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TL;DR
Nova Scotia launched Critical Vacancies in May 2026, searching the federal Express Entry pool for workers to fill jobs employers can't fill locally.
The initiative currently targets healthcare and skilled construction trades at TEER 0 through 4. Six construction NOCs have forms live on the page. Healthcare roles have not been listed yet.
No Canadian or Nova Scotia work experience is required.
Being contacted is not a provincial nomination or AIP endorsement. Some candidates may receive an ITA in their Express Entry account as part of the process.
A job offer secured through Critical Vacancies can still strengthen a federal or provincial immigration application afterward.
Nova Scotia is looking into the federal Express Entry pool to find workers for jobs that local employers can't fill. The province's new "Critical Vacancies" initiative, launched in May 2026 through a dedicated page on the Live in Nova Scotia portal, identifies candidates in healthcare and skilled trades and connects them directly with hiring employers.
If your Express Entry profile matches a verified vacancy, the province contacts you to submit details about your work history, qualifications, and credentials through a form on the Critical Vacancies page.
No Canadian or Nova Scotia work experience is required.
How the process works
The province has laid out five steps:
Nova Scotia searches the Express Entry pool for candidates whose skills and experience align with active vacancies.
Identified candidates are invited to submit details about their work experience, education, and qualifications using a form available on the Critical Vacancies page.
Nova Scotia reviews all submissions and screens candidates against the requirements of each role.
Qualified candidates are shared with employers.
Employers contact shortlisted candidates to schedule interviews and may extend job offers.
It’s important to note that being through Critical Vacancies is not an invitation to apply for provincial nomination under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), and it is not an endorsement under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). The province says some candidates may receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in their Express Entry account as part of the process, but the ITA is separate from the employer-matching step.
A job offer secured through this route can still strengthen a candidate's position when pursuing federal or provincial immigration pathways afterward.
Who’s Nova Scotia targeting with Critical Vacancies
The province's April 2026 priorities page names healthcare and skilled trades occupations at TEER levels 0 through 4 as its current focus. These are the only occupational groups currently open to both international applicants and temporary residents already living and working in Nova Scotia.
Six construction occupations have forms uploaded to the Critical Vacancies page, according to CIC News:
Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers (NOC 72014)
Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades (NOC 72020)
Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters (NOC 72104)
Welders and related machine operators (NOC 72106)
Carpenters (NOC 72310)
Concrete finishers (NOC 73100)
Healthcare occupations haven’t been listed on the page yet. But Nova Scotia Health has been recruiting internationally educated professionals for some time, with openings for registered nurses, midwives, and family physicians.
Why now
Critical Vacancies sits inside a broader rethink of how Nova Scotia handles immigration intake. On November 28, 2025, the province moved to an Expression of Interest (EOI) model for all NSNP streams and AIP designations. Submissions now enter a centralized pool. Selections are based on provincial priorities, remaining allocation, pool volume, and program integrity.
As of May 1, 2026, EOIs are valid for 12 months, with transition measures for profiles already in the pool. Before that change, submissions could remain indefinitely.
The April 2026 priorities framework gives precedence to healthcare and skilled trades. Workers in other sectors, such as natural and applied sciences, education, and manufacturing, can be considered for nomination only if they are already in Nova Scotia as temporary residents.
Critical Vacancies takes those priorities and applies them to employer matching. The province's own page describes the initiative as a way to "identify and attract qualified skilled foreign workers" for vacancies employers cannot fill locally.
What this means for you
If you work in healthcare or construction trades and have an active Express Entry profile, keep that profile current and accurate. The province communicates through the channels tied to Express Entry, so monitor those channels.
Keep your work history, education records, language test results, and any occupation-specific licences or certifications organized. If Nova Scotia contacts you, you will need to respond quickly with verifiable documentation.
If your occupation isn't on the page yet, the page is worth bookmarking. The province has not said whether additional sectors or specific healthcare roles will be added. But they should at some point.
