Starting September 1, 2026, Nova Scotia will charge $1,000 for NSNP worker stream applications and $2,000 for entrepreneur stream applications — previously free after EOI selection.
Nova Scotia has been one of the last provinces where getting selected from the nominee pool didn't cost you anything. That changes on September 1, 2026 — the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) will start charging a $1,000 application fee for its worker streams and a $2,000 fee for its entrepreneur streams.
The Government of Nova Scotia announced the fee change on its NSNP updates page on August 6, 2026. As of September 1:
- $1,000 applies to the Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, and Nova Scotia Express Entry streams
- $2,000 applies to entrepreneur pathways: Purchase of a New Business, Purchase of an Existing Business, and International Graduates
The fee only applies to candidates selected from the province's Expression of Interest (EOI) pool on or after September 1. If you're already invited, or get invited before that date, you're not subject to the new charge. There is still no fee to submit an EOI itself, and the Atlantic Immigration Program continues to charge no provincial application fee.
Payment deadlines depend on the stream: worker-stream candidates must pay within 7 days of being selected, while entrepreneur-stream deadlines range from 90 to 180 days depending on the specific pathway. The fee is per principal applicant — adding dependents doesn't change the cost — and it's non-refundable except in cases of administrative error or where the law requires it.
The province says demand for nominations has been outpacing its annual federal allocation, and the fee is meant to help "ensure limited nomination spaces are allocated in support of Nova Scotia's labour market and economic priorities." In plain terms: more people want NSNP nominations than the province has room to grant, and a fee is one way to manage that pressure.
Nova Scotia was actually the outlier for staying free this long. Every other major PNP already charges for a nomination application: Manitoba charges $500, Alberta $1,500, British Columbia $1,750, and Ontario $1,500–$2,000. At $1,000, Nova Scotia's new fee lands in the middle of that range rather than at the top.
If you already hold an NSNP invitation, or get selected before September 1: nothing changes for you. You're grandfathered in at no cost.
If you're sitting in the NSNP EOI pool and expect to be selected after September 1: budget for the fee now. For worker streams, that's $1,000 due within a week of selection — plan to have the funds accessible on short notice, since Nova Scotia only accepts single-payment credit card transactions (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Amex), not installments. Remember this is on top of the federal permanent residence fees ($1,590 for a principal applicant, another $1,590 for an accompanying spouse, $270 per dependent child), which are unaffected by this change.
If you're weighing which province to target: Nova Scotia is still cheaper than Alberta, BC, or Ontario for a worker-stream nomination, and the EOI submission itself remains free everywhere in the NSNP. This fee changes the cost of the last step, not your ability to get in the pool.
Tip
If you're close to meeting NSNP's selection criteria and can realistically get selected before September 1, there's a real financial incentive to move quickly — $1,000 for a worker-stream application, or $2,000 for an entrepreneur pathway, is money back in your pocket if your timing works out.
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration advice. Always verify information with official IRCC sources and consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your situation.