HALIFAX, October 16, 2025 — Nova Scotia will receive a significant boost in its immigration allocation after Ottawa reversed earlier cuts to provincial immigration programs, according to federal Immigration Minister Lena Diab.
Speaking at a news conference in Halifax, Diab confirmed that the federal government will increase the number of spots available under Nova Scotia’s Provincial Nominee Program (NSPNP). The decision follows strong requests from provinces across Canada to restore previously reduced immigration numbers.
“I can tell you Nova Scotia’s getting a significant amount more,” Diab said Thursday.
Earlier this year, the federal government had reduced Nova Scotia’s nominee allocation from 3,570 to 1,785, cutting the province’s total immigration allocation from 6,300 in 2024 to 3,150 in 2025, including reductions to the Atlantic Immigration Program.
At the time, Duncan Williams, CEO of the Construction Association of Nova Scotia, criticized the cuts as “short-sighted” and “irresponsible,” citing the province’s growing labour shortages.
The Nova Scotia government confirmed that Ottawa has now increased the province’s allocation by 559, bringing the total to 3,709 for 2025.
Provincial nominee programs are a key pathway for skilled newcomers to obtain permanent residency based on their education, work experience, and contribution to local labour needs.
Diab said all provinces requested similar increases, and several have already received them. For example, Manitoba recently secured an additional 1,500 nominations after its allocation had been halved earlier in the year. New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have also reached new agreements to raise their immigration limits.
The move signals a broader federal effort to address regional workforce demands while supporting economic growth through immigration.
