New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)

New Brunswick is one of Canada’s northeastern Maritime provinces. New Brunswick is also the only officially bilingual province in Canada, with about 30 percent of the population speaking French as a first language. 

Through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive a New Brunswick provincial nomination certificate. With this nomination, foreign nationals may then apply for Canadian permanent residence. The NBPNP accepts applications under the following immigration categories:

Table of Contents

Overview

The largest of Canada's three Maritime Provinces, New Brunswick is located below the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec and adjacent to the State of Maine in the United States. 

New Brunswick offers excellent employment opportunities and a low cost of living compared to some of Canada's larger provinces. Newcomers to New Brunswick can choose to live in small towns or in large cities such as Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton. The province is also known for its beautiful lakes and rivers and its many outdoor recreational sites. 

Prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may get a provincial nomination through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP). 

Those who wish to immigrate to New Brunswick, currently have five immigration streams to choose from. This page will help you determine which immigration stream is right for you.

Express Entry Stream

This stream allows the NBPNP to use the federal Express Entry immigration selection system to meet New Brunswick’s specific labor market and demographic needs. This stream operates under an 'Expression of Interest model.

UPDATE MAY 20, 2022: the receipt of applications for this stream has been temporarily suspended until further notice.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have an active Express Entry profile;
  • Must have a Job Seeker Validation Code or proof of enrolment in a PGWP-eligible program at a federally-designated post-secondary institution;   
  • Must be currently living in New Brunswick;
  • Must have valid language test scores in either English or French equal to Canadian Language Benchmark Level 7 (CLB 7).

Skilled Workers Stream

New Brunswick accepts applications under this category from individuals who have received a full-time, permanent job offer from a New Brunswick employer.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must prove that they intend to reside in New Brunswick;
  • Must a full-tie permanent job offer from an eligible New Brunswick employer and a letter of support from them;
  • Must have a minimum Canadian secondary (high school) diploma or a foreign high school diploma equal to a Canadian credential.
  • Must be between 19-55 years of age;
  • Must have valid language test scores in either English or French equal to Canadian Language Benchmark Level 4 (CLB 4).

Business Immigration Stream

New Brunswick accepts applications under this category from individuals who plan to own and actively manage a business in New Brunswick. Applicants are expected to make a monetary investment in the business.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have an eligible connection to New Brunswick to submit an Expression of Interest;
  • Must have completed an academic degree from a college or university that required at least three years of full-time study, or a diploma in a specific trade that required at least two years of full-time study.
  • Must be able to demonstrate a minimum personal net worth of at least $600,000 CAD. At least $300,000 CAD of the net worth must be readily available and unencumbered.
  • Must be between 22-55 years of age;
  • Must have valid language test scores in either English or French equal to Canadian Language Benchmark Level 5 (CLB 5).

Strategic Initiative Stream

This stream is designed for Francophone workers who have the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to the province's economy, and who wish to live and work in the province permanently.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must intend to reside in New Brunswick;
  • Must have a qualifying connection to New Brunswick;
  • Must have a minimum of Canadian secondary (high school) diploma or a foreign high school diploma equal to a Canadian credential;
  • Must have required amount of settlement funds;
  • Must be between 19-55 years of age;
  • Must have a valid language test scores in either French equal to a Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 5.

Atlantic Immigration Program

New Brunswick is one of four participating Atlantic provinces working with the Government of Canada to recruit foreign workers to meet labor market shortages in Atlantic Canada. Foreign nationals interested in participating in the Atlantic Immigration Program may be residing abroad or on temporary status in Canada at the time of applying.

All applicants to the pilot must have a job offer from a designated employer that meets the requirements of the program.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program?

The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) is a program that allows New Brunswick to nominate immigrants to fill the economic and labor market needs of the province.

Yes, New Brunswick has an immigration stream aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system, also referred to as an enhanced Express Entry stream. This stream is called New Brunswick Express Entry Stream. By receiving an enhanced provincial nomination from this stream, candidates receive an extra 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, resulting in an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for permanent residence being issued at a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.

Applying to the NBPNP is a two-step process. Candidates interested in living and working permanently in New Brunswick should first review the different NBPNP streams to determine if they are eligible.



Step 1: Once a complete application is submitted along with all supporting documentation, the processing time for eligible applications can be up to three months or more.

Step 2: Apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a permanent resident visa.

Within six months of receiving the nominee certificate, applicants are required to apply to IRCC in order to receive a permanent resident visa. Applicants, along with their spouse/common-law partner and dependents, if applicable, must meet all requirements for medical, security and criminal admissibility. IRCC has the final authority to issue a permanent resident visa.

As part of any PNP application, applicants are required to submit a Settlement Plan indicating why they wish to live in the province and how they intend to settle. Applicants are also required to sign an ‘intention to reside’ document with their application. That being said, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ensures that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents are allowed to work and reside in any location across Canada. Once an individual obtains Canadian permanent residence, he or she has the right to work and reside in any Canadian province or territory.

Contact us for Assistance

Cohen Immigration Law is a leading Canadian immigration law firm with over 45 years of experience. Cohen Immigration Law features over 60 immigration lawyers, paralegals, and professionals who are dedicated to helping you immigrate to Canada.

OSI was founded as the online presence of Cohen Immigration Law. Since its launch in 1994, OSI has grown into one of the globe's most trusted resources on Canadian immigration. If you want to immigrate to Canada through the PNP or another skilled worker pathway, the first step is to complete a free OSI assessment form. If you are eligible for Canadian immigration, a member of the Cohen Immigration Law team will reach out to provide you with as much assistance as possible.