Foreign workers currently employed in the province of New Brunswick have a fresh opportunity to obtain Canadian permanent residence, after the provincial government reopened its Express Entry Labour Market stream (EELMS) to these workers only. This enhanced Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream is part of the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), through which the province welcomes new permanent residents who can settle quickly.
Previously, this stream was closed to all new applications. Prior to the stream's closure, individuals who had attended a NBPNP information session, and workers eligible for the open category (which allowed certain IT workers to apply) — as well as candidates already working in New Brunswick — were eligible to apply, so long as they fulfilled the program criteria.
Candidates who are successful in obtaining a provincial nomination certificate from the NBPNP through this stream receive 600 additional points under the federal Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and will be invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence in a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.
In order to be eligible for the NBPNP - EELMS, foreign workers in New Brunswick must:
- Be between the ages of 22 and 55;
- Have a profile in the federal Express Entry pool;
- Be currently employed in New Brunswick in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A or B level);
- Have at least 12 months full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) paid skilled work experience in New Brunswick in the three years before the application is made, which cannot have been gained through self-employment or while the candidate was a full-time student (volunteer work, unpaid internships, co-op terms, etc. do not count) and which is in NOC level 0, A or B;
- Demonstrate proficiency in each of the four language abilities (speaking, reading, writing, and listening) equivalent to or greater than Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7. Language test results must be no more than two years old and must come from a designated agency: IELTS (General Training Test only) or CELPIP (General test only) for English, or TEF for French;
- Have a completed Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary educational credential (at least one academic year in length) OR a completed foreign educational credential from a recognized institution or authority; and
- Sign and submit a Commitment to Live and Work in New Brunswick form.
Aside from this pathway, foreign workers in New Brunswick may have other means of pursuing permanent resident status, including the new Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP), as well as through Express Entry, without necessarily obtaining a NBPNP nomination certificate.