NB PNP - (Worker) New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream

(Updated December 27, 2026)

Announcement from the province

Due to the high volume of applications submitted in the early months of the year, processing times in 2025 will be longer than usual. Immigration New Brunswick cannot provide processing times for individual applications and cannot guarantee that applications will be assessed or approved before their work permit expires.

You are responsible for maintaining your legal right to work throughout the immigration process.

Overview

The New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream provides a pathway to permanent residency for foreign nationals intending to settle in the province. The program is for individuals who are employed or have a job offer for a full-time, non-seasonal position from a qualifying New Brunswick employer. The skills and training of these applicants are needed to address labor shortages in positions where employers are unable to recruit enough permanent residents or Canadian citizens residing in the province.

Changes in 2025

The New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream for 2025 has changed from previous years and now comprises three separate pathways:

• New Brunswick Experience
• New Brunswick Graduates
• New Brunswick Priority Occupations

Currently, Immigration New Brunswick does not consider Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under the New Brunswick Priority Occupations pathway. Additionally, EOIs with jobs or job offers listed under the following NOC codes will not be considered:

• Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 12200)
• Administrative assistants (NOC 13110)
• Shippers and receivers (NOC 14400)
• Retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 60020)
• Restaurant and food service managers (NOC 60030)
• Retail sales supervisors and visual merchandisers (NOC 62010)
• Food service supervisors (NOC 62020)
• Cooks (NOC 63200)
• Bakers (NOC 63202)
• Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers (NOC 64100)
• Bartenders (NOC 64301)
• Hotel front desk clerks (NOC 64314)
• Other customer representatives (NOC 64409)
• Food and beverage servers (NOC 65200)
• Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related occupations (NOC 65201)
• Fish and seafood plant workers (NOC 94142)
• Workers in food and beverage processing (NOC 95106)
• Laborers in fish and seafood (NOC 95107)
• Note: Expressions of Interest (EOIs) submitted to the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream will be added to the pool and will be valid for 365 days. EOIs will not be processed in the order they were submitted.

Immigration New Brunswick will review Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs) only to a select number of individuals through scheduled draws.

Before submitting your EOI, carefully review the updated eligibility requirements and NOC restrictions of your chosen pathway.

Only submit an EOI if you meet all the requirements of your chosen pathway.

Criteria for being invited to submit applications

You may receive an invitation to apply if you meet the criteria for one of the following pathways:

1) New Brunswick Experience

• You are working full-time in a non-seasonal position for a qualifying New Brunswick employer, and that employer is willing to support your application.
• You must have at least 6 months of full-time work experience with a supporting employer.
• You have lived in New Brunswick for the past 6 months, prior to submitting your EOI.

2) New Brunswick Graduates

• You have successfully completed a program of study that qualifies you for a PGWP at a DLI located in New Brunswick.
• You are currently working full-time in a non-seasonal position for a qualified New Brunswick employer willing to assist with your application, or you have accepted a job offer for such a position.

3) New Brunswick Priority Occupations

• You have accepted a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a qualified New Brunswick employer who is willing to assist with your application.
• This job offer is a direct result of a recruitment mission led by the Government of New Brunswick.
• The location's NOC must fall under one of the preferred NOC codes outlined in the corresponding guidance.
• You have at least one year of paid work experience related to this position.

Meeting the invitation criteria does not guarantee you will receive an ITA or be nominated. Other conditions may apply. Please carefully read the application guidelines applicable to your specific case.

After being nominated

If you have received a nomination certificate from the Province of New Brunswick, you are not permitted to withdraw that certificate to reapply under a different program or stream administered by Immigration New Brunswick.

Nominees under the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) are expected to submit their permanent residency application to IRCC before their nomination certificate expires.

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