New Brunswick Experience

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa / Stream Name	New Brunswick Experience Stream
Stay	Path to Canadian permanent residence
Cost	EOI is free; $250 application fee
Eligibility Timing	Met at EOI and application submission
Work Rights	Requires valid Canadian work authorization
Study Rights	Ineligible if enrolled in Canadian post-secondary
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel Facility	Not stated in the source
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family Sponsorship	Includes spouse/partner and eligible dependents
Visa Record	INB portal account; IRCC PR application
Age Requirement	At least 19 years old
Work Experience	6+ months full-time with supporting employer
Residency Requirement	6+ months living in New Brunswick
Language Requirement	Minimum CLB/NCLC 4 in all skills
Education Requirement	High school diploma + valid ECA (foreign)
Nomination Validity	6 months from issue date

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Purpose

The New Brunswick Experience stream provides a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for eligible foreign nationals currently living in New Brunswick and working full-time for a supporting local employer.

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Ineligibility

Do not apply if you:

• Are currently enrolled in post-secondary education in Canada.
• Have an immigration application in process in any Canadian province or territory, including New Brunswick.
• Have been refused for misrepresentation through any immigration program within the past 5 years.
• Are not living lawfully in your current country of residence.
• Have been refused admission to, or ordered to leave, Canada or any other country/territory.
• Are working in Canada without authorization.
• Have an active, approved, or failed claim for refugee protection (asylum) or humanitarian and compassionate consideration in Canada.

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Applicant Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet all requirements at the time of Expression of Interest (EOI) submission and application submission:

• Age: At least 19 years old.
• New Brunswick Employment:
  • Currently working in a full-time (at least 30 hours/week, 1,560 hours/year), non-seasonal position for an eligible supporting NB employer.
  • Have accumulated at least 6 months of full-time work experience with this supporting employer.
  • Earn a competitive base wage consistent with regional Job Bank data and the employer's pay scale (bonuses, tips, commissions, overtime, and allowances are excluded). If hired under an LMIA, current wage must equal or exceed the LMIA wage.
  • Hold the required license/certificate if working in a regulated occupation. NOC 73300 (Transport truck drivers) requires a valid New Brunswick Class 1 license.
• Education: Minimum Canadian high school diploma or equivalent foreign high school diploma evaluated by a valid Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than 5 years old. The education level must meet the NOC requirements for the position.
• Language Proficiency: Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 4 in all four competencies (reading, writing, listening, speaking) on an approved test less than 2 years old:
  • IELTS General Training: Reading 3.5, Writing 4.0, Listening 4.5, Speaking 4.0
  • CELPIP General: 4 in all categories
  • PTE Core: Reading 33, Writing 41, Listening 28, Speaking 42
  • TEF Canada: Reading 306, Writing 268, Listening 306, Speaking 328
  • TCF Canada: Reading 342, Writing 4, Listening 331, Speaking 4
• New Brunswick Residency: Lived in New Brunswick with valid temporary resident status for at least the past 6 months.
• Intent to Reside: Must demonstrate the intent and ability to live and work permanently in New Brunswick.

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Employer Eligibility Requirements

The supporting employer must:

• Be registered with the New Brunswick Registry of Employers of Foreign Workers.
• Have actively operated continuously in New Brunswick for at least the past 24 months from a physical owned/leased location with clear business signage and dedicated telephone service.
• For NOC 73300: Hold a valid registration with the International Registration Plan (IRP) for at least 24 consecutive months.
• Maintain a genuine direct employer-employee relationship (placement agencies cannot support candidates). The candidate or spouse/partner cannot be a majority shareholder.
• Demonstrate genuine recruitment efforts (at least 2 advertising methods active for at least 4 weeks within the 6 months prior to the offer) ensuring local residents were not displaced.
• Complete and sign form NB-004 Employment Information and pay the $230 federal employer compliance fee via IRCC's Employer Portal (this fee cannot be recuperated from the worker).

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Family Provisions

• Details and supporting documents for all family members (spouse/common-law partner and dependents) must be included in the application even if they are not immigrating.
• Dependents: Children under 22 who are unmarried/not in a common-law relationship, or children 22+ who depend substantially on parental financial support due to a physical or mental condition.
• There are no additional provincial fees for including family members.

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Costs & Fees

• Expression of Interest: Free.
• Nomination Application Fee: $250 non-refundable fee paid via the INB portal using Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, INTERAC Online, or Visa Debit.
• Federal Employer Compliance Fee: $230 (paid directly by the employer to IRCC).

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Document Requirements

• Files must be uploaded to the INB portal in PDF format (maximum 2 GB per file). Image-bearing documents must be in colour; text-only may be black and white.
• Mandatory Initial Documents (Missing items will result in application closure without assessment or refund):
  • Valid language test report (< 2 years old).
  • Proof of Canadian education or valid ECA (< 5 years old).
  • Completed and signed form NB-004 Employment Information.
• Employment & Work Status Proof: Valid work authorization, job offer/contract/reference letter, past 6 months of pay stubs, and past 6 months of bank statements showing salary deposits.
• Residency Proof (At least 3 of the following covering the 6-month period): Rental/lease agreement, NB driver's licence, NB vehicle registration, insurance policy, mortgage document, current property tax bill, 2 utility bills, pay stubs showing address, or child tax benefit statement.
• Translations: Documents not in English or French must include official translations by an independent certified translator (or uncertified translator with an affidavit). Self-translations or translations by family/immigration representatives are prohibited.

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Application Steps

1. Job Offer: Accept an eligible, full-time, non-seasonal job offer supported by a qualifying NB employer.
2. Expression of Interest (EOI): Submit an EOI profile through the INB portal. Profiles may be withdrawn and resubmitted without penalty if details change.
3. Invitation to Apply (ITA): If invited, submit a complete provincial application with supporting documents and the $250 fee within 20 calendar days.
4. Assessment & Fairness: ImmigrationNB reviews documents. If concerns arise, a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) will be issued with a response deadline. Applications can be voluntarily withdrawn unless misrepresentation is suspected.
5. Nomination Decision: Approved applicants receive a Provincial Nomination Certificate via the INB portal valid for 6 months.
6. Federal PR Application: Apply to IRCC for permanent residence before the provincial nomination certificate expires. Maintain all nomination conditions throughout processing.
7. Landing: Log in to the INB portal and complete the "Report PR Landing" form within 30 days of receiving the signed Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).

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Important Warnings

• One Application Rule: You may only have one active application with ImmigrationNB at a time. If multiple are submitted, all but one must be withdrawn, and fees are not refunded.
• No Guarantee: Receiving an ITA does not guarantee provincial nomination, and a provincial nomination does not guarantee federal permanent residence approval by IRCC.
• Employer Fee Prohibition: Employers are legally prohibited from passing the $230 federal compliance fee onto the foreign worker.