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New Brunswick

New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)

New Brunswick is a province located in the northeastern part of Canada’s Maritime region. It is the only province in the country that is officially bilingual, with roughly 30% of its residents using French as their first language.

Through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), individuals who have the skills and work experience that match the province’s labor needs may be nominated by New Brunswick. Once nominated, foreign nationals can then apply for Canadian permanent residency. The NBPNP accepts applications through the following immigration streams:

Table of Contents

Overview

New Brunswick is the largest of Canada’s three Maritime provinces, situated just south of Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula and bordering the U.S. state of Maine.

The province is known for its strong job prospects and relatively affordable cost of living when compared to many other larger provinces in Canada. People who move to New Brunswick can settle in smaller communities or in larger urban centres such as Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton. It is also recognized for its scenic natural environment, including lakes, rivers, and a wide range of outdoor recreation areas.

Individuals with the skills and experience required by the province may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP).

At present, there are five different immigration streams available for those interested in settling in New Brunswick. These options help applicants identify the most suitable pathway for their immigration goals.

Express Entry Stream

This stream allows New Brunswick to use the federal Express Entry system to address its specific labour market needs and demographic priorities. It operates through an Expression of Interest (EOI) system.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have a valid and active Express Entry profile
  • Must hold a Job Seeker Validation Code or be enrolled in a PGWP-eligible program at a federally designated post-secondary institution
  • Must currently be residing in New Brunswick
  • Must provide valid language test results in English or French, meeting at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7

Skilled Workers Stream

New Brunswick allows candidates to apply under this stream if they have secured a permanent, full-time job offer from an employer based in the province.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must demonstrate a genuine intention to live in New Brunswick
  • Must have a full-time, permanent job offer from an eligible employer in New Brunswick, along with a supporting employer letter
  • Must hold at least a Canadian secondary school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification
  • Must be between 19 and 55 years of age
  • Must provide valid English or French language test results meeting a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4

Business Immigration Stream

New Brunswick offers this stream for individuals who intend to establish, own, and actively operate a business within the province. Applicants are generally required to make a financial investment in a qualifying business.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have an eligible connection to New Brunswick in order to submit an Expression of Interest
  • Must have completed a post-secondary academic degree requiring at least three years of full-time study, or a trade diploma requiring at least two years of full-time study
  • Must show a minimum personal net worth of CAD $600,000, with at least CAD $300,000 readily available and unencumbered
  • Must be between 22 and 55 years old
  • Must provide valid English or French language test results meeting at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5

Strategic Initiative Stream

This stream is aimed at French-speaking applicants who have the education, work experience, and skills needed to support New Brunswick’s economy and who plan to settle permanently in the province.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have the intention to live in New Brunswick
  • Must have a valid connection to New Brunswick
  • Must hold at least a Canadian high school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification
  • Must demonstrate sufficient settlement funds
  • Must be between 19 and 55 years old
  • Must provide valid French language test results meeting a minimum of Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 5

Critical Worker Pilot

Launched in November 2022, the Critical Worker Pilot allows selected employers in New Brunswick to hire foreign workers to help fill ongoing labour shortages.

Atlantic Immigration Program

New Brunswick participates in the Atlantic Immigration Program alongside the other Atlantic provinces to attract foreign workers and address regional labour market demands. Applicants may apply while living outside Canada or while holding temporary status within Canada.

All candidates must have a valid job offer from a designated employer that meets program requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program?

The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) is an immigration initiative that enables the province to select and nominate individuals who can help meet its economic and labour market requirements.

2. Does New Brunswick have an Express Entry–aligned immigration stream?

Yes. New Brunswick operates a stream that is aligned with the federal Express Entry system, commonly referred to as an enhanced Express Entry stream. This pathway allows successful candidates to receive a provincial nomination, which adds 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. With these additional points, candidates are typically invited to apply for permanent residence through a subsequent Express Entry draw.

3. How does the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program work?

The NBPNP generally follows a two-step application process for individuals who want to live and work permanently in the province.

Step 1:
Applicants submit a complete application with all required documents. Eligible applications may take up to three months or longer to be processed.

Step 2:
After receiving a provincial nomination, applicants must apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.

Within six months of receiving the nomination certificate, candidates must submit their permanent residence application to IRCC. Applicants, along with their family members if included, must meet all medical, security, and criminal admissibility requirements. The final decision to grant permanent residence is made by IRCC.

4. Is there a requirement to live permanently in New Brunswick after immigration?

Applicants are required to submit a settlement plan explaining their intention to live in New Brunswick and how they plan to establish themselves in the province. They must also sign a declaration confirming their intention to reside there.

However, under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, permanent residents and citizens have the right to live and work anywhere in Canada. This means that after obtaining permanent residency, individuals are free to move and settle in any province or territory within the country.

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Jeffrey James Waine

Chief Executive Officer

Blue Ocean Immigration FZCO

About Jeffrey James Waine

Jeffrey James Waine is an international immigration specialist and business executive with more than 35 years of professional experience in the field of immigration, with a primary and sustained focus on Canadian immigration law, policy, and regulatory frameworks.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Waine has provided advisory services to individuals, families, and corporate clients seeking entry to Canada through a range of immigration pathways. His work is characterized by a detailed understanding of federal programs administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), as well as Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), including entrepreneur and investment-based streams.

Canadian Immigration Practice

Mr. Waine’s practice is grounded in extensive, long-term engagement with Canadian immigration systems. His areas of focus include:

  • Federal economic immigration programs
  • Provincial nominee and entrepreneur pathways
  • Investor and business immigration structuring
  • Regulatory compliance and documentation strategy
  • Advisory services for high-net-worth individuals and cross-border investors

His professional alignment with Canada is further reflected in his appointment as Honorary Ambassador for the Province of New Brunswick, supporting regional economic engagement and international investment awareness.

Corporate and International Advisory Experience

In addition to his immigration practice, Mr. Waine is a multi-jurisdictional business executive with operational experience across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He serves as Chief Executive Officer of Blue Ocean Immigration FZCO, a UAE-based entity providing immigration and international business advisory services.

His corporate experience includes the establishment and management of entities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, enabling him to advise on matters where immigration intersects with:

  • Cross-border corporate structuring
  • International investment frameworks
  • Jurisdictional compliance and governance
  • Business establishment in Canada

This integrated perspective is particularly relevant to clients pursuing entrepreneurial or investment-based immigration pathways, where legal, commercial, and regulatory considerations must be addressed concurrently.

International Operations and Sectoral Exposure

Mr. Waine has lived and worked extensively across multiple jurisdictions over several decades, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and various countries throughout Asia and Africa. This experience provides him with a practical understanding of:

  • Comparative immigration systems
  • Cross-cultural business practices
  • Regulatory variability across jurisdictions
  • Risk and compliance considerations in international operations

In parallel with his immigration and advisory work, Mr. Waine has been involved in international media and film production initiatives. While distinct from his legal and immigration advisory activities, these engagements further demonstrate his capability in managing complex, multi-jurisdictional projects and partnerships.

Professional Background and Approach

Mr. Waine’s earlier career includes military service as an officer with operational experience in multiple international environments. This background has informed a professional approach defined by:

  • Structured analysis and strategic planning
  • Risk identification and mitigation
  • Operational discipline
  • Cross-border coordination

His immigration advisory work reflects these principles, with an emphasis on accuracy, compliance, and procedural integrity.

Client-Focused Advisory

Mr. Waine adopts a methodical and client-specific approach to immigration matters. Each case is assessed on its individual merits, with careful consideration given to the applicable legal framework, evidentiary requirements, and long-term objectives of the client.

Particular emphasis is placed on:

  • Compliance with Canadian federal and provincial regulations
  • Transparent and well-documented application strategies
  • Alignment between immigration objectives and business or investment activities
  • Risk mitigation throughout the application process

Professional Commitment

With more than three decades of experience—principally dedicated to Canadian immigration—Mr. Waine offers a depth of knowledge and practical insight developed through sustained international practice.

His objective is to provide clients with clear, legally grounded, and strategically structured pathways to Canada, supported by rigorous analysis and a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory environment.

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