New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program – Express Entry Stream (New Brunswick Interests)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa/Pathway Name	New Brunswick Interests (Express Entry Stream)
Stay	Permanent (pathway to Canadian permanent residence)
Cost	Free for EOI; $250 CAD application fee
Eligibility Timing	Must meet requirements at EOI and application
Age Limit	19 to 55 years old
Selection Pass Mark	Minimum 67 out of 100 points
Work Rights	Not stated in the source
Study Rights	Not stated in the source
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel Facility	Not stated in the source
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family Inclusion	Spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children
Nomination Certificate Validity	6 months from date of issue

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Purpose and Overview

The New Brunswick Interests pathway nominates candidates from the federal Express Entry pool who fulfill specific provincial labour-market needs and demonstrate the ability to become economically established in New Brunswick.

Who Cannot Apply

Do not apply if you:

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

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

You must meet all minimum requirements both when submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) and when submitting the nomination application:

1. Federal Express Entry Profile: Hold a valid profile in the federal Express Entry pool (recommended validity of at least 6 months when submitting an EOI) with a valid Job Seeker validation code.
2. Letter of Interest: Have received a letter of interest from ImmigrationNB in your federal Express Entry profile.
3. Skilled Work Experience:
   • At least 1 year of continuous paid work (minimum 1,560 hours: 30 hours/week for 12 months, or equivalent part-time) within the last 10 years in Canada or abroad.
   • Experience must fall under National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3.
   • Primary NOC code in the INB portal must match your Express Entry profile.
   • Hours worked beyond 30 hours per week are not counted. Student work experience may count if it meets all skilled criteria.
4. Language Skills: Minimum Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 7 in all four abilities (reading, writing, listening, speaking) on an approved test. Test results must be less than 2 years old when applying for permanent residence to IRCC. Scores from multiple tests cannot be combined.
5. Education: Minimum of a Canadian high school diploma or foreign equivalent. Foreign credentials require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes from a designated organization, valid for less than 5 years at application.
6. Intent and Economic Establishment: Demonstrate genuine intent and ability to live and work in New Brunswick permanently through employment, residence, community involvement, or family ties.
7. Proof of Funds: Meet federal Express Entry settlement fund requirements (unborrowed funds), unless exempt under the Canadian Experience Class or holding a valid job offer under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (open work permit job offers are not exempt).
8. Age: Must be between 19 and 55 years of age.

Selection Factors (Minimum 67 Points Required)

Candidates who meet all minimum eligibility criteria are assessed against a 100-point grid. You must score at least 67 points:

1. Age (Maximum 12 points)

• Under 19: Ineligible
• 19–35: 12 points
• 36: 11 points | 37: 10 points | 38: 9 points | 39: 8 points | 40: 7 points
• 41: 6 points | 42: 5 points | 43: 4 points | 44: 3 points | 45: 2 points | 46: 1 point
• 47 and older: 0 points

2. Language Skills (Maximum 28 points)

• First Official Language (Max 24 points):
  • CLB 9 or higher: 6 points per band (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking)
  • CLB 8: 5 points per band
  • CLB 7: 4 points per band
  • Below CLB 7: Ineligible
• Second Official Language (Max 4 points):
  • CLB 5 or higher in all 4 skills: 4 points
  • CLB 4 or lower in any skill: 0 points

3. Education (Maximum 25 points)

• Doctoral degree (Ph.D.): 25 points
• Master’s degree or professional degree (Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry, Optometry, Law, Chiropractic, Pharmacy): 23 points
• Two or more post-secondary programs (at least one being 3+ years): 22 points
• Post-secondary program of 3 or more years: 21 points
• Post-secondary program of 2 years: 19 points
• Post-secondary program of 1 year: 15 points
• High school diploma: 5 points

4. Work Experience in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 (Maximum 15 points)

• 6 or more years: 15 points
• 4–5 years: 13 points
• 2–3 years: 11 points
• 1 year (continuous in primary NOC): 9 points

5. Arranged Employment in New Brunswick (Maximum 10 points)

• Scenario 1: Closed work permit based on a positive LMIA in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 (10 points).
• Scenario 2: Closed work permit based on an LMIA exemption with at least 12 continuous months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) employment for the employer (10 points).

6. Adaptability (Maximum 10 points)

• Principal applicant: 1 year of full-time skilled work in NB (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3): 10 points
• Principal applicant: Completed 2 academic years of full-time study in NB: 5 points
• Principal applicant: Arranged employment in NB: 5 points
• Qualifying relative living in NB for at least 12 months (citizen or PR, age 18+): 5 points
• Accompanying spouse/partner: Language proficiency of CLB 4 or higher in all skills: 5 points
• Accompanying spouse/partner: 1 year of authorized full-time work in NB: 5 points
• Accompanying spouse/partner: Completed 2 academic years of full-time study in NB: 5 points

Family Provisions

Family members must be declared in your application even if they are not immigrating with you. Eligible family members include:

• Your spouse or common-law partner;
• Your dependent child or your partner's dependent child:
  • Under 22 years old and not married/common-law; or
  • 22 years of age or older, continuously dependent on parental financial support since before age 22, and unable to be financially self-supporting due to a physical or mental condition.

No additional provincial application fee is charged for accompanying family members.

Application Steps

1. Express Entry: Maintain an active profile in the federal Express Entry system.
2. Expression of Interest (EOI): If invited via a Letter of Interest, submit an EOI through the INB portal (free). EOIs can be updated by withdrawing and submitting a new one.
3. Provincial Application: If issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA), submit a complete application and pay the $250 non-refundable fee within 20 calendar days.
4. Assessment & Procedural Fairness: ImmigrationNB evaluates complete files. If concerns arise, a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) will be issued with a specific response deadline.
5. Nomination Decision: Approved applicants receive a Provincial Nomination Certificate via the INB portal valid for 6 months.
6. Federal PR Application: Accept the nomination in IRCC Express Entry (adds 600 points) and apply for permanent residence before nomination expiry.
7. IRCC Final Decision: IRCC evaluates admissibility (statutory, medical, and security checks).
8. Landing Notification: Within 30 days of receiving your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), log in to INB, go to your application, and select "Report PR Landing."

Required Documents and Translations

• Mandatory Initial Documents: Applications missing a valid language test report (< 2 years old) or ECA (< 5 years old) / Canadian education proof will be closed without assessment or refund.
• Work Reference Letters: Must be on company letterhead, signed by an authorized supervisor, and detail job duties, hours per week, salary, benefits, and dates of employment. Pay stubs and tax documents should be provided if available.
• Translation Rules:
  • Documents not in English or French must include the original document and a complete translation.
  • Translators must be independent third parties (cannot be a relative or immigration representative).
  • Certified translators must provide proof of certification; non-certified translators must provide a translation affidavit.

Important Warnings and Conditions

• Fees: The $250 INB portal fee is strictly non-refundable once applied.
• Single Application Rule: You may have only one active application with ImmigrationNB at a time.
• No Stream Changes: Immigration streams cannot be changed once an application is submitted.
• Withdrawals: Applications can be withdrawn voluntarily at any time unless there is an active concern regarding misrepresentation. Misrepresentation carries a 5-year federal/provincial ban.
• Maintaining Status: You must maintain the conditions of your provincial nomination while awaiting the IRCC permanent residence decision.