New Brunswick is one of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces and a growing destination for skilled workers, graduates and entrepreneurs. It is Canada’s only officially bilingual province. The province selects candidates through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), managed by Immigration New Brunswick (ImmigrationNB). The province nominates candidates who match its economic needs, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes the final decision on permanent residence.
Candidates can also immigrate to New Brunswick through the federal Atlantic Immigration Program. If you are weighing your options across the region, see our guides to Nova Scotia immigration, Prince Edward Island immigration and Newfoundland and Labrador immigration.
On This Page You Will Find
On This Page, You Will Find:
- New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program Streams
- New Brunswick Pilot Programs
- New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
- New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream
- New Brunswick Strategic Initiative
- New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream
- New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot
- New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot
- The Atlantic Immigration Program
- How the Expression of Interest System Works
- Current Restrictions and Priorities
- Is New Brunswick Right for You?
- Frequently asked questions
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program Streams
The NBPNP currently has four streams:
- New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream, for foreign nationals who work in New Brunswick or have a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an eligible employer
- New Brunswick Express Entry stream, for highly skilled workers with a valid federal Express Entry profile and a connection to the province
- New Brunswick Strategic Initiative, for French-speaking foreign nationals with the skills and connection to settle in the province
- New Brunswick Business Immigration stream, for experienced entrepreneurs who will start or buy, and actively manage, a business in New Brunswick
Submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) is free. If you are invited, you pay a non-refundable application fee of $250 before submitting a complete nomination application ($2,000 for the Business Immigration stream).
New Brunswick Pilot Programs
New Brunswick also runs two pilots:
- New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot, an employer-driven pilot with a small number of participating employers
- New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot, a pathway for eligible graduates of participating private career colleges, now extended in a limited capacity to the end of 2027
The full guides to each stream and pilot are below.
Full Guides to Each New Brunswick Stream
New Brunswick Express Entry
This stream is for highly skilled foreign workers in the federal Express Entry pool. A nomination adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which in practice leads to an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in a later federal draw.
Requirements for Both Pathways
To be eligible, you must:
- be 19 to 55 years old
- have a valid profile in the federal Express Entry pool
- have at least a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign equivalent
- have at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four language skills
- have at least one year of continuous work experience within the past 10 years in one NOC code in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3
- score at least 67 out of 100 points on the selection factor grid
Employment in New Brunswick
This pathway is for skilled workers already living and working in the province. You must also:
- be working full time in a non-seasonal TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 position for an eligible employer that has been actively operating in New Brunswick for the past 24 months
- meet the requirements of your New Brunswick job under the National Occupational Classification and any applicable laws
- have lived and worked full time in New Brunswick for the past 12 months, in TEER 0 to 3 work, with one or more New Brunswick employers, while authorized to work in Canada
New Brunswick Interests
This pathway is for candidates who are not necessarily in the province but have received a letter of interest from ImmigrationNB in their federal Express Entry profile. You must also meet the federal proof of funds requirement.
New Brunswick Skilled Worker
This stream is for people who work in New Brunswick or have a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an eligible employer. All candidates must:
- be at least 19 years old
- have CLB 4 in all four language skills
- have the support of an eligible employer that has been actively operating in New Brunswick for the past 24 months
- meet the requirements of their New Brunswick job under the National Occupational Classification and other applicable laws and regulations
New Brunswick Experience
You must also:
- be working full time in a non-seasonal position for the employer supporting your application
- have at least six months of full-time work experience with that employer
- have lived in New Brunswick for the past six months
- have at least a high school diploma
Since May 4, 2026, new invitations under this pathway are limited to occupations in health care, education and construction until further notice.
New Brunswick Graduates
You must also:
- have completed a program of study eligible for a post-graduation work permit at a designated learning institution in New Brunswick
- be working in, or have accepted, a full-time, non-seasonal position with the employer supporting your application
- have lived in New Brunswick for the past six months
New Brunswick Priority Occupations
You must also:
- have accepted a full-time, non-seasonal job offer that is a direct result of a recruitment mission led by the Government of New Brunswick
- have a job offer in one of the priority NOC codes listed in the pathway guide, which covers health care, education and construction trades occupations
- have at least one year of paid work experience related to the position
- have at least a high school diploma
New Brunswick Strategic Initiative
The Strategic Initiative is for French-speaking people who want to live and work in New Brunswick and have the skills, education and work experience to support the province’s economy. The older structure, built around an exploratory visit, a job offer or an invitation for “strategic priorities”, has been replaced by pathway-based criteria. Recent draws have invited candidates under the Francophone Workers in New Brunswick and New Brunswick Francophone Priorities pathways.
Requirements for All Strategic Initiative Pathways
You must meet these requirements both when you submit your EOI and when you submit your application:
- be at least 19 years old
- show your intent and ability to live and work in New Brunswick permanently
- have at least Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking in French, shown on a TEF Canada or TCF Canada result less than two years old
- have at least a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign equivalent with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than five years old
- have at least one year (1,560 hours) of paid work experience gained over at least 12 months within the past 10 years, unless you completed a post-secondary program of at least one year at a designated learning institution in New Brunswick
- meet the proof of funds requirement, unless you live in New Brunswick or have a valid job offer from a New Brunswick employer
- score at least 65 out of 100 points on the selection factor grid
Pathway 1: Francophone Workers in New Brunswick
You must also:
- be working in, or have accepted, a permanent, full-time, year-round position with an eligible employer that has been actively operating in New Brunswick for the past 12 months
- meet the requirements of your New Brunswick job under the National Occupational Classification and other applicable laws
- have lived in New Brunswick with valid temporary resident status for at least six months, unless you were offered the job through a recruitment mission led by the Government of New Brunswick
Your work experience must be related to your New Brunswick job. Your employer must be registered with New Brunswick’s Registry of Employers of Foreign Workers, show genuine recruitment efforts and be directly involved in hiring you. Placement agencies cannot support an application.
Pathway 2: New Brunswick Francophone Priorities
You must meet one of two priorities:
- Francophone graduate: you live in New Brunswick and completed an in-person program of study of at least one year at the Université de Moncton or the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB), and you were physically present in the province for the whole program.
- Letter of interest: you received a letter of interest from Immigration New Brunswick.
A job offer is not required under this pathway. Candidates who do not live in New Brunswick must submit a Strategic Initiative settlement plan (form PCNB-IS-002). The plan must show their knowledge of the provincial labour market, how they will find work in their occupation and where they intend to settle.
Francophones Working Remotely in New Brunswick
The province also lists a third pathway for French speakers who have lived in New Brunswick for 12 months while working remotely, for that entire period, for a Canadian employer located outside Quebec.
Strategic Initiative Selection Factors
| Factor | Maximum points |
|---|---|
| Age (25 to 44 scores highest) | 12 |
| French language skills (up to 7 points per skill at NCLC 7 or higher) | 28 |
| Education | 25 |
| Work experience (within the past 10 years) | 15 |
| Adaptability | 20 |
| Minimum score to qualify | 65 of 100 |
Adaptability points are available for:
- at least one year of previous full-time work in New Brunswick (15)
- current employment or a job offer in New Brunswick in the same NOC as your qualifying experience (15)
- a post-secondary program of at least one year completed in New Brunswick (5)
- an adult relative who has lived in New Brunswick as a citizen or permanent resident for at least 12 months (5)
- a spouse or partner with CLB/NCLC 5 (5)
- a spouse or partner with one year of full-time New Brunswick work experience (5)
Adaptability points are capped at 20. If you are invited, you have 20 calendar days to submit a complete application and pay the $250 fee. A nomination certificate is valid for six months, and you must apply to IRCC for permanent residence before it expires.
New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot
This pilot offers a permanent residence pathway for international students who complete specific programs at eligible private career colleges in New Brunswick. It launched in September 2022 as a three-year project. It has been extended in a limited capacity to the end of 2027 for students already registered in specific programs who would not have graduated before the original end date.
Candidate Requirements
- intent to live in New Brunswick long term
- a full-time, non-seasonal job related to your field of study, secured within 90 days of graduating, at a competitive wage
- at least CLB/NCLC 5 in each language skill on an approved test
- completion of an eligible program at Eastern College or Oulton College
- readiness to apply for permanent residence with all required documents
Work experience is not required. Eligible programs are linked to occupations in education and social development, health, information technology and cybersecurity, business administration, and supply chain and logistics. Check the current application guide for the exact list of programs and NOC codes.
New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot is an employer-driven pathway with a small group of participating employers. Employers must be in good standing, have taken part in a provincial international recruitment mission and have settlement, housing and transportation plans for their workers. Candidates need a full-time, non-seasonal job offer at a competitive wage, an intent to live in New Brunswick, and minimum language, education and work experience levels, which in some cases can be supported by an employer attestation. Candidates cannot apply to this pilot independently.
New Brunswick Business Immigration
The New Brunswick Business Immigration stream is for entrepreneurs who want to start or buy a business in New Brunswick and take part in its daily management.
Eligibility
- be 19 to 59 years old
- have at least CLB 4 in all four language skills
- have at least a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign equivalent
- have a personal net worth of at least $500,000 ($300,000 if investing in the agriculture sector)
- have two years of qualifying experience in the last five years, either owning 51% or more of a private company or working as a senior manager in a for-profit business, managing daily operations and supervising at least two employees
- submit a business plan with at least $150,000 in eligible investments that creates at least one full-time job
- score at least 65 out of 100 points on the selection factor grid
How the Process Works
After an EOI and an invitation, approved candidates apply for a work permit and start their business. They must report their arrival within one month, report the business opening within nine months and, after six months of operation under the Business Performance Agreement, request a nomination. The application fee is $2,000. For other business options, see our guide to ways to immigrate to Canada.
The Atlantic Immigration Program
The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a permanent federal program shared by New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. It is employer-driven: you need a job offer from a designated employer, a settlement plan and provincial endorsement. It runs alongside the NBPNP, not inside it.
In 2026, New Brunswick has applied tighter AIP rules. New employer designation applications are paused for the rest of 2026. TEER 5 jobs are not eligible. Offers to candidates living outside Canada are limited to provincial recruitment initiatives in health care, education and construction. Because allocations are limited, ImmigrationNB selects endorsement applications from its AIP pool, giving priority to time employed in New Brunswick, economic establishment in the province and priority-sector jobs.
How the Expression of Interest System Works
New Brunswick uses an EOI system through its INB portal. You choose a stream, and your questionnaire answers determine which pathways you are eligible for. EOIs stay in the NBPNP candidate pool for 365 days. ImmigrationNB issues invitations based on labour market needs, available allocation and provincial priorities, not on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Skilled Worker, Express Entry and Strategic Initiative streams have scheduled invitation draws. In September 2026, for example, ImmigrationNB invited 251 Strategic Initiative candidates on September 11, 197 Skilled Worker candidates from September 15 to 18 and 102 Express Entry candidates on September 17.
An INB profile can have only one active EOI or application. You can be in both the NBPNP and AIP pools using separate profiles, but you can only move forward with one of them.
Current Restrictions and Priorities
New Brunswick’s federal nomination allocation is limited, and the province has published several restrictions:
- Since February 3, 2026: no invitations under the Skilled Worker or Express Entry streams for candidates working in the accommodation and food services sector (NAICS 72), or in a list of retail, food processing and related occupations such as cashiers (65100), retail salespersons (64100), shippers and receivers (14400) and fish and seafood plant workers (94142), regardless of sector.
- Since May 4, 2026: new invitations under the New Brunswick Experience pathway are limited to health care, education and construction, until further notice.
- AIP: employer designation intake is paused for the rest of 2026, and the endorsement restrictions described above apply.
Restrictions can change during the year, so always check ImmigrationNB’s important notices page before applying.
Is New Brunswick Right for You?
New Brunswick offers a lower cost of living than Canada’s largest cities, a bilingual English and French environment and strong demand in health care, education and the construction trades. If your occupation and language profile match the province’s priorities, especially if you speak French, the NBPNP or the Atlantic Immigration Program can be among the more accessible routes to Canadian permanent residence. Compare it with other options in our overview of provincial nominee programs, or book a consultation to assess your eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program streams?
The NBPNP has four streams: the Skilled Worker stream, the Express Entry stream, the Strategic Initiative for French speakers and the Business Immigration stream. New Brunswick also runs the Critical Worker Pilot and the Private Career College Graduate Pilot, and takes part in the federal Atlantic Immigration Program.
How does the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative work now?
The Strategic Initiative is now organized into pathways. Francophone Workers in New Brunswick is for French speakers with a permanent, full-time job in the province who generally have lived there for six months. New Brunswick Francophone Priorities is for recent Université de Moncton or CCNB graduates living in the province, or for candidates with a letter of interest. All candidates need NCLC 5 in French and a score of at least 65 out of 100.
Do I need a job offer to immigrate to New Brunswick?
Most pathways require a job or job offer, including the Skilled Worker stream, the Express Entry Employment in New Brunswick pathway, the Francophone Workers in New Brunswick pathway, the pilots and the Atlantic Immigration Program. The New Brunswick Interests and Francophone Priorities pathways do not require a job offer but depend on a letter of interest or a qualifying New Brunswick education.
How does a provincial nomination affect Express Entry?
A nomination through the New Brunswick Express Entry stream adds 600 points to your CRS score. In practice, that leads to an invitation to apply for permanent residence in a later federal Express Entry draw.
Which occupations is New Brunswick prioritizing in 2026?
Since May 4, 2026, New Brunswick Experience invitations have been limited to health care, education and construction. Accommodation and food services jobs and several retail and processing occupations are excluded from the Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams. Priorities change, so confirm the current notices on the ImmigrationNB website before applying.
How much does it cost to apply to the NBPNP?
Submitting an EOI is free. If you are invited, the non-refundable application fee is $250 for the worker streams and the Strategic Initiative, and $2,000 for the Business Immigration stream. Federal permanent residence fees are paid separately to IRCC.