Breaking: New Brunswick Reopens Immigration Streams – Who Can Apply?

Overview of New Brunswick’s Immigration Program Updates

New Brunswick has officially announced the reopening of its immigration programs after adjusting to a significantly reduced allocation of nomination spaces for 2025. The province has been granted only 2,750 nomination spots, split between the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

• NBPNP Allocations: 1,500 nominations

• AIP Allocations: 1,250 nominations

  
  

According to a statement by the acting Minister of Post-Secondary Education, the drastic reduction has forced the province to make difficult choices, prioritizing critical sectors such as health, education, and construction while restricting participation in some economic sectors.

The province has outlined changes across multiple immigration pathways. Below is a summary of their current status:

Key Changes in Specific Streams

New Brunswick Express Entry

• Accepting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under:

  
  

  • Employment in New Brunswick Pathway

  • New Brunswick Interests Pathway

• Certain occupations are now ineligible, including:

  • Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 12200)

  • Administrative assistants (NOC 13110)

  • Restaurant and food service managers (NOC 60030)

  • Food service supervisors (NOC 62020)

  • Cooks (NOC 63200)

  • Bakers (NOC 63202)

• The New Brunswick Student Connection will not return in 2025.

New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream

This stream has been restructured into three distinct pathways:

1. New Brunswick Work Experience Pathway: Requires six months of full-time work and residence in the province.

2. New Brunswick Graduates Pathway: Requires completion of a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)-eligible program and a job offer.

3. New Brunswick Priority Occupations Pathway: Requires a job offer from a provincial recruitment mission and experience in a priority occupation.

Several occupations are now excluded from eligibility, including bartenders, customer service representatives, and food industry laborers.

New Brunswick Strategic Initiative

• No new EOIs are being accepted due to high inventory.

• The In-Person Exploratory Visit to New Brunswick Connection, paused in November 2024, will not return in 2025.

While no official changes have been made, the provincial government is actively engaging with the federal government to seek an increase in nomination allocations.

A recent agreement between Newfoundland and Labrador and the federal government, which restored most of that province’s allocations in exchange for accepting humanitarian immigrants, hints at a potential path forward for New Brunswick.

The future remains uncertain, but negotiations continue, and further updates are expected.