On March 5 and 6, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) held its first draws of the year, inviting candidates in select in-demand occupations.
These recent draws follow a period of flux for the NBPNP, as the province looked to align immigration streams more tightly with labour market goals in the face of a significantly reduced provincial immigration allocation in 2025.
New Brunswick has been allocated 2,750 provincial immigration spots this year, of which 1,500 will be issued under the NBPNP, and 1,250 will be issued under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
This article will cover
- Details of New Brunswick’s first draw; and
- An overview of changes to the NBPNPs immigration programs.
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Provincial immigration results (8-14 March)
New Brunswick
On March 5 and 6, the NBPNP held its first provincial immigration draw of the year, under two pathways of the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream. Candidates were invited under
- The New Brunswick Skilled Worker—New Brunswick Experience pathway; and
- The New Brunswick Skilled Worker—New Brunswick Graduates pathway.
These draws prioritized candidates in select occupations for invitations to apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination. Occupation categories targeted in these draws were
- Healthcare;
- Education and Social & Community Services; and
- Construction trades.
A cumulative 498 ITAs were issued to candidates through this draw. The NBPNP did not announce a cut-off score for this draw.
As of 2025, the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream has branched off into three pathways. In addition to the two previously mentioned pathways, the stream also includes the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream—New Brunswick Priority Occupations pathway.
In addition to meeting basic eligibility for the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream, candidates in these specific pathways must also meet additional eligibility criteria, which are summarized below:
| Pathway | Eligibility Criteria |
|---|---|
| New Brunswick Experience | Currently working full-time in a non-seasonal position for an eligible New Brunswick employer. |
| Employer is willing to support the application. | |
| Have worked full-time for the same employer for at least 6 consecutive months while living in the province. | |
| New Brunswick Graduates | Completed a program eligible for a PGWP at a DLI in New Brunswick. |
| Currently working full-time in a non-seasonal position for an eligible New Brunswick employer or have accepted an offer for such a position. | |
| Employer is willing to support the application. | |
| New Brunswick Priority Occupations | Accepted a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an eligible New Brunswick employer. |
| Employer is willing to support the application. | |
| The job offer resulted from a recruitment mission led by the Government of New Brunswick. | |
| The position must be in a priority NOC code as specified in the program guide. | |
| At least 1 year of paid work experience related to the position. |
Changes to the NBPNP in 2025
New Brunswick has made significant changes to its immigration streams in order to make the best use of its reduced provincial nomination allocation.
In particular, three of the province’s immigration streams have seen alterations to their intake. Changes to these streams are summarized below:
| Stream Name | Updates | Occupations Not Considered |
|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick Express Entry Stream | Additions: Accepting EOIs under two pathways starting March 5, 2025: 1) Employment in New Brunswick pathway; and 2) New Brunswick Interests pathway. Discontinuations: The New Brunswick Student Connection pathway will not return in 2025. | 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 |
| New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream | Paused for 2025 – The province has sufficient inventory and will not accept new EOIs. Discontinuation: The "In-Person Exploratory Visit to New Brunswick" connection, paused in November 2024, will not return in 2025. | Not applicable |
| New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream | Restructured into three pathways: 1) New Brunswick Experience pathway 2) New Brunswick Graduates pathway 3) New Brunswick Priority Occupations pathway (not accepting submissions at this time). | 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 |
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP programs