The New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream is one of the immigration streams under the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP). The objective of this stream is to nominate candidates with the skills, education, and experience for permanent residence. These candidates would be beneficial in helping the province’s economy to grow.
NOTE: NBPNP will not be issuing any ITAs to EOIs created after 17 May 2024. However, it’s only a temporary pause, expected to be lifted off soon. The cause behind the pause has been the large number of applications received under the NB Skilled Worker Stream.
Other Ways to Immigrate to NB
Other than the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream, you may be able to immigrate to NB through any one of the following streams or programs:
- New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
- New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream
- New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot Program
- New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream
- New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot
- Atlantic Immigration Program
Download Free Immigration and PR Guide PDF
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream, you must have a valid job offer from a New Brunswick employer, and meet all the eligibility requirements. Moreover, there are some eligibility requirements that your employer must meet.
Employer Requirements
The employer offering the job must meet the following requirements:
- Be in good standing in NB- The employer’s business must be physically established and have been in continuous operation for 2 years. It must have been actively recruiting employees too and not be in violation of IRPR or IRPA. The employer must fill out the NBPNP-004 form.
- Must have labour shortage- The employers need to have a labour shortage in order to nominate a foreign national. They must have tried to recruit individuals already in the province. The government of New Brunswick only supports employers or applications in case they see adequate efforts being made by the employer but still not being able to hire required employees. This ultimately ensures that by hiring an international worker, the Canadian citizens or PRs of the province are not affected.
- There should be an employee/employer relationship- It is important that the candidate be able to show a genuine relationship between themselves and their employer. To demonstrate the same, the candidate may need to explain how they were hired or the hiring process.
- Pay the employer compliance fee- The employer is required to pay the employer compliance fee as well as submit the job offer through the IRCC Employer Portal. These must be done before the candidate submits their application.
- The employer’s business must be eligible.
- If an employer is trying to grow their business using this stream, they must showcase CAN$500,000 (in a year) total gross revenue in the last 2 years. Moreover, they must have hired at least 3 Canadian citizens/PRs for full-time employment.
- The employer must NOT misrepresent any information when hiring a candidate. The job position, wage, job duties , etc, must check out.
- For employers in the transportation sector- If you are a candidate under NOC 73300 (Transport Truck Drivers), your employer must meet the following criteria:
a. Their business must be physically located in New Brunswick
b. Employers must have been registered with International Registration Plan (IRP) for at least 2 years before they can associate themselves with immigration programs. The provincial government will not accept any break in the registration, and the IRP must be valid at the time of application. For further information, call us at +91 844 838 6496 for a FREE consultation.
Eligibility Requirements for Applicants
To be considered for a nomination by the NB Skilled Worker Stream, you must meet the eligibility criteria, score at least 60 points out of a total of 100 points in the selection factors. Further, as discussed above, your employer must also be eligible or your nomination application may be refused.
| Eligibility Criteria | |
| Intentions to Reside | The applicant must show intentions to reside in New Brunswick after receiving permanent residence. There are a number of ways to demonstrate the same, such as by proving that they tried to find employment in NB, they visited NB before, they once lived or are currently living in NB, they can support the province, etc. |
| Job Offer | The applicant must have accepted a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an approved New Brunswick employer.
The job offer must state that they would be working at least 30-hours/week. The applicant cannot receive an employment contract from a business majorly owned by their spouse or common-law partner. |
| Work Experience | The applicant must have at least 1-year of work experience in the same NOC code as the one mentioned on their job offer. The candidate can showcase the same by providing work reference letters obtained in the previous 5 years. |
| Employer Support | The employer of the applicant must fill out the Employer Information Form (NBPNP-004), and both the employer and the employee are required to sign this form. |
| Competitive Wage | The applicant must receive a competitive wage as compared to similar job positions in the province. |
| Remote Work Arrangements | If the applicant wishes to work remotely, they must already be either living in the province or have lived in the last 12 months. Moreover, they must have valid authorization to work for an eligible employer. |
| Regulated Occupations | In case the applicant is working in a regulated occupation, they must be licensed or certified for the same by the regulatory authority of the province. |
| Be PR Ready | The applicant must have at least 1-year of work experience in the same NOC code as the one mentioned on their job offer. The candidate can showcase the same by providing work reference letters obtained in the previous 5 years. |
Selection Factors
Along with meeting all the eligibility requirements, you must also score at least 60 out of 100 points. The maximum score allocation and on the basis you will be assessed are as follows:
| Selection Factors | Maximum Score |
|---|---|
| 1. Language Skills | 28 |
| 2. Work Experience | 20 |
| 3. Education | 20 |
| 4. Adaptability | 12 |
| 5. Priority Sectors | 10 |
| 6. Age | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
1. Language Skills
Based on your language skills, you can earn a maximum of 28 points. The maximum points allotted are based on your official language skills (first and second). You must have at least Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 4 to be eligible.
You can get a language test taken from the following organizations:
| English Language Tests | French Language Tests |
|---|---|
| IELTS (General Training) | TEF (Canada) |
| CELPIP (General) | TCF (Canada) |
| PTE (Core) |
To calculate your CLB/NCLC level, use the following table:
First Official Language
| CLB/NCLC Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7+ | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 |
| 5-6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16 |
Second Official Language
| CLB/NCLC Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
The minimum eligible score you must have based on the language test is provided below:
| Language Test | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS General | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 4 |
| CELPIP General | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| PTE Core | 33 | 41 | 28 | 42 |
| TCF Canada | 342-374 | 4-5 | 331-368 | 4-5 |
| TEF Canada | 121 | 181 | 145 | 181 |
2. Work Experience
You might be able to receive a maximum of 20 points on the basis of your work experience. You must have gained at least 1 year of full-time, paid, continuous (30 hours a week) work experience in the previous 5 years of applying for a nomination to New Brunswick.
| Work Experience | Points |
|---|---|
| 5 years | 20 |
| 4 years | 16 |
| 3 years | 12 |
| 2 years | 8 |
| 1 year | 5 |
In case of self-employment:
- The applicant must have valid documents to show the same
- The work experience must not be in the retail food and accommodation sectors.
International graduates with at least 1-year diploma/degree/certificate from a university in New Brunswick do not need to show work experience. These graduates must be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
3. Education
In education, the highest points you can achieve are 20. On the lower end, you must have at least studied high school or provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report to showcase you have an equivalent foreign degree.
You can get an ECA from any one of the following organizations:
- World Education Services (WES)
- Comparative Education Service (CES)
- International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)
- International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
- International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
- Medical Council of Canada (for doctors)
- Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (for pharmacists)
| Education | Points |
|---|---|
| Ph.D. | 20 |
| Master’s degree/ professional degree for a licensed profession | |
| Two or more certificate/degree/diploma (one of the program must have lasted at least 3 years) | 19 |
| Bachelor’s degree/ three or more year program | |
| 2-year certificate/degree/diploma | 18 |
| Two or more certificate/degree/diploma (one of the programs must have lasted at least 3 years) | 17 |
| High school | 15 |
4. Adaptability
If you have an extra connection to the province, you may get a maximum of 12 points for it. You may show your connection through the following ways:
| Adaptability | Points | |
| Employment | Worked in NB for 2 in the last 5 years | 10 |
| Worked in NB on a LMIA based work permit | 8 | |
| Worked in NB for 1 in the last 5 years, or | 7 | |
| You are an international student graduate from a post-secondary institution in NB (with 6 months work experience) | ||
| Education | 2-years post-secondary education completed in NB | 10 |
| 1-year post-secondary education completed in NB | 7 | |
| Spouse/Common-law Partner | Worked for a minimum of 1 in the past 5 years, or | 5 |
| Has at least CLB/NCLC level 4 in all abilities | ||
| Family | You or your spouse (or partner) has a relative living in NB as a citizen/PR (for at least 12 months). Relatives include: – Son – Daughter – Brother – Sister – Mother – Father – Child – Grandparent – Aunt – Uncle – Niece or Nephew |
5 |
5. Priority Sectors
If you intend to work in any one of the below-listed priority sectors in New Brunswick, you may be granted 10 points.
- Healthcare
- Education
- Forestry
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
- Skilled Trades
- Information Technology
- Business Service Centres
6. Age
If your age is between 19-21 years, you will receive 10 points. While those between the ages of 22-55 will receive 8 points.
How to Apply for New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream
These are the steps to receive a nomination from NBPNP and then apply for PR to IRCC.
Step 1- Receive a job offer, which must be full-time, non-seasonal, and from an eligible NB employer.
Step 2- Be PR ready, meaning, must meet all the permanent residency eligibility criteria and have the necessary documentation prepared.
Step 3- Create a profile as a candidate on the INB portal by providing the required information. You can keep updating the profile as the circumstances change in your life. Remember to keep your profile up-to-date at all times.
Step 4- Wait to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in your INB account. After receiving an ITA, you have about 45 days to submit a complete nomination application to the NB Skilled Worker Stream.
Step 5- Along with the provincial nomination application, you must submit all the required documents and fill out the necessary forms. Pay CAN$250 as the processing fee, which includes your spouse/common-law partner, and accompanying family members, and submit the application. Keep in mind that the processing fee is non-refundable.
Step 6- If NB approves your application, you will become a provincial nominee and can apply for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). After being nominated, you have 6 months to submit a completed PR application.
Step 7- If IRCC approves your application, you must report your landing in New Brunswick within 30 days.
Document Checklist
Provide the following documents along with your provincial nomination application as PDF files. To create PDF files, you can simply scan your paper documents and then turn them into PDFs. As for your e-documents, just simply convert them to PDF files.
The documents must either be in English or French. In case the documents are in other languages, get them officially translated. With the application, you must submit both documents, a copy of the original document and its translated version.
| Identity and Civil Status Documents | Eligibility Documents | Job Offer Documents | Other Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | Language test results | Skilled Worker Employer Information Form (NBPNP-004) | Consent and Declaration (NB-005) |
| Birth certificate | Academic documents/ ECA | Reference Letter | Use of Representative (NB-007) [If applicable] |
| Marriage/divorce/death certificate | Previous work experience | Work contracts | Affidavit of Translation |
| Common-law union (If applicable) | Adaptability (If applicable) | Work permit (If applicable) | INB Enrolment Form for Authorized Representatives (NB-025) [If applicable] |
| Children’s information (If applicable) | Job advertisements | Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (NB-008) [If applicable] | |
| Travel documents | T4 Tax information (If applicable) | Declaration Non-accompanying Parent/Guardian for Minors Immigrating to Canada (NB-009) [If applicable] | |
| Color digital photo |
Processing Time and Fee
A provincial nomination application under the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream is processed in about 6 months. Once you apply for PR to IRCC, your application will further take about 12 months to process.
The processing fee of a nomination application of NB Skilled Worker Stream is CAN$250. This fee is non-refundable and one can pay it through the following payment options:
- Visa
- Discover
- MasterCard
- INTERAC Online
- American Express
- Visa/Debit
Apart from the application processing fee, you also need to pay the PR application fee, which is CAN$1,365 for a single applicant.
There are other fees to pay along the way as well, such as language test result, biometrics, Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), medical examination, etc.
Need assistance in acquiring a nomination and obtaining Canada PR? Feel free to reach out to the Canada-government approved (CICC-licensed) immigration consultants, TCWW!
Talent Connected Worldwide has been in this industry for the past 15 years and helped thousands of people live their dreams abroad.
We are an award-winning immigration consultancy and our experts will help you out at every step of the way. Just fill out the form below and let’s get started on your journey!
