New Brunswick Holds Intensive June PNP Draws, Inviting Over 600 Candidates in Four Rounds Across Two Days
New Brunswick Accelerates Immigration Pace with a Surge in June Invitations
Canada's eastern maritime province of New Brunswick once again became a focal point in the Canadian immigration landscape this week. On June 16 and 17, the province's immigration authorities conducted four rounds of Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) draws with unprecedented intensity, demonstrating a strong commitment to attracting new immigrants to meet local labour market demands.
This back-to-back draw series issued a total of 608 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), the largest single series of draws in 2025. To date, New Brunswick has invited a cumulative total of 2,015 potential immigrants this year.
Below is a detailed analysis of the four recent draws:
1. Skilled Worker Stream: Three Pathways Activated with Clear Targets
The Skilled Worker Stream was prominent in this selection, inviting a total of 311 candidates through its three different pathways.
- New Brunswick Experience: In the June 16 draw, this pathway issued 25 invitations. The target group was highly specific, focusing on candidates in three key sectors: Healthcare, Education and Social & Community Services, and Construction Trades. A crucial selection criterion was that invitees must hold a work permit expiring in 2025 or in January/February of 2026. Notably, candidates in the occupation of Material Handlers (NOC 75101) were excluded from this draw.
- New Brunswick Graduates: Across draws on June 16 and 17, this pathway was the most active, inviting 274 recent graduates from all sectors. Similar to the Experience stream, candidates were required to have a work permit set to expire in 2025 or in January/February of 2026. However, the provincial government explicitly stated that candidates in the occupations of Chefs (NOC 62022) and Material Handlers (NOC 75101) were not included in this invitation round.
- New Brunswick Priority Occupations: On June 17, this pathway held a small-scale draw, issuing 12 invitations to candidates in the Healthcare sector. The province did not publish specific selection criteria for this draw. It is critical for applicants to be aware that New Brunswick is currently not accepting new Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for this pathway and is only processing previously submitted profiles.
2. Express Entry Stream: Focus on Local Work Experience
In parallel with the Skilled Worker draws, the province’s Express Entry Stream also conducted a large-scale draw.
- Employment in New Brunswick: In the June 16 draw, this pathway issued 297 invitations to candidates across all sectors. The core requirement for this round was that candidates must have been working full-time in New Brunswick for at least one year, a policy that heavily favors candidates already integrated into the local labour market. As with the graduates' pathway, the occupation of Chef was also excluded from this draw.
Important Notes and Analysis for Future Applicants
This series of draws highlights several key features of New Brunswick's current immigration policy:
- Prioritizing Local Ties: Whether by requiring local work experience or targeting local graduates, the NBPNP draws show a clear preference for candidates who already have a strong connection to the province.
- Targeting Labour Shortages: The repeated emphasis on healthcare, education, and construction indicates that these are the areas where New Brunswick most urgently needs to fill talent gaps.
- Exclusion of Certain Occupations: Specific occupations like Chefs and Material Handlers were explicitly excluded from multiple draws. Furthermore, the province has noted that Expressions of Interest (EOIs) with a job or job offer under select NOC codes are not currently being considered in either the Skilled Worker or Express Entry streams. Prospective applicants should closely monitor the official government website for the specific list of excluded occupations.
- Changes to Stream Status: The suspension of new applications for the "Priority Occupations" pathway is a critical piece of information for anyone planning their immigration journey through that route.
All Expressions of Interest (EOIs) submitted to the NBPNP pool remain valid for 365 days. Given the dynamic nature of these policies, prospective applicants are advised to stay informed of official announcements and develop an immigration strategy based on their personal qualifications and the latest invitation trends.
Canada Express Entry Latest Draw: 345 Invitations Issued to Provincial Nominee Program Candidates
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 345 invitations to apply to Provincial Nominee Program candidates through the Express Entry system on October 14, 2025. This draw required candidates to have a minimum CRS score of 778 points and to have created their Express Entry profile before July 17, 2025. This marks the 19th Provincial Nominee draw conducted by IRCC this year and the third draw in October.
10/15/2025
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Issues 862 Invitations, Focusing on Healthcare and Caregiving Sectors
On October 9, 2025, Manitoba issued invitations to apply for provincial nomination to 862 candidates through the Skilled Worker stream of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). This draw was conducted through two main pathways: the occupation-specific Skilled Worker in Manitoba pathway and the employer-driven Skilled Worker Overseas selection. Notably, this draw continued to prioritize candidates under the Temporary Public Policy (TPP), with 203 candidates also holding valid federal Express Entry profiles.
10/14/2025
Alberta Conducts Three Provincial Nominee Draws in One Week, Issuing 1,324 Invitations
Between October 1 and October 7, 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) held three separate provincial nomination draws, issuing a total of 1,324 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Among them, the Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) accounted for the majority, with 1,003 invitations, maintaining its lead as the province’s largest channel of nominations. The Accelerated Tech Pathway and Priority Sectors (Construction) streams, both aligned with the federal Express Entry system, targeted applicants in high-demand occupations. In addition, the Government of Alberta received an increase of 1,528 nomination spots in September, raising its total 2025 allocation to 6,403. As of October 10, the province had issued 4,228 nominations, leaving 2,175 available for the remainder of the year.
10/13/2025
Manitoba Successfully Secures Immigration Allocation Increase, Adding Nearly 1,500 Nomination Spots
Manitoba has successfully secured an increase in its 2025 immigration nomination allocation from the federal government, gaining an additional 1,489 nomination spots, bringing the province's total allocation for this year to 6,239. This adjustment will enable Manitoba to nominate more candidates to obtain permanent residence and settle in the province before the end of 2025. This allocation increase represents a partial recovery following the significant reduction in provincial nominee program allocations nationwide at the beginning of 2025.
10/11/2025
British Columbia Receives Additional 1,254 Provincial Nominee Allocations, Will Process Backlogged International Post-Graduate Applications
The Government of British Columbia announced on October 2, 2025, that the province's Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has received an additional 1,254 nomination allocations from the federal government. This brings British Columbia's total allocation for 2025 from 4,000 to 5,254. The provincial government stated that it will prioritize using these additional allocations to process backlogged International Post-Graduate (IPG) stream applications from 2024, while continuing to focus on attracting healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and high economic impact candidates.
10/10/2025
IRCC Announces 2025 Permanent Residence Application Processing Plan
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently disclosed its 2025 permanent residence (PR) application processing plan in its latest Minister Transition Binder. According to the document, the immigration department will not clear all categories of application backlogs this year, but will instead adopt a categorized processing strategy. Express Entry-related programs, community pilot programs, and Quebec's skilled worker pathways will process all pending applications, while other economic immigration programs will only process a portion of their backlogs, with processing ratios ranging from 2% to 35%.
10/09/2025
Newfoundland and Labrador Issues 217 Provincial Nominee and Atlantic Immigration Invitations
On September 26, 2025, the Newfoundland and Labrador Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism issued a total of 217 immigration application invitations through the Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). This marks the first time since the province implemented an Expression of Interest system for both immigration programs in February of this year that the number of Atlantic Immigration Program invitations exceeded those for the Provincial Nominee Program. To date, the province has issued a cumulative total of 2,821 provincial immigration invitations in 2025.
10/08/2025
IRCC Issues Over 4,000 Invitations, Benefiting French-Language Category Applicants
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system on October 6, 2025, specifically targeting candidates with French-language proficiency. This marks the second draw in October and one of the largest French-language category draws this year. To date, the Express Entry system has issued over 70,000 invitations in 2025, with French-language category candidates receiving the highest number of invitations.
10/07/2025
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Issues 485 Invitations to Skilled Workers and Entrepreneurs
On October 2, 2025, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted another round of draws for the year, issuing a total of 485 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination to candidates across two major immigration categories. The Skills Immigration category issued 474 invitations, marking the first reopening of this category since May 8, 2025. The Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream issued 11 invitations, continuing the province's policy direction of attracting entrepreneurial talent.
10/06/2025
Canada Targets U.S. H-1B Visa Applicants, Plans New Immigration Pathway
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently confirmed that the federal government is studying targeted measures to attract technical professionals affected by the new U.S. H-1B visa policy. This move comes in response to President Trump's sudden announcement of a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas. Canada previously launched a work permit program specifically for H-1B holders in July 2023, with 10,000 spots filling up in less than 48 hours, demonstrating strong market demand. Immigration experts and business groups are urging Canada to seize this opportunity, while also noting the need to streamline permanent residence application processes to truly retain talent.
10/04/2025
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