I have received my COPR via Nova Scotia PNP and we are planning to move to Halifax. I am currently living in Dubai and there are no direct flights from Dubai to Halifax. There is a connecting flight available via Toronto. I understand the immigration formalities will be done first in Toronto but would that be a problem since the city of destination mentioned in the COPR is Halifax?
Also, can I do self-connecting flights? What I mean is I book 2 separate flights (Dubai to Toronto and same day Toronto to Halifax). Would that be a problem with immigration? The reason I want to do that is I will be travelling with my dog and the co-operated flights are not allowing pets to travel.
You can land in any province for the most number of cases, Quebec being a slight exception. But in your case if there are no direct flights to Halifax then landing via Pearson or Trudeau airports in Toronto and Montreal respectively is perfectly reasonable. If the immigration officer at the airport asks, show them your onward ticket and they’ll process you rightaway.
Furthermore after you become a PR, the provincial nomination matters naught and you can settle anywhere in Canada, so if your job prospects don’t work very well in Nova Scotia, feel free to move elsewhere. It’s a good practice to first try and make you selected province work for you but it’s not essential or necessary.