New Brunswick Conducts Multiple Immigration Draws

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New Brunswick Conducts Multiple Immigration Draws and Issues 373 ITAs

New Brunswick continued its active immigration selection activity at the beginning of May 2026 by issuing hundreds of invitations to foreign workers and international talent through several provincial and regional immigration programs. Between April 30 and May 3, the province invited a total of 373 candidates through different pathways under the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

The latest rounds focused heavily on healthcare professionals, graduates, French-speaking workers, and candidates already employed in the province. The draws also arrived alongside major policy adjustments that will impact future invitations under certain pathways.

New Brunswick Expands Invitations Across Multiple Immigration Streams

The province selected candidates through four major immigration categories:

Among all categories, the Skilled Worker Stream recorded the highest number of invitations.

Skilled Worker Stream Dominates Latest Selection Rounds

Two separate invitation rounds were conducted under the Skilled Worker Stream during the latest intake period. Invitations were issued through both:

The province first targeted healthcare occupations before later expanding invitations to candidates from all industries.

Express Entry Stream: For Candidates with Provincial Work Experience

Alongside the Skilled Worker stream, a significant draw was conducted under the Employment in New Brunswick pathway of the Express Entry stream.

Draw Date	Pathway	ITAs Issued	Candidate Criteria
June 16	Employment in NB Pathway	297	1+ year of full-time work in New Brunswick

This stream focused on individuals who have been consistently employed in the province for at least 12 months. Though it welcomed applicants from various sectors, Chefs were excluded in this round.

Latest Skilled Worker Stream Draw Results

Draw Date	Pathways	Occupational Categories Selected	Invitations Issued
May 1, 2026	New Brunswick Experience; New Brunswick Graduates	Healthcare	87
May 3, 2026	New Brunswick Experience; New Brunswick Graduates	All sectors	113

Together, these two rounds resulted in 200 invitations, making the Skilled Worker Stream the largest contributor in the latest selection cycle.

Major Restriction Introduced for New Brunswick Experience Pathway

One of the most important developments from these draws is the province’s decision to narrow eligibility under the New Brunswick Experience pathway.

The May 3 draw became the final selection round, for the time being, where candidates from all occupational sectors were considered. Beginning May 4, 2026, the province officially limited invitations under this pathway to only three occupational sectors:

The restriction will remain in effect until further notice. Provincial authorities indicated that the change was introduced because of limited nomination allocations available for 2026. By narrowing eligible occupations, the province aims to prioritize sectors facing the most urgent labour shortages.

Who Can Apply Under the Skilled Worker Stream?

The New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream is intended for foreign nationals who already have strong labour market ties to the province. In most cases, applicants must:

This stream remains one of the province’s most important immigration pathways for retaining workers already contributing to the local economy.

Strategic Initiative Stream Issues 106 Invitations

The province also conducted invitation rounds under the Strategic Initiative Stream, selecting 106 candidates across all occupational sectors. Invitations were issued through the following pathways:

Although the province did not release a detailed distribution of invitations between the two pathways, the latest round reinforces New Brunswick’s ongoing focus on attracting French-speaking immigrants.

The Strategic Initiative Stream specifically targets Francophone foreign nationals who demonstrate a connection to the province and have the potential to contribute to the local workforce and communities.

Express Entry Stream Adds More Invitations

In addition to the above draws, New Brunswick invited 17 candidates through its Express Entry Stream.

This immigration pathway operates in alignment with the federal Express Entry system and allows the province to nominate skilled workers who meet provincial labour market needs.

Basic Eligibility for the Employment in New Brunswick Pathway

Candidates generally must:

A provincial nomination through this stream provides candidates with an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points.

This substantial CRS boost almost guarantees an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence in a future federal Express Entry draw.

Atlantic Immigration Program Invites Workers in Essential Sectors

On May 1, 2026, New Brunswick also held a separate selection round under the Atlantic Immigration Program and issued 50 invitations. The province focused on candidates employed in sectors facing continued labour shortages, including:

The Atlantic Immigration Program remains an employer-driven immigration pathway designed to help Atlantic Canadian employers recruit international talent.

The program is jointly operated by four Atlantic provinces:

Eligibility Requirements for the Atlantic Immigration Program

To qualify under the AIP, applicants typically must:

Unlike several other Canadian immigration pathways, the AIP also accepts eligible candidates who may not already possess Canadian work experience.

Processing Delays Continue Under the AIP

Despite continued invitations through the Atlantic Immigration Program, processing timelines remain lengthy. At present, federal processing times for permanent residence applications under the AIP are estimated at approximately 40 months.

However, many applicants may still qualify for a temporary two-year work permit, allowing them to begin working in Canada while their permanent residence application is under review.

Excluded Occupations:

In addition to the excluded occupations under the Express Entry stream, the following occupations are also not considered under the Skilled Worker stream in 2025:

Job Title	NOC Code
Shippers and receivers	14400
Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers	64100
Bartenders	64301
Hotel front desk clerks	64314
Other customer service representatives	64409
Food and beverage servers	65200
Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related occupations	65201
Fish and seafood plant workers	94142
Labourers in food and beverage processing	95106
Labourers in fish and seafood processing	95107

New Brunswick Continues to Prioritise Labour Market Needs

The latest immigration rounds demonstrate New Brunswick’s continued effort to address workforce shortages in essential industries while also managing limited provincial nomination allocations.

Healthcare workers, construction professionals, educators, French-speaking candidates, and experienced workers already living in the province are expected to remain priority groups in future selection rounds throughout 2026.

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