Nova Scotia opens its doors to immigrant doctors
There are new opportunities for physicians looking to move to Canada. A Labour Market Priorities Stream for Physicians has been added to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). The NSNP is searching through Express Entry profiles to find family doctors, specialists, and general practitioners so they can be invited to work and live permanently in the province.
Currently, Nova Scotia is in the midst of a crisis for lack of doctors in the province. Supposedly the number of Nova Scotians without family doctors could number at more than 50,000 at this time. The province is looking for foreign physicians to bring relief to the population.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) has posted 124 positions to their website. These jobs will be available across the province for varying specialities.
The Labour Market Priority Stream for Physicians operates in connection to the Express Entry system. The stream offers a provincial nomination to the selected candidates, which awards 600 points for their Express Entry Profile. Such a high score places the profile at the top of the Express Entry draw, practically guaranteeing their selection in a future draw. There are several criteria hopeful physicians have to meet before they are eligible for this stream.
How Physicians Can Qualify
The NSNP searches for candidates for this program via the Express Entry stream. So, it goes without saying that candidates need to have a profile on Express Entry to be in the running.
Applying physicians must also have a job offer from either the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) or the NSHA. The applicants also need to commit to practising in Nova Scotia for at least two years.
When NSNP chooses eligible candidates, they send them Letter of Interest, which invites them to receive a provincial nomination. Recipients have 30 days to send and process their invitations. If successful, they will receive the additional 600 points for their Express Entry profile.
Outside of the Labour Market Priority Stream for Physicians, the NSNP also has a separate category called the Physician Stream. This stream operates outside of Express Entry.
