New Brunswick Express Entry Stream – New Brunswick Employment Pathway

At a Glance

Item	Details
Stream Name	New Brunswick Employment Stream (Express Entry)
Stay	Permanent residence pathway
Cost	Free EOI; $250 provincial application fee
Eligibility timing	12 months prior NB residence and employment
Work rights	Full-time work in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3
Study	Ineligible if enrolled in Canadian post-secondary education
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Not stated in the source
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Spouse, partner, and eligible dependents included
Visa record	Valid federal Express Entry profile required
Age limit	19 to 55 years of age
Language requirement	Minimum CLB/NCLC 7 in all skills
Minimum pass mark	67 out of 100 selection points

---

Purpose

The New Brunswick Employment stream provides a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for eligible foreign nationals working and living in New Brunswick who have an active federal Express Entry profile.

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum Applicant Requirements

To be eligible, you must meet all requirements at both the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage and the application stage:

• Express Entry Profile: Maintain a valid profile in the federal Express Entry pool (recommended to be valid for at least 6 months at EOI submission).
• New Brunswick Employment: Currently work full-time (minimum 30 hours/week, 1,560 hours/year) year-round in New Brunswick under NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3 for an eligible employer. You must have already completed 12 consecutive months of authorized full-time work in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 in New Brunswick.
• Competitive Wage: Earn a base wage consistent with regional Job Bank standards and employer pay structures. Overtime, bonuses, and allowances do not count. If hired under an LMIA, the wage must equal or exceed the LMIA offer wage.
• Licensing: Hold the relevant provincial licence/certification for regulated occupations (e.g., NB Class 1 driver’s licence for NOC 73300).
• Residency: Have lived in New Brunswick under valid temporary resident status for at least the past 12 consecutive months.
• Skilled Work Experience: Have at least 1 year of continuous paid skilled work experience (1,560 hours total, full-time or equivalent part-time) within the last 10 years in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 matching your designated primary occupation.
• Language Proficiency: Score at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking on an approved single test less than 2 years old.
• Education: Hold a Canadian high school diploma or a recognized foreign equivalent verified by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than 5 years old.
• Settlement Intent: Demonstrate genuine intent and ability to live and work in New Brunswick permanently.
• Settlement Funds: Meet federal Express Entry proof-of-funds requirements, unless exempt under the Canadian Experience Class or holding an eligible qualifying job offer.
• Age: Be between 19 and 55 years old.
• Selection Points: Score a minimum of 67 out of 100 points on the selection factor grid.

Ineligibility

You cannot apply if you:

• Are enrolled in post-secondary education in Canada.
• Have an active immigration application in any Canadian province or territory.
• Were refused for misrepresentation in any Canadian immigration program within the past 5 years.
• Lack lawful status in your country of residence or are working in Canada without authorization.
• Have been refused admission to or ordered to leave Canada or any other country.
• Have an active or failed claim for refugee protection or humanitarian and compassionate consideration.

Employer Eligibility

The supporting New Brunswick employer must:

• Be registered with the New Brunswick Registry of Employers of Foreign Workers.
• Have actively operated from a physical New Brunswick establishment for at least the past 24 consecutive months.
• Be in good standing with provincial and federal laws (including ESA, IRPA, and IRPR).
• For transport sector roles (NOC 73300), be registered with the International Registration Plan (IRP) for at least 24 consecutive months.
• Demonstrate a genuine employer-employee relationship (no placement agencies; the applicant/spouse cannot be a majority shareholder).
• Demonstrate genuine local recruitment efforts (advertising the position for at least 4 weeks across 2 media types within the 6 months prior to the job offer).
• Pay the $230 IRCC Employer Compliance Fee via the IRCC Employer Portal if closed work permit support is required (this fee cannot be recovered from the employee).

---

Selection Factor Grid (Pass Mark: 67 / 100)

1. Age (Maximum 12 points):
   • 19–35 years: 12 points
   • 36–46 years: 11 points down to 1 point (1 point deducted per year after 35)
   • Under 19: Ineligible | 47 and older: 0 points
2. Language (Maximum 28 points):
   • First Official Language: CLB 9+ (6 points per skill, max 24); CLB 8 (5 per skill, max 20); CLB 7 (4 per skill, max 16); Below CLB 7 (Ineligible).
   • Second Official Language: CLB 5+ in all 4 skills (4 points).
3. Education (Maximum 25 points):
   • Ph.D.: 25 | Master's/Professional degree: 23 | Two or more post-secondary credentials (one 3+ years): 22 | 3+ year program: 21 | 2-year program: 19 | 1-year program: 15 | Secondary school: 5.
4. Work Experience (Maximum 15 points):
   • 6+ years: 15 | 4–5 years: 13 | 2–3 years: 11 | 1 year: 9.
5. Arranged Employment in New Brunswick (Maximum 10 points):
   • Valid closed work permit with positive LMIA in TEER 0/1/2/3: 10 points.
   • Valid LMIA-exempt closed work permit with 12 months full-time continuous work for the employer: 10 points.
6. Adaptability (Maximum 10 points):
   • Applicant previous NB work (1 year full-time TEER 0/1/2/3): 10 points.
   • Applicant previous NB study (2 academic years full-time): 5 points.
   • Arranged employment in NB: 5 points.
   • Qualifying relative living in NB as citizen/PR (12+ months): 5 points.
   • Accompanying spouse/partner language (CLB 4+ in all skills): 5 points.
   • Accompanying spouse/partner NB work (1 year full-time): 5 points.
   • Accompanying spouse/partner NB study (2 academic years full-time): 5 points.

---

Cost and Processing

• EOI Fee: Free.
• Provincial Application Fee: $250 non-refundable fee payable through the INB portal (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AMEX, INTERAC Online, or Visa Debit). No additional fee for family members.
• Employer Compliance Fee: $230 (if closed work permit support is required; paid by employer).
• Application Window: 20 calendar days to submit a complete application upon receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
• Certificate Validity: Nomination certificates are valid for 6 months from the date of issue.

---

Family Provisions

• You must include all family members (spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children) in the application even if they are not immigrating.
• Dependent Definition: Under 22 years old and unmarried/not in a common-law relationship; or 22 years of age or older who has depended substantially on parental financial support since before age 22 due to a physical or mental condition.

---

Required Documents

All non-English or non-French documents must be translated by an independent third party (who is neither a relative nor an employee of your paid representative) and submitted alongside original copies and proof of translator certification or an affidavit.

• Mandatory Initial Documents:
  • Approved language test report (< 2 years old).
  • Canadian educational credential or immigration ECA (< 5 years old).
• Proof of NB Residency (Minimum 3 categories covering 12 months):
  • Rental/lease agreements; NB driver’s licence; NB motor vehicle registration; home/tenant/auto insurance; mortgage document; current property tax bill; utility bills (minimum 2); pay stubs showing address; child tax benefit statement.
• Work & Employer Evidence:
  • Job offer, employment contract, or reference letter on official letterhead detailing duties, hours, salary, and supervisor signature.
  • Work permits and proof of work authorization.
  • Pay stubs covering the past 12 months and corresponding tax documents.
  • Professional licence or certificate (if occupation is regulated).

---

Application Steps

[1. Express Entry Profile] ──> [2. Expression of Interest (EOI)] ──> [3. Invitation to Apply (ITA)]
                                                                               │
[6. PR Landing Report] <── [5. Federal PR Application] <── [4. Provincial Nomination Assessment]

1. Federal Express Entry Profile: Create and maintain an active federal profile.
2. Submit EOI: Submit an Expression of Interest via the INB portal at no cost.
3. Receive ITA & Submit Application: If invited, submit a complete application with all supporting evidence and pay the $250 fee within 20 calendar days.
4. Assessment & Procedural Fairness: ImmigrationNB verifies completeness and criteria. If eligibility concerns arise, a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) will be issued with a response deadline.
5. Nomination Decision: If approved, accept the provincial nomination in the federal Express Entry portal to receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points.
6. Federal Permanent Residence Application: Apply for PR to IRCC before the 6-month provincial nomination certificate expires. Complete federal medical, security, and background checks.
7. Landing: Within 30 days of receiving your signed Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), log in to the INB portal and click "Report PR Landing".

---

Important Warnings

• Application Limits: You may only maintain one active application with ImmigrationNB at a time. Fees paid for duplicate or withdrawn applications are non-refundable.
• Automatic Rejection for Incompleteness: Applications missing mandatory language test reports or ECA/education documents will be closed immediately without assessment or fee refund.
• Ongoing Conditions: You must maintain the conditions of your provincial nomination throughout the processing of your federal PR application. IRCC holds final authority on permanent residence approvals.