February 6, 2025
New Brunswick Immigration Streams Reopen: Key Updates for 2025
New Brunswick has officially announced the reopening of its immigration streams after adjustments due to the federal government’s decision to limit the province’s nominee allocations to 2,750 for 2025. This reduction has forced New Brunswick to prioritize key sectors such as healthcare, education, and construction while restricting participation from other industries.
New Brunswick Immigration Programs and Allocations
The 2,750 immigration spaces for 2025 have been distributed as follows:
- New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) – 1,500 spots
- Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) – 1,250 spots
According to Jean-Claude D’Amours, acting Minister of Post-Secondary Education, the decreased nomination allocations will impact economic growth and businesses in the province. Despite these challenges, New Brunswick has outlined clear guidelines for its immigration pathways.
Updates on New Brunswick Immigration Streams
The following table provides a summary of the latest updates for New Brunswick’s immigration programs:
| Stream | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick Express Entry | Will begin accepting new EOIs soon | Accepting NOIs under: Employment in New Brunswick Pathway & New Brunswick Interests Pathway |
| New Brunswick Strategic Initiative | Not accepting new EOIs | Reached sufficient inventory levels; may reopen later in 2025 |
| Private Career College Graduate Program | Accepting EOIs | Program will close in autumn 2025 |
| New Brunswick Skilled Worker | Starting to accept EOIs | Now divided into three distinct pathways |
| New Brunswick Business Immigration | Accepting EOIs | Open to applicants with businesses operating for six months or more |
| New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot | Accepting applications | No major changes announced |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | Accepting applications | No major changes announced |
Changes to New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
The New Brunswick Express Entry Stream will reopen in the coming weeks under two pathways:
- Employment in New Brunswick Pathway
- New Brunswick Interests Pathway
However, candidates in the following occupations will not be considered:
- Accounting Technicians & Bookkeepers (NOC 12200)
- Administrative Assistants (NOC 13110)
- Restaurant and Food Service Managers (NOC 60030)
- Food Service Supervisors (NOC 62020)
- Cooks (NOC 63200)
- Bakers (NOC 63202)
Additionally, the New Brunswick Student Connection under Express Entry will not return in 2025.
Changes to the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream
The New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream has been restructured into three pathways:
- New Brunswick Work Experience Pathway
- Requires six months of full-time, non-seasonal work experience with an eligible employer in New Brunswick
- Must have lived in the province for six months
- New Brunswick Graduates Pathway
- Must have completed a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)-eligible program at a New Brunswick Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
- Must have a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an eligible employer
- New Brunswick Priority Occupations Pathway
- Requires a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a New Brunswick employer secured through a government-led recruitment mission
- Must have at least one year of experience in the specified NOC codes for priority occupations
Candidates in the following occupations will not be considered for the Skilled Worker Stream:
- Accounting Technicians & Bookkeepers (NOC 12200)
- Administrative Assistants (NOC 13110)
- Restaurant and Food Service Managers (NOC 60030)
- Food Service Supervisors (NOC 62020)
- Cooks (NOC 63200)
- Bakers (NOC 63202)
- Bartenders (NOC 64301)
- Customer Representatives (NOC 64409)
- Food & Beverage Servers (NOC 65200)
- Kitchen Helpers & Food Counter Attendants (NOC 65201)
- Process Control and Machine Operators – Food & Beverage Processing (NOC 94140)
- Fish & Seafood Plant Workers (NOC 94142)
- Laborers in Food & Beverage Processing (NOC 95106)
- Laborers in Fish & Seafood (NOC 95107)
Will New Brunswick’s Immigration Allocations Increase?
While New Brunswick is currently facing a reduced allocation for 2025, discussions with the federal government are ongoing. A recent deal between Newfoundland and Labrador and the federal government allowed Newfoundland to recover most of its lost allocations by agreeing to accept 290 humanitarian immigrants over the next three years.
If New Brunswick follows a similar approach, it may be able to restore some of its lost Provincial Nomination spots by negotiating an agreement regarding humanitarian immigration intake.
Conclusion
Despite the cutbacks, New Brunswick’s immigration programs remain open and continue to provide pathways for skilled workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs. By focusing on in-demand sectors and adjusting program structures, the province is adapting to the new federal immigration quotas while working towards potential changes in the future.
