincial nomination fee of between $2,300 and 3,800 Canadian Dollars (CAD) depending on the program that he/she is immigrating through.
While some provinces do not charge so much, other provinces, like Ontario, charge as much as $1500 CAD.
4. No need for an ECA:
ECA is your Educational Credential Assessment.
It is a form of assessment that is used to verify that an immigrant’s foreign degree or certificate is valid and proportionate to that of Canada.
4. No need for a Higher Education:
This program also applies to those who may have not been to the University but have a Higher Secondary School certificate.
5. Wider Age Limit:
The Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot program accepts applications from people aged 21 to 55 years old.
What Do You Need For The Program?
- Experience: To qualify for this program, you need a one-year experience in a related field (construction).
- CLB Band 4 or 5: you need to have a minimal score of 4 or 5 in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in either English or French Language. This is lower compared to other entry program requirements.
Eligibility for Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program
1. For Workers: In order to apply as a worker, you need to have the following
- A job offer: This job offer must be:
– from an employer who is a resident in Nova Scotia
– a full-time job and you need to work at least 40 hours every week for your employer.
– Non-seasonal, you would be working at all times regardless of the seasons.
– You should be coming from a construction field; any other field will not be acknowledged.
These conditions are applicable to anyone within or outside Canada
2. Certification: to apply for this program, you must have the following:
- – a High School Diploma or
– Any proof of certification in a construction field.
3. Language: To qualify for this program,
– As an unskilled worker, you must have a CLB Band 4 – As a skilled worker, you need CLB band 5.
4. Experience: Workers who want to apply for this program need a one year recent or past experience in the construction field to be qualified to apply.
5. Proof of Funds: You must have proof of funds to ensure that you would be able to sustain yourself when you get to Canada at least until you start earning from your employer. This also depends on your family size.
National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:
To apply for this program, you need to use your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code (Now called TEER code) – a type of code that the Canadian government uses to classify all the kinds of jobs that exist.
There are NOC codes for skilled workers and unskilled workers respectively:
- NOC Codes for Skilled Workers
Skilled workers are people who have high technical skills. Skilled worker NOC codes are 0, 1, 2 or 3.
- NOC Codes for Unskilled Workers
Unskilled workers are people who do not have high skill. Unskilled workers NOC codes are 4 and 5.
This makes it very easy for anyone to qualify for the program whether you have a high skill or not.
To learn more and determine your NOC code, please visit the Canada National Occupation Code webpage.
For Employers: In order for someone to be eligible to be an employer in this program, the employer must meet the following requirements:
- He/she must have operated in Nova Scotia for up to two years.
- The employer must not have defaulted in taxes or any other thing required by the Canadian or Nova Scotia government.
- The Employer must be registered with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies of Nova Scotia.
How to Know if Your Employer Meets the Requirements and is Eligible to Hire You
To determine if your employer meets the requirements and is eligible to hire you, please follow these simple steps:
- Visit the Official Jobs Portal.
- Type the name of the company that is employing you in the top search bar. If the name pops up, it means that they have met the requirements and are eligible to employ you.
How to apply
- Visit the Nova Scotia Immigration Portal.
- Learn more about the program.
- Click the “Apply Online” button and Fill out the form.
- Upload the required documents.
- Wait for a response via email.
What to Do Next
- Application Acceptance
Upon nomination, you would be issued a Certificate of Nomination which automatically awards you 600 points which would be attached to your profile.
The Certificate of Nomination is valid for six months and within this period it is expected that you apply for your Permanent Residency (PR) or else the nomination becomes invalid.
When your application is approved, you can also request a Letter of Support from the province of Nova Scotia with which you can apply for your work permit.
Your work permit would allow you to work in Canada while awaiting the approval of your Permanent Residency.
You may also use your Letter of Support to renew your work permit.
- Application Rejection
In a situation where your application is rejected, a mail will be sent to you, stating why your application was rejected
Also, if more documents are needed from you, you’ll be notified by email.
You will have 10 business days to submit the additional documents or respond to the mail.
Conclusion
This Nova Scotia Critical Construction Worker Pilot Program is very easy to apply for.
Simply follow the steps in this article and on the Nova Scotia Immigration Portal to apply.
Disclaimer: We aren’t Immigration Lawyers. Please use the information in this article only as a guide. You may seek professional counsel from an immigration officer for further clarification.
