New Brunswick Reopens Some Immigration Streams, Prioritizing Specific Sectors Under Significant Quota Reduction
Faced with the challenge of the federal government's significant reduction in immigration quotas for 2025, the New Brunswick (New Brunswick) government announced that it will selectively reopen some Provincial Nominee Programs (NBPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). According to a press release issued on February 5, New Brunswick's Acting Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Jean-Claude D’Amours, said that due to the federal government's drastic quota reduction, the province has had to make "difficult decisions," which are expected to limit the province and its businesses' ability to manage economic growth.
It is reported that New Brunswick will receive 2,750 provincial nomination spaces in 2025, of which 1,500 will be allocated to the Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and 1,250 to the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Under such circumstances, the province will prioritize key sectors such as healthcare, education, and construction, and implement "restricted participation" for workers in some economic sectors.
Immigration Program Update Details
The following table summarizes the latest developments in New Brunswick's various immigration programs:
| Program Category | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick Express Entry | Accepting Applications Soon | In the coming weeks, new Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will be accepted through two pathways: 1. New Brunswick Employment Pathway; 2. New Brunswick Interests Pathway. |
| New Brunswick Strategic Initiative | Accepting Applications Suspended | The program has received enough Expressions of Interest and is not currently seeking new applications. |
| Private Career College Graduate Program | Accepting Applications | Expected to end in the fall of 2025. |
| New Brunswick Skilled Worker | Accepting Applications Starting | Has been divided into three pathways. |
| New Brunswick Business Immigration | Accepting Applications | Applicants can apply for nomination if their business has been operating for six months or longer. |
| New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Program | Accepting Applications | No additional explanation required. |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | Accepting Applications | No additional explanation required. |
New Brunswick Express Entry
In the coming weeks, the New Brunswick Express Entry program will begin accepting new Expressions of Interest (EOIs) through the following two pathways:
- New Brunswick Employment Pathway
- New Brunswick Interests Pathway
It should be noted that candidates in the following occupations will not be considered at this time:
- Accounting technicians and 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)
In addition, the "New Brunswick Student Connection" under this program will no longer be open in 2025.
New Brunswick Strategic Initiative
The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative program has received enough Expressions of Interest and will therefore suspend accepting new Expressions of Interest for the time being. The Provincial Nominee Program encourages interested applicants to check the program's page later for more information and updates.
The "New Brunswick In-Person Exploratory Visit" channel under this program was suspended in November 2024 and will no longer be open in 2025.
New Brunswick Skilled Worker
The New Brunswick Skilled Worker program will begin accepting new applications in the coming weeks and has been divided into three smaller pathways, which will be managed under the Skilled Worker program:
- New Brunswick Work Experience Pathway
- New Brunswick Graduates Pathway
- New Brunswick Priority Occupations Pathway
In addition to the basic qualifications for the Skilled Worker program, each pathway has different eligibility criteria:
| Pathway | Eligibility Requirements |
|---|---|
| New Brunswick Work Experience Pathway | 1. Must have worked in a full-time, non-seasonal position for a qualified New Brunswick employer for the past 6 months; 2. Must have resided in the province for the past 6 months. |
| New Brunswick Graduates Pathway | 1. Must have completed a program of study at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in New Brunswick that is eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP); 2. Must have a full-time, non-seasonal job or job offer from a qualified New Brunswick employer. |
| New Brunswick Priority Occupations Pathway | 1. Must hold a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a qualified New Brunswick employer obtained through a recruitment event led by the Government of New Brunswick; 2. Must hold a position listed in the specified priority National Occupational Classification (NOC) code list; 3. Must have at least one year of experience related to the position. |
Currently, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program will not consider applicants for the Skilled Worker program in the following occupations:
- Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 12200)
- Administrative assistants (NOC 13110)
- Shippers and receivers (NOC 14400)
- Restaurant and food service managers (NOC 60030)
- Food service supervisors (NOC 62020)
- Cooks (NOC 63200)
- Bakers (NOC 63202)
- Bartenders (NOC 64301)
- Other customer representatives (NOC 64409)
- Food and beverage servers (NOC 65200)
- Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related occupations (NOC 65201)
- Process control and machine operators - food and beverage processing (NOC 94140)
- Fish and seafood plant workers (NOC 94142)
- Laborers in food and beverage processing (NOC 95106)
- Laborers in fish and seafood (NOC 95107)
Will New Brunswick's Quota Change in the Future?
Although it is not currently possible to determine whether New Brunswick will be able to resolve its provincial nomination quota issues, the press release noted that "the provincial government has raised concerns with the federal government and dialogue is ongoing."
At the end of last month, Newfoundland and Labrador (which, like New Brunswick and all other Canadian provinces, had its immigration quota significantly reduced in 2025) restored most of its provincial nomination quota, reducing the previous 50% reduction to a decrease of only 2.3% compared to 2024.
The province achieved this by reaching a new agreement with the federal government, under which Newfoundland and Labrador has agreed to receive 290 immigrants in need of humanitarian assistance over the next three years. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has made no secret that this commitment could lead to the restoration of "coveted provincial nomination spaces" for provinces and territories.
While much remains to be seen regarding New Brunswick's provincial nomination quota, based on the federal government's dealings with other provinces, if New Brunswick also hopes to restore its provincial nomination quota, they may need to reach an agreement with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to determine the number of humanitarian immigrants they will receive in the future.
Friendly reminder: There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada. We recommend first using UNA AI to generate an objective and neutral immigration plan, so you can gain an initial understanding of the possible immigration pathways and their requirements, and then choose to proceed with one-on-one consultations with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant partnered with UNA.
Newfoundland and Labrador issues 205 invitations across two draws, with NLPNP accounting for about 95%
Newfoundland and Labrador held two provincial selection rounds on October 23 and October 29, 2026, issuing 205 invitations in total, of which 195 went to candidates through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and 10 through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), leaving NLPNP with about 95% of the invitations. Invited candidates must file a complete nomination or endorsement application with the province within 30 days, down from 60 days previously, and only after a nomination or endorsement certificate is issued can they apply to the federal government for permanent residence (PR). On work permit continuity, a federal temporary measure in force from June 9, 2026 until December 31, 2026 allows eligible in-Canada base-stream PNP applicants to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) without first obtaining an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR); AIP endorsees fall outside that measure but may apply for an employer-specific work permit valid for up to two years. As of October 29 the province had held 20 draws this year and issued 3,157 invitations, 2,750 through NLPNP and 407 through AIP, already above its full-year allocation of 2,854 nominations, while AIP's share of invitations fell from 26.7% for all of 2025 to 12.9%.
10/31/2026
Express Entry draw #453: 150 invitations for transport occupations as the cut-off climbs to CRS 477
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held Express Entry draw #453 on October 28, 2026, issuing 150 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to candidates in the Transport Occupations, 2026-Version 2 category at a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 477. It was the transport category's second round of 2026 and its second since the category returned in February with a rebuilt occupation list: against the 300 invitations issued on August 7, the round was half the size and the cut-off rose 7 points from 470. The draw takes IRCC to 65 rounds and 149,409 invitations for the year, of which transport accounts for 450, or 0.3%, and it is the last round to be issued before a revised CRS takes effect on November 3, when draws pause for up to two weeks while every profile in the pool is rescored.
10/29/2026
Canada issues 5,792 Express Entry invitations in two days: 792 PNP candidates at CRS 761, 5,000 French speakers at CRS 407
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held Express Entry draws #451 and #452 on October 26 and 27, 2026, issuing a combined 5,792 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent resident (PR) status. The October 26 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw issued 792 invitations at a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 761, 11 points below the previous round 13 days earlier and the second-largest round of 2026, while the October 27 French-language proficiency draw issued 5,000 invitations at CRS 407, 28 points below the round held 11 days earlier and equal to 86.3% of the two-day total. IRCC has now held 64 draws and issued 149,259 invitations in 2026, with the French-language category accounting for 40.5% of the year's volume on 12 rounds and 60,500 invitations, ahead of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) at 38.7% and the PNP at 7.2%. Both rounds were the last to be issued before IRCC switches to a revised CRS on November 3 and pauses draws for up to two weeks to recalculate scores.
10/28/2026
Manitoba issues 1,304 nomination invitations in one draw, with provincial graduates taking nearly 60%
Manitoba's Provincial Nominee Program issued 1,304 Letters of Advice to Apply in Expression of Interest draw #282 on October 22, 2026, the province's 21st round of the year and roughly 3.8 times the size of the 340 invitations sent two weeks earlier, with only July 16's 2,146 larger. Of the total, 734 went to candidates and spouses who completed post-secondary education in Manitoba, 513 to high-scoring candidates living in the province and 57 to workers invited through strategic recruitment; the two score-based cut-offs were 816 and 846, and 353 invitees declared valid Express Entry profiles. Invitees have 60 days to file a complete application. Manitoba has now held 21 rounds and issued 8,527 invitations in 2026 against an allocation of 6,239 nominations, unchanged from 2025 even as the national provincial nominee target rose to 91,500. The province continues to concentrate invitations on people already studying and working there, while the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge offers a work permit route for pool candidates who have not yet been invited.
10/27/2026
Newfoundland and Labrador Issues 257 Invitations in Two Immigration Draws
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, held two immigration draws on October 9 and 16, 2026, issuing a combined 257 invitations to apply: 255 through its Provincial Nominee Program and two through the Atlantic Immigration Program. Based on the published figures for individual rounds, the province had conducted 18 draws and issued 2,952 invitations this year as of October 16. Invited candidates must still complete the provincial application and approval process and obtain a nomination or endorsement before applying to the federal government for permanent residence.
10/23/2026
PEI Issues 254 Invitations in Two October Draws, Lifting 2026 Total to 1,483
Prince Edward Island (PEI) departed noticeably from its published 2026 draw schedule in October: the province added an unscheduled round on October 7 that issued 90 invitations, then held a second round on October 16, a day after the published October 15 date, issuing 164. The two rounds totaled 254 invitations, all issued through the Labour Impact (base) and PEI Express Entry (enhanced) streams, with priority given to people already employed in priority sectors such as health care, skilled trades and manufacturing, and to graduates of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), Holland College and Collège de l'Île. Invitees have 30 calendar days to submit a provincial nomination application, after which they can apply to the federal government for permanent residence (PR); eligible nominees already in Canada may also apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP). With these two rounds, PEI has held 11 draws in 2026 and issued 1,483 invitations, making October the busiest single month so far this year. Two rounds remain on the schedule the province published earlier this year, on November 19 and December 17, though officials stress the dates are for reference only. With PEI yet to publish its 2026 nomination allocation and Ottawa having raised the national PNP admissions target to 91,500, the province's "stick to the calendar, occasionally add a round" approach offers a window into how quickly its allocation is being used.
10/22/2026
Ontario relaunches REDI regional immigration pilot, reserving nomination spaces for six northern and rural communities
The Ontario government confirmed on Oct. 16, 2026, through the program-updates page of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), that a new round of the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative is underway. Greater Sudbury, Kenora District, Nipissing District, Rainy River District, Renfrew County and Thunder Bay have been named as partner communities and will receive dedicated provincial nomination spaces, with the initiative running to the end of 2027. It is the latest adjustment to a program that began in 2020 as a three-community pilot and was formally expanded in January 2025, but only Thunder Bay carries over from the previous list; the other five are taking part for the first time. Allocations per community, draw dates and occupation lists have not been published. With the eight former streams revoked on June 25, 2026, and the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWPS) yet to hold a single draw since opening its Expression of Interest system on Aug. 4, REDI is now one of the few parts of Ontario's nomination system that is both operational and explicitly regional.
10/20/2026
Express Entry to award up to 150 points for high-wage jobs and Canadian work experience from November 3
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced on October 16, 2026 that the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) will gain a Labour Market Integration factor (LMIF) from November 3, awarding points for a qualifying job offer or Canadian work experience in 186 high-wage occupations. The job-offer route is worth 100 points in the top tier, 70 in the second and 50 in the third, while the work-experience route adds a high-wage bonus of up to 70 points to the existing Canadian work-experience score, lifting that component to a maximum of 150 points, or 140 for candidates with a spouse or common-law partner. Candidates receive the higher of the two amounts and never both, so someone with five years of Canadian experience in a top-tier occupation and no accompanying spouse can reach 150, against 100 for a top-tier job offer alone. The 186 occupations are divided into 31 in the 2x tier, 89 in the 1.5x tier and 66 in the 1.3x tier, based on 2023 to 2025 labour market data. The same date removes the LMIA requirement for Express Entry job offers, although IRCC says holding an LMIA will add no points and confer no priority. The minister, Lena Metlege Diab, announced the measures in Kitchener, Ontario. IRCC will recalculate roughly 229,000 profiles in the pool and pause all draws for up to two weeks, and applications already invited will be assessed against the list in force on the date of the invitation to apply (ITA).
10/19/2026
Express Entry Issues 7,500 Invitations Over Two Consecutive Days as French-Language Category Accounts for Two-Thirds and Hits 2026 Cut-Off High
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held back-to-back Express Entry draws on October 15 and 16, 2026 (Rounds #449 and #450), issuing a combined 7,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence (PR). On October 15, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw issued 2,500 invitations, a 25% increase over the previous CEC round, while the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score edged up by 1 point to 519. On October 16, the French-language proficiency category draw issued 5,000 invitations, accounting for approximately 66.7% of the two-day total; following a nearly two-month hiatus without a draw in this category, the minimum CRS score jumped by 53 points from the previous round to 435, setting a 2026 high for the category while still remaining 84 points below the concurrent CEC threshold. Combined with the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw held earlier the same week on October 13, IRCC noticeably accelerated its invitation pace ahead of the November 3 CRS scoring overhaul and system pause, issuing a cumulative 8,252 invitations across four days.
10/17/2026
British Columbia issues at least 284 provincial nomination invitations to care and construction workers
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) issued at least 284 invitations to apply for provincial nomination on October 8, 2026, targeting candidates in health care, construction trades, childcare and veterinary care. Construction trades received the largest number of invitations, at 115, while health care had a minimum score of 76. Compared with the previous selection for these occupations on September 10, the thresholds for health care, construction and childcare remained unchanged, while veterinary care fell from 90 to 86 points. With this round, British Columbia had issued at least 6301 Skills Immigration invitations this year, continuing to select talent in line with its Care, Build and Innovate priorities.
10/15/2026
