OM International CONNECTS you to the opportunity to Establish your own Business in Canada - Nova Scotia / Eligibility criteria shown below....apply soon.
The Nova
Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) Entrepreneur Stream is designed to attract
individuals who wish to start or acquire a business and settle permanently in
Nova Scotia. The Entrepreneur Stream will begin accepting applications from
January 1, 2016.
Nomination
Process
There are
five steps to the nomination process:
Step 1:
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the province of Nova Scotia
Prospective
immigrants will indicate their interest in operating a business and residing in
Nova Scotia by completing an Expression of Interest (EOI) in the form of a
short online survey, providing required information about their business
ownership or management experience, language, education, investment, net worth,
age, adaptability, and their business. Only applicants who meet the minimum
criteria will be able to submit an EOI. Candidates will be assessed based on a
points matrix according to their profile and then assigned a score.
Step 2:
Invitation to Apply
Top
scoring applicants will be notified by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration
(NSOI) that they are being invited to submit a formal application to the Nova
Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). Complete applications received from those
invited to apply will then undergo an assessment by the NSOI.
Step 3:
Temporary Work Permit and Business Establishment in Nova Scotia
Successful
applicants to the NSOI will sign a Business Performance Agreement with the NSOI,
detailing the applicant’s plans to start or acquire a business in Nova Scotia.
After entering into the Business Performance Agreement, the NSOI will provide a
NSNP Entrepreneur Approval Letter, which the applicant will include in their
application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a two-year work
permit. If the applicant is successful in obtaining the work permit, applicants
will be able to land in Nova Scotia with their family, settle, and start or
acquire their business.
Step 4:
Request for Nomination
Once an
applicant satisfies the conditions of the Business Performance Agreement,
including, but not limited to, making the mandatory investment, operating the
business continuously for a minimum of one year, and submitting a Business
Establishment Progress Report to NSOI, they can then apply to be nominated for
permanent residence by the province of Nova Scotia under the NSNP.
Step 5:
Apply for permanent residence
Upon
nomination, the applicant applies to CIC for permanent residence.
Minimum
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants
must meet the minimum eligibility criteria:
·
Have a minimum $600,000 CAD in Net Business and Personal Assets,
verified by NSOI designated third party professionals;
·
Have a minimum of three years of business ownership experience
including 33.33% ownership or greater than five years of experience in a
senior business manager role in the last 10 years;
·
Agree to make a minimum capital investment of $150,000 CAD in Nova
Scotia;
·
Have Canadian Language Benchmark 5 in either English or French in
listening, speaking, writing and reading; verified by either Canadian
English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General test,
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training or
the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) and taken within two years prior
to the date of EOIsubmission;
·
Have a minimum of a Canadian high school diploma or an equivalent
foreign credential verified by an Educational Credential Assessment, which
is dated within the five years prior to the date of EOI submission;
·
Demonstrate accumulation of claimed net worth through legal means,
verified by NSOI designated third party professionals;
·
Have a Business Establishment Plan and be able to demonstrate an
in-depth knowledge of the plan; and
·
Agree to reside in Nova Scotia.
Business
Eligibility
In order
to qualify as an eligible business under the Entrepreneur program, several
criteria must be met:
·
The applicant must own at least one third (33.33%) of the equity
of the business;
·
The applicant must provide active and on-going participation in
the day to day management and direction of the business;
·
The business must be a for-profit entity with the primary purpose
of earning profits through the sale of goods and/or services;
·
The business must be considered a “permanent establishment” as
defined under subsection 400(2) of the Canadian Income Tax Regulations,
1985;
·
The business is liable to pay income tax on taxable income earned
as a result of a “permanent establishment” in Nova Scotia, irrespective of
income or other taxes which may also be payable in other jurisdictions as
a result of income earned or other business activity; and
·
The business must have potential to create an economic benefit to
Nova Scotia. For example:
o
Increasing value added manufacturing or processing, exports,
destination tourism, research and development, and technology
commercialization,
o
Developing innovative approaches to traditional businesses,
o
Transferring technology and specialized knowledge to Nova Scotia,
or
o
Providing products or services to an under-served local or
regional market.
Starting
a Business
If
starting a business, the applicant must also create a minimum of one full time
(or equivalent) employment opportunity for a Canadian or Permanent Resident in
Nova Scotia (non-relative workers). This position(s) must:
·
Be over and above any position filled by the approved applicant.
For clarity, jobs created for or filled by family members of the applicant
are not eligible;
·
Be relevant and directly related to the applicant’s business; and
·
Meet the prevailing wage levels.
Business
Succession
If
purchasing a previously existing Nova Scotia business:
·
The business must have been in continuous operation by the same
owner for the previous five years;
·
All applicants must complete an exploratory visit to meet the
current owner(s);
·
Applicants must provide evidence that reasonable efforts were
taken to establish a fair market value for the business;
·
The business must be actively in operation and not in
receivership;
·
The succession buy-out must result in a complete change in
ownership where the applicant will assume full control of the business;
and
·
Applicants must offer employment on similar terms and conditions
to existing staff, including maintaining existing wages and employment terms.
Ineligible
Businesses
The
following types of business are ineligible:
·
Businesses that are conducted remotely (from another Canadian
jurisdiction or from another country);
·
Property rental, investment, and leasing activities;
·
Real estate construction/development/brokerage, insurance
brokerage or business brokerage; unless the applicant can demonstrate that
their business will provide a compelling benefit to the province;
·
Professional services or self-employed business operators
requiring licensing or accreditation;
·
Pay day loan, cheque cashing, money changing and cash machines;
·
Pawnbrokers;
·
Credit unions;
·
Home-based businesses; unless the applicant can demonstrate that
their business will provide a compelling benefit to the province;
·
Co-operatives;
·
Investments into a business operated primarily for the purposes of
deriving passive investment income;
·
Businesses involved in the production, distribution or sale of
pornographic or sexually explicit products or services, or in the
provision of sexually-oriented services;
·
Joint ventures between NSNP program applicants; and/or
·
Any other type of business that by association could bring the
NSNP or the government of Nova Scotia into disrepute.
Expression
of Interest Points Matrix
When
candidates submit their Expression of Interest in Step 1, a points matrix will
be used to select the strongest applicants who best align with Nova Scotia’s
business and economic priorities based on 8 factors: language, education,
business ownership or management experience, level of investment in the
business, net worth, age, adaptability, and Nova Scotia priorities.
Candidates
are required to get at least the minimum available score in each factor in
order to submit an Expression of Interest.
Factor
1: Language (maximum points available: 35)
|
|||||
First
official language
|
Points
|
Points
(minimum of 20 points from first official language required)
|
|||
Speaking
|
Listening
|
Reading
|
Writing
|
||
CLB
level 7 or higher
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
28
|
CLB level 6
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
24
|
CLB level 5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
20
|
Second official language
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|||||
At least CLB 5 in all of the four
abilities
|
7
|
||||
Note: You can only get points in total for basic-level
skills in your second official language, and only if you have a score of
at least CLB 5 in each of the four language abilities.
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Factor
2: Education (maximum points available: 25)
|
|
Level of Education
|
Points
|
Canadian high school diploma, or
equivalent
|
8
|
Canadian post-secondary degree or
diploma for a one-year program, or equivalent
|
12
|
Canadian post-secondary degree or
diploma for a two-year program, or equivalent
|
19
|
Canadian post-secondary degree or
diploma for a program of three years or longer, or equivalent
|
21
|
Two
or more Canadian post-secondary degrees or diplomas or equivalent (at least
one must be for a program of at least three years)
|
22
|
Post-secondary
degree at the Master’s level or equivalent OR university level
entry-to-practice professional degree Occupation related to the degree must
be:
•
NOC 2011 Skill Level A, and
•
Licensed by a provincial regulatory body.
|
23
|
University degree at the Doctoral
(PhD) level or equivalent
|
25
|
Factor
3: Business Ownership or Management Experience (maximum points available: 35)
|
|
Business Ownership or Management
experience
|
Points
|
3 to 5 years of business ownership
experience (minimum 1/3 ownership) in the last 10 years
|
20
|
Greater than 5 years of experience
in a senior business manager role in the last 10 years
|
20
|
Greater than 5 years of business
ownership experience (minimum 1/3 ownership) in the last 10 years
|
35
|
Factor
5: Net worth (maximum: 10)
|
|
Net Worth
|
Points
|
$600K CAD – $999,999 CAD
|
5
|
$1Million CAD – $1.5 Million CAD
|
7
|
Greater than $1.5 Million CAD
|
10
|
Factor
6: Age
|
|
Age
|
Points (maximum: 10)
|
21-24
|
5
|
25-32
|
7
|
33-39
|
10
|
40-44
|
7
|
45-55
|
5
|
56+
|
0
|
Factor
4: Investment (maximum: 15)
|
|
Investment
|
Points
|
$150,000 CAD – $300,000 CAD
|
10
|
Greater than $300,000 CAD
|
15
|
Factor
7: Adaptability (maximum: 10)
|
||
Adaptability
|
Points
|
|
Your
spouse or partner’s language level
Your
spouse or common-law partner has a language level in either English or French
at CLB 4 level or higher in all four language abilities (speaking, listening,
reading and writing)
|
5
|
|
Your
past study in Nova Scotia
You
finished at least two academic years of full-time study (in a program at least
two years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Nova Scotia.
Full-time study means at least 15 hours of instruction per week, and must
have remained in good academic standing (as defined by the school) during the
period of full-time study in Nova Scotia
|
10
|
|
Your
spouse or partner’s past study in Nova Scotia
Your
spouse or common-law partner finished at least two academic years of
full-time study (in a program at least two years long) at a secondary or
post-secondary school in Nova Scotia. Full-time study means at least 15
hours of instruction per week, and your accompanying spouse or common-law
partner must have remained in good academic standing (as defined by the
school) during the period of full-time study in Nova Scotia.
|
5
|
|
Your
past work in Nova Scotia
You
did at least one year of full-time work in Nova Scotia:
•
In occupation listed in Skill Type 0 or Skill Levels A or B of the National
Occupational Classification (NOC 2011), and
•
You had a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada.
|
10
|
|
Your
spouse or common-law partner’s past work in Nova Scotia
Your
spouse/partner did at least one year of full-time work in Nova Scotia on a
valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada
|
5
|
|
Relatives
in Nova Scotia
You,
or, if it applies, your spouse or common-law partner, have a relative, either
a parent, grandparent, brother/sister, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, who is
living in Nova Scotia for at least one continuous year, 18 years or older,
and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
|
5
|
|
Factor
8: Nova Scotia Economic Priorities (maximum: 10)
|
|
Nova Scotia Economic Priorities
|
Points
|
Export-oriented business
|
5
|
Proposed business location outside
of Halifax Regional Municipality
|
5
|
Business succession
|
5
|
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