Food Services employees offered immigration pathways in Nova Scotia, Canada

Food services workers can now apply to Nova Scotia Occupations in Demand PNP

Through its Occupations in Demand Stream, Nova Scotia is now accepting immigration applications from Food Services workers. As we all know, the pandemic hit the restaurant industry hard. As a result, places such as Nova Scotia province have been experiencing labour shortages in the Food Services Industry. To address this issue, Nova Scotia added 3 new eligible occupations to its Occupations in Demand immigration stream. These new eligible occupations are listed below in order of their NOC (National Occupation Classification) code:

• NOC 6513 (Food and beverage servers)
• NOC 6711 (Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related support occupations)
• NOC 6731 (Light duty cleaners)

Based on the above codes, employers will be able to hire you without needing to do an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment). Also, according to the media release, you, as the employee, will not need to work with the employer for six months before applying to PNP (Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program) as was the case in the past.

We are excited to welcome newcomers who can help employers meet their labour needs and grow Nova Scotia’s population. The tourism, restaurant, and Hospitality sectors are critical to our economy. These changes will help these industries hire workers they need to prepare for a busy tourism season.

Jill Balser, Nova Scotia’s immigration minister

Nova Scotia’s Occupations in demand stream targets specific occupations that fall under NOC skill levels C and D. These skill levels have historically been called “low-skilled” or “unskilled” occupations, but due to the pandemic, the preference has now been to call them “essential” occupations.

As of July 1, Nova Scotia’s population was at an all-time 992,055 high, which the province credits to increased immigration into Nova Scotia due the need for hiring into “essential occupations”. Bear in mind, this population figure is still considerably lower than Ontario.

What is the eligibility for the Occupations in Demand stream?

In order to apply for a provincial nomination from Nova Scotia through the Occupations in Demand stream, you need to have a full-time job offer in one of the following occupations:

You also need to have at least one year of work experience related to the job you are applying for and be between the ages of 21 to 55 years old.

You should – at bare minimum – have a high school diploma, plus the appropriate training, skills, or accreditation for the job. You can look at Nova Scotia’s immigration website to see exactly what kind of training and skills are required. You need to prove that you have a language ability of at least a CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) Level 4 – intermediate or higher – in English or French, even if either of these languages is your first language. You also need to show that you have enough financial resources of any kind to settle in Nova Scotia.

Why should you want to settle in Nova Scotia?

With more than 7,400 km of coastline, you are fortunate to be surrounded by the natural beauty of the rolling sea, lush green forests, lakes, and farmland. All of this, combined with Nova Scotia’s growing cities and low cost of living, makes Nova Scotia one of the most enjoyable places to live in Canada. Newcomers and locals alike now enjoy Nova Scotia for its high quality of life, family-friendly communities, incredible natural beauty, and affordable cost of living.

Aside from its incredible landscapes, and all other natural beauties, Nova Scotia is also one of the best places in Canada for newcomers who want to start their own small businesses, be it in Construction, Trucking, or Food services.