New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program lets the province nominate skilled workers and entrepreneurs to immigrate to New Brunswick, and an enhanced nomination adds 600 CRS points to an Express Entry profile. In 2026, New Brunswick selects through expression-of-interest streams aimed at its priority sectors. Its latest rounds, in September 2026, invited 550 candidates across 3 streams.
Latest NB PNP draw: New Brunswick invitation rounds
The latest NB PNP draws, in September 2026, invited 550 candidates across 3 streams, and New Brunswick publishes no points score for any round because it selects by sector, labour-market need and available allocation (gnb.ca, checked 13 October 2026).
| Program | Date of draw | Invitations | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Immigration ProgramSeparate federal program, not an NBPNP stream | September 25 and October 2, 2026 | 63applications selected | Not published |
| New Brunswick Skilled Worker streamNew Brunswick Graduates; New Brunswick Experience | September 15 to 18, 2026 | 197 | Not published |
| New Brunswick Express Entry streamEmployment in New Brunswick | September 17, 2026 | 102 | Not published |
| Strategic InitiativeFrancophone Workers in New Brunswick; New Brunswick Francophone Priorities | September 11, 2026 | 251 | Not published |
Checked 13 October 2026 on gnb.ca, Invitation and selection rounds. New Brunswick publishes no points score for these rounds; its "cut-off" is the date by which a profile had to be submitted. It selects by labour market need, sector and available allocation.
Key takeaways
The New Brunswick PNP (Provincial Nominee Program, or NBPNP) is the province's economic immigration program. It nominates skilled workers and entrepreneurs whose skills and experience meet New Brunswick's labour-market needs. The program runs both enhanced and base streams, several of which are employer-driven or require a New Brunswick job offer, and applications go through the INB Portal. A nomination is a provincial recommendation toward permanent residence, not PR itself: an enhanced, Express Entry-aligned nomination adds 600 CRS points, while a base nomination means a separate application to IRCC.
- The NBPNP nominates skilled workers and entrepreneurs for permanent residence in New Brunswick.
- Selection runs through the INB Portal on an expression-of-interest basis, by sector and labour need, not a published numeric score.
- An enhanced nomination (NB Express Entry) adds 600 CRS points; base streams route through a separate IRCC application.
- Since May 4, 2026, new invitations under the Skilled Worker stream's New Brunswick Experience pathway are limited to health care, education and construction.
- The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a separate employer-driven route New Brunswick also runs; it is not part of the NBPNP.
What is the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)?
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) is the province's economic immigration route, and one of the most direct ways to immigrate to New Brunswick. It lets New Brunswick nominate people whose skills, experience or business plans meet its labour-market needs; a provincial nomination is then your stepping stone to applying to IRCC for permanent residence. The program is administered through the province's INB Portal, where most candidates submit an expression of interest and wait to see whether New Brunswick issues an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
New Brunswick's nomination space is limited: in May 2026 the province narrowed one Skilled Worker pathway because of the limited remaining allocation under that stream (gnb.ca). Because supply is constrained, New Brunswick directs invitations toward its highest-priority sectors, so meeting the minimum eligibility is not the same as receiving an invitation. Allocations and sector priorities change through the year, and the province publishes the current position on gnb.ca.
Enhanced vs base nomination in the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
An enhanced New Brunswick nomination is aligned with federal Express Entry and adds 600 CRS points to a valid profile, while a base nomination is not connected to Express Entry and leads to a separate online application to IRCC. The enhanced stream is NB Express Entry, and the 600 points put most candidates well above the typical federal draw cut-off, which makes it the quicker of the two routes to permanent residence.
| Factor | Enhanced nomination | Base nomination |
|---|---|---|
| Example NBPNP streams | NB Express Entry | Skilled Worker, Strategic Initiative, Business Immigration |
| Express Entry link | Aligned with federal Express Entry | Not connected to Express Entry |
| CRS impact | Adds 600 CRS points to your profile | No CRS points added |
| IRCC application | Through Express Entry (electronic) | Separate online application through IRCC's PR Portal |
| IRCC PR processing | About 7 months | About 13 months |
A base nomination, such as the Skilled Worker or Business Immigration stream, is not connected to Express Entry. Once nominated, you submit a separate, online permanent-residence application to IRCC, which IRCC currently publishes at about 13 months. Confirming whether a stream is enhanced or base is one of the first things we check, because it changes your whole timeline. Not sure where your federal score stands? Try our free CRS calculator first.
To use an enhanced New Brunswick stream you must already hold a valid Express Entry profile. New Brunswick can also send a letter of interest to candidates in the federal pool (the New Brunswick Interest pathway), and a nomination through either NB Express Entry pathway adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System score. Skilled Canadian work experience, including a New Brunswick job, can also support a federal Canadian Experience Class profile, which is one reason we look at your federal options and your provincial options together rather than in isolation.
NBPNP streams in 2026
The New Brunswick PNP runs four streams in 2026 (NB Express Entry, Skilled Worker, Strategic Initiative and Business Immigration), plus the Critical Worker Pilot and a Private Career College Graduate Pilot that runs in a limited capacity to the end of 2027. Only NB Express Entry is an enhanced, Express Entry-aligned route that adds 600 CRS points; the others are base routes. The province runs a controlled, sector-focused intake, so several streams accept candidates only in specific occupations or through designated employers, and the table below links to a detailed guide for each.
| Stream | Who it's for | Type |
|---|---|---|
| NB Express Entry | Express Entry candidates with NB employment or provincial interest | Enhanced (+600 CRS) |
| Skilled Worker | Workers with NB employment or a job offer; New Brunswick Experience ITAs limited to health care, education, construction | Base |
| Strategic Initiative | French-speaking candidates supporting NB's Francophone immigration goals | Base |
| Business Immigration | Entrepreneurs establishing or buying a business in New Brunswick | Base |
| Critical Worker Pilot | Candidates hired by one of six participating NB employers | Base (pilot) |
NB Express Entry, Skilled Worker and Strategic Initiative: how they fit together
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program eligibility
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program eligibility differs by stream, but most NBPNP routes share the same foundations for immigration to NB: qualifying work experience, language results appropriate to your occupation, education and a genuine intention to settle in New Brunswick. Employer-driven streams generally require a full-time job offer from an eligible New Brunswick employer.
This group covers the Skilled Worker stream, the Employment-in-NB pathway of NB Express Entry and the Critical Worker Pilot. The Strategic Initiative stream targets French-speaking candidates, and Business Immigration tests net worth, investment and a viable business plan instead of a job offer.
New Brunswick also publishes a list of excluded occupations, including jobs in the accommodation and food services sector, retail, shipping and receiving, customer service and food-processing positions, that are not eligible for the Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams. Because the eligible and excluded occupation lists are detailed and updated regularly, the safest step is a profile review against the current gnb.ca notices.
2026 sector limits and the limited allocation
Since May 4, 2026, New Brunswick has restricted new Invitations to Apply under the New Brunswick Experience pathway of the Skilled Worker stream to health care, education and construction occupations, and it runs a controlled, invitation-driven intake rather than a first-come, first-served one. The province says it took that step because of limited remaining allocation under the stream, so it now directs the invitations it can issue to its highest-priority sectors.
Eligibility is not the same as an invitation
How to apply for the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
How to apply for the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program follows a clear sequence for most streams. First, confirm you meet a stream's requirements and that your occupation is currently eligible; our free eligibility check is a quick starting point. Next, submit an expression of interest through the INB Portal, which stays valid for 365 days. New Brunswick then runs periodic rounds of invitation: each NB PNP draw (or NB EOI draw) selects profiles by sector and labour-market priority rather than a published score.
If one of these rounds of invitation issues you an Invitation to Apply, you submit a full nomination application with supporting documents within the window you are given. Once nominated, you apply to IRCC for permanent residence, through Express Entry if your nomination is enhanced, or online through IRCC's PR Portal if it is a base nomination.
- 01
Confirm an eligible stream
We check that your occupation is currently invited, then match you to the right route: the enhanced NB Express Entry stream, the Skilled Worker stream, Strategic Initiative, Business Immigration or the Critical Worker Pilot.
- 02
Submit the INB Portal EOI
For enhanced routes we prepare your Express Entry profile, then submit and optimise your INB Portal expression of interest, valid for 365 days.
- 03
Nomination application
If New Brunswick issues an Invitation to Apply, we assemble a complete nomination application with documents that withstand scrutiny, inside the window you are given.
- 04
Permanent residence with IRCC
Once nominated, we manage your permanent-residence application with IRCC, through Express Entry for an enhanced nomination or through the PR Portal for a base one, through to landing.
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program costs and timelines
Submitting an expression of interest to the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program is free, and a provincial application fee falls due only when an invited candidate files a full nomination application. The fee is $250 for the Skilled Worker, Express Entry and Strategic Initiative streams and $2,000 for Business Immigration (gnb.ca, checked 12 October 2026). That provincial fee is separate from the IRCC permanent-residence fees you pay at the federal stage, and from our own professional fee, which we set out plainly on our fees page.
On timing, Immigration New Brunswick says it cannot provide processing times for individual applications. At the federal stage, IRCC currently publishes about 7 months for an enhanced Express Entry application and about 13 months for a base application (last updated 9 October 2026). You can compare current federal targets with our processing times tool. Fees and processing times change, and the current figures are published on gnb.ca and canada.ca.
The Atlantic Immigration Program is separate
One important boundary: alongside the NBPNP, New Brunswick also takes part in the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), but the two are not the same thing. The AIP is a separate, employer-driven federal pathway shared with Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
It requires a job offer from a designated Atlantic employer and a settlement plan, and it has its own candidate pool and allocation. If you have an offer from a designated employer, the AIP is worth comparing with the NBPNP, although IRCC currently publishes about 26 months for AIP permanent-residence applications (IRCC, 9 October 2026); if not, a provincial stream may suit you better. We assess both before recommending a path.
How Wild Mountain Immigration helps with the NBPNP
Wild Mountain Immigration assesses your profile against New Brunswick's current sector priorities, confirms whether your occupation is eligible, and steers you toward the stream with the strongest realistic chance: NB Express Entry, Skilled Worker, Strategic Initiative, Business Immigration or the Critical Worker Pilot. Our team is led by a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497), and we prepare an INB Portal profile and nomination application that stands up to scrutiny, then represent you with the province and with IRCC.
We work entirely online. With New Brunswick's allocation tight and its sector limits in force, that positioning is where good advice earns its keep. If your plans range wider than New Brunswick, we also advise on the Atlantic Immigration Program, other Provincial Nominee Programs and federal Express Entry.
Prefer to handle the legwork yourself? Our lower-cost File Review gives your own application an expert check before you submit. Whether the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program is the right fit or another NB immigration route serves you better, when you are ready, get in touch for an honest read on your New Brunswick PNP options.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program?
Most New Brunswick PNP streams use a two-step, expression-of-interest model through the INB Portal. You submit a profile, and New Brunswick may issue an Invitation to Apply (ITA) based on its labour-market and sector priorities rather than a published numeric cut-off. If invited, you submit a full nomination application with supporting documents. An ITA is not guaranteed simply by being eligible. Selection follows provincial needs and the available allocation.
What is the difference between enhanced and base nomination in New Brunswick?
An enhanced nomination is aligned with federal Express Entry: the NB Express Entry stream adds 600 CRS points to a valid Express Entry profile, lifting most candidates well above recent draw cut-offs, though IRCC issues any Invitation to Apply in a later federal round. A base nomination, such as the Skilled Worker, Strategic Initiative or Business Immigration stream, is not connected to Express Entry; once nominated, you submit a separate online permanent-residence application to IRCC through its PR Portal. IRCC currently publishes about 13 months for base provincial nominee applications against about 7 months through Express Entry (last updated 9 October 2026).
Do I need a job offer to immigrate to New Brunswick through the NBPNP?
It depends on the stream. The Skilled Worker, Critical Worker Pilot and the Employment-in-NB pathway of NB Express Entry are employer-driven and generally require a genuine, full-time job offer from a New Brunswick employer. The New Brunswick Interest pathway of NB Express Entry needs no job offer, but only candidates who receive a letter of interest from Immigration New Brunswick can use it. Business Immigration tests net worth, investment and a business plan instead of a job offer. We can review your profile and tell you honestly which route, if any, fits.
Which occupations does the New Brunswick PNP accept in 2026?
New Brunswick's priorities shift with its labour-market needs. Since May 4, 2026, new Invitations to Apply under the New Brunswick Experience pathway of the Skilled Worker stream have been limited to health care, education and construction occupations. Since February 3, 2026, the Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams have also excluded candidates working in the accommodation and food services sector and in a list of specific occupations, including retail sales, cashier, shipping and receiving, customer service and food and fish processing roles. Because these lists change, always confirm current eligible and excluded occupations on gnb.ca before applying.
How long does NB EOI eligibility last?
An expression of interest in the INB Portal is generally valid for 365 days from submission. During that window New Brunswick may invite you if your profile matches its sector and labour-market priorities. If you are not invited before your profile expires, you can submit a new one. Because invitations follow provincial need rather than a fixed score, there is no guaranteed waiting time. Keeping your profile and documents current improves your standing.
Is the New Brunswick PNP the same as the Atlantic Immigration Program?
No. The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a separate, employer-driven federal pathway that New Brunswick participates in alongside Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. It requires a job offer from a designated Atlantic employer and a settlement plan, and New Brunswick manages it as a separate candidate pool from the NBPNP. New Brunswick administers both programs, but they have different eligibility rules, intake processes and allocations.
How much does a New Brunswick nomination cost?
Submitting an expression of interest to the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program is free. A provincial application fee falls due only when an invited candidate files a full nomination application, and the amount differs by stream. That provincial fee is separate from the IRCC permanent-residence fees you pay at the federal stage. The fee is $250 for the Skilled Worker, Express Entry and Strategic Initiative streams and $2,000 for Business Immigration (gnb.ca, checked 12 October 2026).
What is the Critical Worker Pilot?
The NB Critical Worker Pilot is an employer-driven stream open only through six participating New Brunswick employers. It sets a minimum of CLB 4 in all four abilities, and if you do not yet have valid test results your employer must provide a signed attestation letter instead. Because participation is restricted to the designated employers, you generally cannot apply unless one of them has hired you. We can confirm whether your employer takes part.
How many spaces does the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program have in 2026?
New Brunswick does not publish a space count on its program pages, but it says its allocation is limited: on May 4, 2026 it narrowed New Brunswick Experience invitations to health care, education and construction because of limited remaining allocation under the Skilled Worker stream. Because the allocation is limited, New Brunswick runs a controlled, invitation-driven intake and directs invitations toward its highest-priority sectors rather than first-come, first-served.
Does the New Brunswick PNP have a French-speaking stream?
Yes. The Strategic Initiative is for French-speaking candidates and needs at least NCLC 5 in all four French abilities. It is a base stream with no Express Entry profile requirement, so a nomination does not add CRS points; you apply to IRCC through the non-Express Entry process. If French is one of your strengths, we can confirm whether your profile fits.
Explore the NBPNP streams
Each New Brunswick pathway in detail, plus the wider routes they connect to.
NB Express Entry
The enhanced stream for Express Entry candidates with NB employment or provincial interest, adding 600 CRS points.
Learn moreSkilled Worker
The employer-driven base stream, with New Brunswick Experience invitations limited to health care, education and construction.
Learn moreStrategic Initiative
The base stream for French-speaking candidates supporting New Brunswick's Francophone goals.
Learn moreBusiness Immigration
For entrepreneurs establishing or buying and managing a business in New Brunswick.
Learn moreCritical Worker Pilot
A base pilot for candidates hired by one of six participating NB employers.
Learn moreAtlantic Immigration Program
The separate employer-driven Atlantic route, with a designated employer and settlement plan.
Learn moreFind out if the NBPNP fits your profile
Get started with a licensed RCIC for an honest read on your strongest route to permanent residence in New Brunswick.
A licensed RCIC replies by email, usually within two business days.
Licensed RCIC Nicola Wightman, CICC licence R706497.Verify on the CICC public register (opens in a new tab)