New Brunswick Updates Immigration Rules for Workers

New Brunswick Limits Invitations for Some Workers in 2026

The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) has announced an important update for people applying through its Skilled Worker Stream. Starting from May 4, 2026, the province will only send Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates working in certain sectors under the NB Experience pathway.

Here’s a simple breakdown of what this means.

New Brunswick Will Focus on Three Sectors Only

From now on, New Brunswick will only issue new ITAs to candidates working in:

• Healthcare
• Education
• Construction trades

In other words, people working in these sectors will continue to have better chances of receiving invitations under the NB Experience pathway.

However, candidates working in other occupations may not receive invitations “until further notice.”

Why Has New Brunswick Made This Change?

According to the province, the main reason is the limited number of nomination spaces available for 2026.

Although the government has not officially confirmed its total nomination allocation for this year, recent estimates suggest New Brunswick may have around 3,603 nomination spots in 2026.

Because of this limited capacity, the province is now prioritizing industries facing major labour shortages.

What Can Candidates in Other Sectors Do?

If your occupation does not fall under healthcare, education, or construction trades, you may still have other options.

The Government of New Brunswick has suggested two possible steps for eligible candidates:

1. Withdraw Your Current EOI and Apply Under Another Stream

If you qualify for another immigration stream or program, you can:

• Withdraw your existing Expression of Interest (EOI)
• Submit a new EOI under another eligible stream

2. Keep Your Current EOI and Submit Another Profile

Alternatively, candidates can:

• Keep their current NBPNP EOI profile active
• Create a separate INB profile
• Submit another EOI or apply through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), if eligible

However, you must use a different email address for the new profile.

This Is Not the First Major Change in 2026

Interestingly, this update comes only four months after New Brunswick introduced several major immigration changes in February 2026.

At that time, the province stopped accepting new EOIs and issuing ITAs for people working in the accommodation and food services sector under:

• Skilled Worker Stream
• Express Entry Stream

This included businesses and jobs related to hotels, restaurants, and food services.

Several Occupations Were Also Made Ineligible

Additionally, New Brunswick removed eligibility for multiple National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes.

For the Skilled Worker Stream, 14 occupations became ineligible for EOIs and ITAs.

Some examples include:

• Cashiers (NOC 65100)
• Retail sales supervisors (NOC 62010)
• Service station attendants (NOC 65101)

Similarly, the Express Entry Stream also removed eligibility for four occupations.

Good News for Some International Students

At the same time, the province extended its Private Career College Graduate Pilot until the end of 2026.

However, this extension only applies to international students already enrolled in eligible programs at two approved colleges in New Brunswick.

Updates Were Also Made to the Atlantic Immigration Program

Besides the NBPNP changes, New Brunswick also introduced updates to its Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

These updates were announced alongside the February 2026 changes and are part of the province’s broader effort to better manage immigration needs and labour shortages.

Final Thoughts

New Brunswick is becoming more selective with its immigration invitations in 2026 due to limited nomination spaces.

As a result, workers in healthcare, education, and construction trades are now being prioritized. Meanwhile, candidates in other sectors may need to explore alternative streams or programs to improve their chances of immigrating to Canada.

Therefore, applicants should carefully review their eligibility and stay updated with future NBPNP announcements.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive advice on any of your questions regarding immigration. Get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Global. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).