Understanding Nova Scotia Immigration for Food Service Workers

Nova Scotia Immigration for Food Service Workers

Canada has struggled with a shortage of food service workers. So it wasn’t surprising that Nova Scotia recently announced that it has added food service workers to the Occupations In Demand program’s list of eligible applicants.

Nova Scotia’s Occupations In Demand Immigration Stream 

Nova Scotia’s Occupations In Demand immigration stream was designed to recruit immigrants qualified to work in occupations that are in high demand in the province. The occupations are picked based on labor market information and are subject to change. Some of the occupations that have been included in this stream include:

• NOC 7611 (laborers and construction trades helpers)
• NOC 7511 (transport truck drivers)
• NOC 7521 (heavy equipment operators (except crane))
• NOC 3413 (orderlies, patient service associates, and nurse aides)

The ones recently added to encourage the immigration of food service workers are:

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

When hiring these workers, employers won’t have to do a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Also, hired workers won’t be required to work for their employers for 6 months before being eligible to apply for the Nova Scotia Nominee Program. 

Eligibility for Nova Scotia Immigration for Food Service Workers

To be eligible for the Nova Scotia Occupations In Demand Immigration stream, you should:

• Be between 21 and 55 years old
• Have a full-time employment offer from a Nova Scotia employer in any of the above-mentioned occupations
• Have at least one year of experience 
• Have a high school diploma
• Prove that you have the necessary financial resources to settle in Nova Scotia
• Have skills, accreditation, or training related to the job
• Language proficiency in English or French to a level equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4

Keep in mind that any work experience or transferable skills you claim to have will have to be supported by employment documents and reference letters from former employers.

Restrictions on Nova Scotia Immigration for Food Service Workers

If any of the following statements describe your current situation, you won’t be allowed to apply for the Occupations In Demand Stream:

• You are living in a country illegally 
• You have received a nomination within the last year
• You are living in Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have sent you a removal letter
• You want to emigrate to Canada due to humanitarian or compassionate reasons
• You are self-employed
• You are studying at a Canadian post-secondary learning institution 
• You have been awarded a scholarship that requires you to go back to your home country after completing your studies but you are yet to do so
• You are planning to start a business in Nova Scotia 
• You have or are planning to invest in a Nova Scotia business but not participate in any of the business operations
• The job you have been offered is a sales one and you’ll only be paid on commission
• You are the majority shareholder in a Nova Scotia business 

How to apply for the Nova Scotia Occupations In Demand Stream

Applying for this program isn’t complicated. Once you confirm that you’re eligible and gather all the required documentation, just go to the Nova Scotia immigration webpage and submit your application online. The entire process is straightforward. It involves:

1. Creating an account and filling out your application
2. Printing out a copy of your application for your records – you won’t be able to view your application and attachments after submitting 
3. Attaching supporting documentation and submitting your application
4. Waiting to hear back from Nova Scotia Immigration services- it can take 3 months or more to hear back

If your application is successful, you will receive a nomination certificate in your email or that of your representative. The same certificate will also be sent to IRCC so that you can apply for permanent residence directly with them. There’s one thing you need to keep in mind though – you’ll have only 6 months to apply.

If you want to stay in the province while the immigration authorities deliberates on your permanent residence application, you can request the NSOI to provide you with a Letter of Support so that you can get a temporary work permit. 

Application and nomination withdrawal

If you change your mind about immigrating to Canada as a food service worker, you can withdraw your application at any time before you receive a nomination certificate – the process is penalty-free. However, if the immigration services suspect that you left out some important information or weren’t truthful in your application, you will have to pay a penalty. Moreover, the immigration office can withdraw your nomination if:

• You aren’t eligible for the Occupations In Demand stream anymore
• They discover the information you provided in your application is false 
• The IRCC finds out that you, your spouse, or dependent isn’t allowed to immigrate to Canada

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