New Brunswick PNP Now Open for 2025 | Canada Immigration

New Brunswick’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) has opened its immigration streams after a lengthy delay. However, the province will cut permanent resident nominations by 50% this year. New Brunswick has received only 2,750 spots for 2025, requiring a focus on specific sectors while imposing restrictions on others.

Allocation Breakdown

The available 2,750 nominations will be divided as follows:

• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP): 1,500 spaces
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): 1,250 spaces

Jean-Claude D’Amours, the acting Minister of Post-Secondary Education, expressed concern over the reduction. He believes it will limit economic growth and negatively impact businesses in the province.

Streams of New Brunswick and Current Status

Here’s the current status of each stream:

Will New Brunswick’s Immigration Allocations Increase?

It remains uncertain whether New Brunswick can secure additional nominations. The provincial government has raised concerns with federal authorities, and discussions are ongoing. The government is keen to focus on sectors such as healthcare, technology, and education.

Newfoundland and Labrador recently reversed a 50% cut in its immigration spaces by agreeing to welcome 290 humanitarian immigrants over the next three years. This model suggests that New Brunswick may need to negotiate a similar agreement to recover lost nominations.

New Brunswick Express Entry

The Express Entry stream will soon reopen under two pathways:

1. Employment in New Brunswick
2. New Brunswick Interests

However, certain occupations will remain ineligible, including:

• Accounting Technicians and Bookkeepers (NOC 12200)
• Administrative Assistants (NOC 13110)
• Restaurant and Food Service Managers (NOC 60030)
• Cooks (NOC 63200)
• Bakers (NOC 63202)

New Brunswick Skilled Worker

The Skilled Worker Program now offers three pathways, each with specific eligibility criteria:

• New Brunswick Work Experience Pathway: Requires six months of full-time employment in New Brunswick and at least six months of residence.
• New Brunswick Graduates Pathway: Applicants must have completed a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and possess a full-time job offer from an eligible employer.
• New Brunswick Priority Occupations Pathway: Requires a job offer in a priority occupation from a government-led recruitment mission. Candidates must have at least one year of relevant experience.

Certain occupations, including shippers, bartenders, food service workers, and laborers, are not eligible under this program.

Conclusion

New Brunswick’s immigration landscape is evolving with stricter prioritization of sectors and modifications to existing streams. Prospective immigrants should stay informed about changing policies from the provincial government, as further updates may be announced soon.