New Brunswick
may 1, 2025
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) is a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) designed to nominate skilled workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs to address New Brunswick’s economic and labor market needs, facilitating their path to Canadian permanent residency. In 2025, the NBPNP operates under a significantly reduced federal nomination allocation, cut by 50% from 110,000 to 55,000 PNP nominations nationwide, with New Brunswick allocated 2,750 nomination spots (1,500 for NBPNP, 1,250 for the Atlantic Immigration Program). The NBPNP uses an Expression of Interest (EOI) system, issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through scheduled draws, primarily for the New Brunswick Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams. Successful nominees in the Express Entry-aligned streams receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, virtually guaranteeing a federal Express Entry ITA.
Below is a detailed overview of the NBPNP draws in 2025, including the date of issue, number of ITAs, CRS score ranges (for Express Entry-aligned streams), and relevant context based on available information up to April 29, 2025.
Detailed Information on 2025 NBPNP Draws
March 5–6, 2025 – Skilled Worker Stream (New Brunswick Experience, Priority Occupations)
Number of ITAs: 498 (cumulative total for both days)
March 5: Targeted candidates in construction trades and other in-demand occupations under the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream’s New Brunswick Experience and Priority Occupations pathways.
March 6: Continued targeting similar occupations, with the total ITA count reported as 498 across both days.
CRS Score Range: Not specified. The NBPNP does not publicly report CRS scores for Express Entry candidates, but some ITAs likely went to Express Entry candidates under the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream, given its alignment with federal draws.
Eligibility:
New Brunswick Experience Pathway:
Candidates must have lived in New Brunswick for at least 12 consecutive months and worked full-time in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation (NOC system) for a New Brunswick employer.
Required CLB 7 in English or French (IELTS 6.0 per band or equivalent) across all four language abilities.
Needed a Canadian high school diploma or foreign equivalent with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
Demonstrated intent to settle permanently in New Brunswick, aged 19–55.
Priority Occupations Pathway:
Required a full-time job offer in a priority occupation (e.g., construction trades, healthcare, IT) from a New Brunswick employer, with at least one year of relevant experience.
Same language, education, and settlement intent requirements as above.
Excluded occupations like accounting technicians (NOC 12200), shippers, bartenders, and food service workers.
Express Entry Candidates: Needed an active Express Entry profile (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades), a Job Seeker Validation Code, and a score of at least 60/100 on the NBPNP Points Assessment Grid.
Application Process:
Candidates submitted EOIs via the Immigration New Brunswick (INB) portal, valid for 365 days.
Selected candidates received ITAs and had 45 days to submit a complete application.
Nominated candidates in the Express Entry Stream gained 600 CRS points, ensuring a federal ITA (e.g., April 14, 2025, 825 ITAs, CRS ≥764).
Base stream nominees applied directly to IRCC for permanent residency, with processing times of 3–6 months for Express Entry or up to 18 months for paper-based applications.
April 2025 – Unspecified Streams (Likely Skilled Worker, Express Entry)
Number of ITAs: 477
CRS Score Range: Not specified. Likely included Express Entry candidates, but no CRS cut-off was reported, consistent with NBPNP’s practice of not disclosing federal CRS scores.
Stream/Pathway: Specific streams were not detailed, but based on NBPNP’s 2025 priorities, ITAs likely targeted the Skilled Worker Stream (New Brunswick Experience, Priority Occupations) and possibly the Express Entry Stream (Employment in New Brunswick, New Brunswick Interests pathways).
Eligibility:
Skilled Worker Stream:
Similar to March draws, requiring a job offer, 12 months of New Brunswick work experience (for Experience pathway), or priority occupation experience.
CLB 7 language proficiency, Canadian-equivalent education, and intent to settle.
Excluded NOCs like 12200 (accounting technicians) and food service roles.
Express Entry Stream:
Employment in New Brunswick Pathway: Required 12 months of full-time work in New Brunswick (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3), CLB 7, and an Express Entry profile.
New Brunswick Interests Pathway: Needed a connection to New Brunswick (e.g., family, prior visit, recruitment mission attendance), CLB 7, and an Express Entry profile.
Minimum age lowered to 19 from 22 in 2025, increasing accessibility.
Application Process: Same as March draws, with EOIs reviewed for labor market alignment. Express Entry nominees gained 600 CRS points, while base stream nominees applied directly to IRCC.
Notes: The lack of stream-specific details suggests a broad draw targeting multiple pathways. The 477 ITAs reflect New Brunswick’s controlled reopening after a 2024 pause, prioritizing sectors like healthcare, IT, and construction to maximize economic impact within the 1,500 NBPNP nomination limit.
Total ITAs and Nominations in 2025
Total ITAs: At least 975 ITAs issued in 2025 (498 in March, 477 in April). The March figure may represent a single draw across two days, but reporting is unclear.
Nominations Issued: Exact nomination counts are not reported, but with 1,500 NBPNP spots, approximately 50% (750) may be allocated to Express Entry and Skilled Worker streams, with the rest for Business Immigration, Private Career College Graduate Pilot, and Critical Worker Pilot.
Express Entry Impact: An unknown portion of ITAs went to Express Entry candidates, who receive 600 CRS points upon nomination, ensuring federal ITAs in PNP-specific draws (e.g., March 4, 2025, 725 ITAs, CRS ≥742).
Why Limited Draw Information in 2025?
Reduced Nomination Allocation:
New Brunswick’s 2025 allocation of 2,750 spots (1,500 NBPNP, 1,250 AIP) is a 45% reduction from 5,000 in 2024, forcing strategic prioritization of high-impact candidates in healthcare, IT, education, and construction.
The province paused nominations in August 2024 after reaching its 2024 quota, resuming in March 2025 with controlled draws.
Stream Realignment:
The NBPNP restructured the Skilled Worker Stream into three pathways (New Brunswick Experience, Priority Occupations, Critical Worker) and updated Express Entry pathways (Employment in New Brunswick, New Brunswick Interests), excluding certain NOCs (e.g., 12200 – accounting technicians) to focus on labor shortages.
The Strategic Initiative Stream paused EOI intake in 2025 due to sufficient inventory, and the Student Connection pathway was discontinued.
Technical Challenges:
The INB portal experienced performance issues due to high traffic, delaying EOI reviews but not ITA issuance. The NBPNP clarified that EOIs are not processed first-come, first-served, but based on labor market needs.
Limited Public Reporting:
Unlike other PNPs (e.g., Manitoba, Alberta), New Brunswick does not consistently publish detailed draw results, including CRS scores or stream-specific ITA breakdowns, limiting transparency.
CRS Score Range and Express Entry Context
No CRS Scores Reported: The NBPNP does not disclose CRS score ranges, even for Express Entry-aligned draws. Candidates in the Express Entry Stream likely have baseline CRS scores of 300–500 before nomination, as the 600-point boost ensures federal ITAs (e.g., April 14, 2025, CRS ≥764).
NBPNP Points vs. CRS: The NBPNP uses its Points Assessment Grid (minimum 60/100) for Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams, evaluating age, education, work experience, language (CLB 7), and adaptability (e.g., New Brunswick job offer, family ties). Express Entry candidates must also meet federal program criteria (e.g., 67/100 for Federal Skilled Worker).
Federal Draw Comparison: Recent federal PNP draws show high CRS cut-offs post-nomination (e.g., March 17, 2025, 536 ITAs, CRS ≥736), underscoring the value of NBPNP’s 600-point boost.
Comparison with 2024 and Prior Draws
2024 Activity: New Brunswick paused nominations in August 2024 after reaching its ~5,000 nomination quota, with 6,660 permanent residents admitted via PNP (55.1% of 8,890 total). No specific draw details are available, but the province likely issued thousands of ITAs before the pause.
2023 Example: September 2023 draw issued 161 ITAs (NB Employment Connection, Student Connection, Occupations in Demand), with no CRS or cut-off scores reported.
2025 Trends: Fewer ITAs (975 vs. thousands in 2024), higher focus on priority sectors, and no Student Connection pathway. Draws are monthly but smaller due to the 1,500-spot limit.
Implications for 2025
Future Draws: The NBPNP plans monthly draws, with 1–2 per month, targeting Skilled Worker (Experience, Priority Occupations) and Express Entry streams. ITAs may total 1,000–1,200 for the year, prioritizing healthcare, IT, and construction.
CRS Score Trends: Baseline CRS scores of 300–400 are likely sufficient for Express Entry candidates with job offers, as the 600-point boost ensures federal ITAs. Competitive EOIs need CLB 7+, a New Brunswick job offer, and priority occupation experience.
Processing Times: Express Entry nominations process in 3–6 months, while base stream applications may take up to 18 months. Technical portal issues may delay EOI reviews.
Sector Priorities: Healthcare, education, construction, and IT will dominate, with restrictions on NOCs like food service and accounting technicians.
January 16, 2025
Upcoming International Recruitment Events
November 29, 2022 - Express entry Stream
ONB continues to process applications across all streams that best supports the goals of the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program. This is based on application volumes, quality of individual applications, labour market information, economic forecasting and/or any other factors as determined by ONB.
The NB Express Entry stream currently remains paused for NB Employment Connections and NB Student Connections.
November 18, 2022 - National Occupation Classifications (NOC) paused until further notice
Effective November 18 2022, the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is open to all NOCs that are eligible under the AIP.
The following NOC occupations are currently not being accepted under any stream of the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) including the NB Skilled Worker, NB Express Entry, or NB Strategic Initiative streams:
NOC 62020 – Food service supervisors
NOC 65201 – Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations
NOC 65200 – Food and beverage servers
May 20, 2022 : PNP Update
Immigration NB is currently implementing special measures to manage the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream inventory through to the end of 2022.
Immigration New Brunswick (INB) has a commitment to increase and sustain Francophone immigration to the province of New Brunswick.
Effective May 20, 2022, Opportunities New Brunswick has temporarily paused the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream. The move comes following a surge in applications.
New Brunswick is starting to accept expressions of interest for the Private Career College Graduate Pilot Program.
January 5, 2022 - New Brunswick PNP minimum score
You need to be between 19 and 55 years old on the day you submit your application to NB PNP. You must score a least 60 points (out of 100) on the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Applicant Points Assessment Grid.
Immigration Process
Immigration Process - New Brunswick
September 29, 2021 - New Brunswick PNP minimum score
Age : Between 19 and 55 years old on the day their application is received by NB PNP.
Minimum score : 60 points (out of 100) on the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Applicant Points Assessment Grid.
August 30, 2021: nEW immigration Pathway For Private Career College Graduates
Four private career colleges graduate students in New Brunswick will now be able to apply for permanent residence beginning April 2022 under a new pilot program.
“This initiative is something we have been working on for quite some time and we are pleased to get it across the line,” said Labour Minister Trevor Holder.
“Newcomers are key to addressing the challenges of our labour market, and by providing this additional immigration stream we are empowering more of our post-secondary institutions to develop the skilled workers that New Brunswick needs.”
The program enables graduate students to work and live in the province as they wait for their permanent residence.
The occupations targeted in this pilot are:
social and community service workers;
early childhood educators and assistants;
educational assistants;
health-care aides;
home support workers;
licensed practical nurses;
paramedics and related occupations;
medical laboratory technologists;
medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants;
medical administrative assistants;
computer programmers and interactive media developers;
web designers and developers;
computer network technicians;
user support technicians;
accounting technicians and bookkeepers;
payroll clerks;
shippers and receivers;
supply chain and logistics supervisors; and
production logistics co-ordinators.
March 29 - NEW BRUNSWICK NEW PATHWAY FOR TRANSPORT TRUCK DRIVERS
New Brunswick has established a pathway specific to Transport Truck Drivers (NOC 7511) within the Skilled Worker Stream.
Eligibility requirements
1. Intend to reside in New Brunswick
Individuals require to provide evidence, that may include, but is not limited to:
• completed training as a Transport Truck Driver at a post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada (i.e. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador);
• electronic driving logs that demonstrate time spent in New Brunswick (i.e. regular returns, off-time);
• residency including household lease agreements and/or property ownership;
• spouse/partner being employed in New Brunswick;
• family ties and other social relationships and connections;
• children registered and attending school in the province (if applicable).
• details of prior visits to Canada; and/or
• connection to other jurisdictions in Canada.
2. Work Experience
To be eligible to apply, individuals are required to demonstrate that they have 24 months of work experience in NOC 7511: Transport Truck Drivers within the past five years, including at least 6 months of continuous employment in New Brunswick, with a New Brunswick Driver’s License, as a Transport Truck Driver while working on a valid work permit, prior to the date of application.
3. Genuine Offer of Employment
All applications submitted through the Skilled Worker stream’s Transport Truck Driver category must be supported by an eligible employer.
Read more
January 29 - NB offers PR for International Graduates
Internation graduates who are in the province and are working in lower skilled jobs have the opportunity to apply for PR. This exception is due to the pandemic. Usually, this stream is not afforeded to international graduates.
DECEMBER 5 - NEW BRUNSWICK CURRENTLY ACCEPTING EXPRESSIONS OF INTERESTS
Students do not need a job offer and do not have to complete their studies to apply.
The New Brunswick Express Entry Stream is designed for Foreign Nationals with the skills, education and work experience to contribute to New Brunswick’s economy, who are ready to live and work in New Brunswick and meet the requirements for each stage of the Express Entry Stream.
The New Brunswick Express Entry stream is currently accepting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) via the INB portal from individuals who meet all the following submission criteria:
a. The applicant has submitted a federal Express Entry Profile and has a valid Federal Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code.
b. The applicant is currently living in New Brunswick and is either:
• Working for a New Brunswick employer
• Enrolled in a New Brunswick publicly funded post-secondary institution.
October 8 - NOC 7511 introduced for Transport Truck Drivers
Effective October 1, due to shortage in the province, NB PNP has created NOC 7511 for Transport truck drivers.
September 10 - Municipal Nominee Program
Immigration Minister Mendicino was pleased recently by the support Ottawa is getting for its newly-expanded and extended Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP).
In this program, employers do not need the Labour Market Impact Assessment aspect of other economic immigration programs. Instead, employers in the four Atlantic Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador who want to hire through the AIP have to meet standard requirements before making job offers.
To be designated to hire through the AIP, employers need to:
Be in good standing;
Have been operating in the Atlantic region for at least 2 years, and;
Work with a settlement service provider organization to help candidates get settlement services.
The pilot, extended for two years and expanded in scope in March last year, allows employers to hire through three programs.
The Atlantic High-Skilled Program, one under the AIP, is aimed at skilled workers with management, professional or technical/skilled job experience. Thecprogram requires job offers last at least one year.
The Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program is for employers looking for candidates with at least a high school education or job-specific training for permanent jobs.
Employers looking for candidates with more education, a degree, diploma or another credential from a publicly-funded institution in Atlantic Canada, and trying to fill a position for at least one year can apply under the Atlantic International Graduate Program.
All of these programs require employers to have a Settlement Plan to help new hires and their families settle into their communities.
March 26 - New Brunswick Implements Inter-Provincial Travel Restrictions Amid Covid-19
New Brunswick has implemented an inter-provincial travel restriction to help the prevent increase of Coronavirus cases in the province. The provincial ‘peace officers’ will turn away visitors who try to enter the province from Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. All unnecessary travel into New Brunswick is curtailed untile further notice.
February 15 - New Brunswick Cities See High Number of Permanent Resident moving to settle down in 2019
Stats released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showed 6,000 new permanent residents settled down in New Brunswick in 2019, which was a 30 percent increase from 4,610 in 2018.
Alex LeBlanc, executive director of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council, said “In 2017, fewer than 15 per cent of immigrants settled outside of Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John, and in 2019, almost 25 per cent, so this is a really positive trend for the small, medium-sized cities.
Moncton and Fredericton lead the province in total immigration numbers and received 1,915 and 1,570 permanent residents each. This represented a 33 percent increase from the previous year for Moncton and 6.8 percent for Fredericton.
Saint John came in third with 1,035 permanent residents, representing a 24 percent increase from 2018.
A major portion of the newcomers, i.e., 5,060, were economic immigrants through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP). AIPP saw an increase of 175 percent since 2018.
The rest were government assisted refugees (420), privately-sponsored refugees (70), and family members sponsored by immigrants who were already in Canada (425
February 10 - New Brunswick to accept 10,000 immigrants every year
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs’ aims kick start the province’s economy by inviting 10,000 new permanent residents per year by 2027. New Brunswick welcomed 5,660 newcomers in November 2019, which represents 1,000 more immigrants than 2018.
January 23 - New Brunswick Having a Job Fair on January 24
Located on Canada’s east coast along the Atlantic Ocean, New Brunswick offers a distinct way of life and exciting career opportunities.
The city of Moncton, which is the biggest city in New Brunswick is having a job fair on January 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Avenir Centre. A registration form is available on the city’s website. The aim of the job fair is to connect local employers and businesses with skilled workers.
New immigrants and international students are encouraged to explore job opportunities in various sectors – manufacturing, health, technology, hospitality, finance, insurance etc. There will be representatives from the province to provide information on the various immigration options available.
August 17 - New Brunswick Occupation List for Express Entry Expanded (Posted)
New Brunswick added 9 occupations to the New Brunswick Express Entry stream’s priority list (Labour Market Stream). This list now has 19 occupations. The applicants who apply and are selected in the Express Entry Stream are eligible to an additional 600 points, and makes them eligible to receive and invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence (PR).
NOC 9461 -Processing and packaging technician
NOC 7237 - Welders and related machine operators
NOC 9536 - Industrial painters
NOC 7231 - Machinist
NOC 7316- Machine fitters
NOC 9526 - Mechanical assemblers
NOC 6552 - Customer service representatives
NOC 6322 - Cooks
NOC 0631 - Restaurant and food service managers
NOC 6311 - Food service supervisors
New Brunswick’s Express Entry Labour Market Stream allows the New Brunswick (NBPNP) to use the federal Express Entry immigration selection system to nominate candidates who meet New Brunswick’s specific labour market needs.
The NBPNP only considers Expressions of Interest to this category from candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) and who have a score of 67 points out of 100 in the FSWC selection factors.
August 8, 2019: New Brunswick - 10-year strategy to fix nurse shortage in province
New Brunswick has a bold new vision to add 130 nurses a year over the next 10 years to resolve the nursing shortage currently facing the province.
The province has 8,000 nurses; however, the acute shortage has led to the closure of hospitals in Bathurst, Perth-Andover, Saint John and Dr. Georges L-Dumount University Hospital centre.
The main focus is to give better education incentives for students to make it affordable in the province and on attracting internationally trained nurses.
The province is looking into having a bridging program for students to enable licensed practical nurses to obtain a nursing degree and thus help them become a registered nursed in 2 years.
The province is also planning to identify countries which have similar nursing programs and grant them accreditation. The province is looking at all options to streamline the accreditation process.
Also, being considered is giving nurses bonuses to work in rural areas for areas for a few years.
May 25 - New Brunswick employers are hiring
There are two events scheduled. The first event is the Newcomers Canada job fair, Canada's Leading Career & Settlement Event for Newcomers on May 25.
The second event is an Interview Day with New Brunswick employer (by invitation only).
