On March 5 and 6, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) held its first draws of the year, inviting candidates from select high-demand occupations.
These draws come after a period of adjustment for the NBPNP, as the province works to better align its immigration streams with labor market needs amid a significantly reduced provincial immigration allocation for 2025.
For this year, New Brunswick has been granted 2,750 provincial immigration spots—1,500 under the NBPNP and 1,250 through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- Details of New Brunswick’s first draw
- Key updates to the NBPNP immigration programs
New Brunswick
On March 5 and 6, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) conducted its first provincial immigration draw of the year under two pathways of the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream. Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued to candidates under:
- New Brunswick Skilled Worker—New Brunswick Experience pathway
- New Brunswick Skilled Worker—New Brunswick Graduates pathway
These draws focused on candidates in specific high-demand occupations, including:
- Healthcare
- Education and Social & Community Services
- Construction trades
A total of 498 ITAs were issued, with no cut-off score announced for this draw.
As of 2025, the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream has expanded to include three distinct pathways. Alongside the two mentioned above, the program now features the New Brunswick Skilled Worker—New Brunswick Priority Occupations pathway.
In addition to meeting the general eligibility requirements for the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream, candidates applying under these pathways must fulfill additional criteria, summarized below.
|
Pathway |
Eligibility Requirements |
|
New Brunswick Experience |
- Currently employed full-time in a non-seasonal role with an eligible New Brunswick employer. |
|
New Brunswick Graduates |
- Completed a program eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in New Brunswick. |
|
New Brunswick Priority Occupations |
- Secured a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an eligible New Brunswick employer. |
Changes to the NBPNP in 2025
To maximize the effectiveness of its reduced provincial nomination allocation, New Brunswick has implemented notable adjustments to its immigration programs. Three streams, in particular, have undergone changes, as outlined below:
1. New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
Updates:
- As of March 5, 2025, the program will accept Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under two new pathways:
- Employment in New Brunswick pathway
- New Brunswick Interests pathway
- The New Brunswick Student Connection pathway has been discontinued and will not return in 2025.
Occupations No Longer Considered:
- NOC 12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
- NOC 13110 – Administrative assistants
- NOC 60020 – Retail and wholesale trade managers
- NOC 60030 – Restaurant and food service managers
- NOC 62010 – Retail sales supervisors
- NOC 62020 – Food service supervisors
- NOC 63200 – Cooks
- NOC 63202 – Bakers
2. New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream
Updates:
- Paused for 2025 – The province has sufficient applications in the pipeline and will not accept new EOIs this year.
- The "In-Person Exploratory Visit to New Brunswick" connection, which was paused in November 2024, will not be reinstated in 2025.
Occupations No Longer Considered:
- Not applicable.
3. New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream
Updates:
- The stream has been restructured into three distinct pathways:
- New Brunswick Experience pathway
- New Brunswick Graduates pathway
- New Brunswick Priority Occupations pathway (currently not accepting submissions).
Occupations No Longer Considered:
- NOC 12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
- NOC 13110 – Administrative assistants
- NOC 14400 – Shippers and receivers
- NOC 60020 – Retail and wholesale trade managers
- NOC 60030 – Restaurant and food service managers
- NOC 62010 – Retail sales supervisors
- NOC 62020 – Food service supervisors
- NOC 63200 – Cooks
- NOC 63202 – Bakers
- NOC 64100 – Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers
- NOC 64301 – Bartenders
- NOC 64314 – Hotel front desk clerks
- NOC 64409 – Other customer representatives
- NOC 65200 – Food and beverage servers
- NOC 65201 – Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related occupations
- NOC 94142 – Fish and seafood plant workers
- NOC 95106 – Labourers in food and beverage processing
- NOC 95107 – Labourers in fish and seafood processing
