New Brunswick limits PR pathway to key sectors, i.e., the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) confirmed that starting May 4, 2026, invitations under the NB Experience pathway of the Skilled Worker Stream will only go to candidates working in three sectors.

From now on, new invitations to apply (ITAs) will only be issued to workers in:

  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Construction trades

The province says this change will remain in place “until further notice.”

According to the provincial government, the decision was made because only a limited number of nomination spaces remain available under the stream.

Although the government has not officially shared its 2026 nomination allocation, recent estimates suggest that New Brunswick may have received around 3,603 nomination spaces this year.

At this time, the province has not explained how these nomination spots are divided among its immigration streams and pathways.

Options For Candidates Outside The Targeted Sectors

Candidates who already submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) under the Skilled Worker Stream but do not work in one of the targeted sectors may still have other options.

The Government of New Brunswick says eligible candidates may consider applying through another immigration pathway or program.

The province advises affected candidates to choose one of the following options:

  • Withdraw the current EOI and submit a new application under another stream or program; or
  • Keep the current EOI and create a separate INB profile to submit another EOI or an Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) endorsement application, if eligible.

Candidates choosing the second option must use a different email address from the one linked to their current NBPNP EOI profile.

Earlier Changes To The NBPNP

This latest update follows several major changes New Brunswick introduced earlier this year.

On February 3, the province stopped accepting new EOIs and stopped issuing invitations to workers in the accommodation and food services sector under both the Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams.

This sector falls under NAICS 72.

For the Skilled Worker Stream, the province also made 14 National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes ineligible for invitations.

These occupations came from different industries.

Some examples include:

  • 65100 – Cashiers
  • 62010 – Retail sales supervisors
  • 65101 – Service station attendants

Under the Express Entry Stream, the province also made four NOC codes ineligible for invitations and EOI consideration.

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

However, this extension only applies to international students already studying in eligible programs at two selected colleges in the province.

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