New Brunswick begins reopening immigration programs

By Vineet Tiwari

Canadian Immigration

New Brunswick has announced significant updates to its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for 2025, following a substantial reduction in its immigration nomination allocations. The province will now receive 2,750 nomination spaces, a 50% decrease from the previous year, divided between the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) with 1,500 spots and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) with 1,250 spots.

Prioritization of Key Sectors

In response to the reduced allocations, New Brunswick will focus its immigration efforts on critical sectors such as health, education, and construction. This strategic prioritization aims to address the province’s most pressing labor market needs. Consequently, certain sectors will face restrictions, limiting participation in the immigration programs.

Stream-Specific Updates

• New Brunswick Express Entry Stream: The province will soon accept new Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under two pathways:
  • Employment in New Brunswick Pathway: Targets candidates with valid job offers in the province.New Brunswick Interests Pathway: Selects candidates from the federal Express Entry pool who meet specific provincial criteria.
  Notably, the Student Connection Stream has been discontinued for 2025. Additionally, candidates in occupations such as accounting technicians, administrative assistants, restaurant and food service managers, food service supervisors, cooks, and bakers will not be considered under this stream.

• New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream: This stream has been restructured into three distinct pathways:
  • New Brunswick Work Experience Pathway: For individuals who have worked full-time for an eligible New Brunswick employer and have resided in the province for the past six months.New Brunswick Graduates Pathway: Designed for recent graduates from New Brunswick Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) holding a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and a full-time job offer from a provincial employer.New Brunswick Priority Occupations Pathway: Focuses on candidates with job offers in specified priority occupations identified through government-led recruitment missions.
  Similar to the Express Entry Stream, certain occupations are excluded from consideration in this stream.
• New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream: Currently, this stream is not accepting new EOIs due to sufficient existing applications. The province advises interested individuals to monitor official channels for future updates.

Future Prospects

The New Brunswick government has expressed concerns regarding the reduced nomination allocations and is actively engaging in discussions with the federal government to address these challenges. While no definitive changes have been announced, there is potential for adjustments similar to those achieved by Newfoundland and Labrador, which successfully negotiated an increase in their allocations by committing to accept more humanitarian immigrants.

Conclusion

These developments reflect New Brunswick’s adaptive approach to evolving federal immigration policies and its commitment to addressing provincial labor market needs. Prospective immigrants are encouraged to stay informed through official government channels and consider how these changes may impact their immigration plans.

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Written By

Vineet Tiwari

Vineet is a caring and creative leader who has lived in India, Oman, UAE, and Canada, giving him a rich multicultural perspective. His commitment to physical fitness keeps him energetic and focused. Vineet's dedication to his clients is evident as he often takes calls on weekends, ensuring they always feel supported and valued. His diverse background and unwavering availability help build strong, trusting relationships with our clients.