New Brunswick Issues 750 Immigration Invitations Across Four Programs in a Single Week

Key Takeaways

• New Brunswick issued 750 invitations across five selection rounds between July 16 and July 22, 2026.
• Invitations were split among the Skilled Worker Stream (267), the Strategic Initiative Stream (254), the Express Entry Stream (115), and the Atlantic Immigration Program (114).
• Health care occupations were represented in every single round, while a July 22 Atlantic Immigration Program draw ranked as the province's third-largest AIP-specific draw of 2026.

Over the course of a single week, New Brunswick's immigration authorities ran five separate selection rounds, inviting a combined 750 candidates into the province's economic immigration pipeline. The invitations were distributed through two distinct channels: three streams of the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the federally administered Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

Successful NBPNP candidates can move forward with a provincial nomination application, a step that feeds directly into their bid for Canadian permanent residence. Those selected through the AIP instead receive a certificate of endorsement, which they use to apply to the federal government for permanent residence under that program.

Breaking Down the Five Rounds

A common thread ran through all five selections: health care workers appeared as a targeted occupational category in every round, regardless of stream. Beyond that, the mix of eligible occupations shifted from one pathway to the next.

Skilled Worker Stream: 267 Invitations

New Brunswick ran two selection rounds under the Skilled Worker Stream between July 16 and July 18, drawing from all three pathways this stream offers.

The first round used a cut-off no later than 11:59 p.m. AST on July 15, 2026, while the second round's cut-off was 11:59 p.m. AST on July 17, 2026.

The New Brunswick Experience pathway is designed for people already living and working in the province, provided they've held full-time employment with an eligible employer for a minimum of six months. The New Brunswick Priorities pathway targets foreign nationals who secured a full-time job offer through a provincial recruitment mission, in a role tied to a priority NOC code, and who bring at least a year of relevant experience. The New Brunswick Graduates pathway is reserved for international graduates of a New Brunswick post-secondary program eligible for a post-graduation work permit, who are either already working full-time for an eligible employer in the province or have accepted such an offer.

Strategic Initiative Stream: 254 Invitations

A single round under the Strategic Initiative Stream took place on July 16, drawing on two of its three available pathways.

This round's cut-off was set at 11:59 p.m. AST on July 15, 2026.

The Francophone Workers in New Brunswick pathway is open to French-speaking foreign nationals working full-time for an eligible employer in the province (or holding such an offer), who have either resided in New Brunswick for at least six months or obtained their job offer through a dedicated recruitment mission. The New Brunswick Francophone Priorities pathway is aimed at French speakers with a demonstrated priority connection to the province — including francophone graduates of eligible New Brunswick post-secondary programs lasting a year or more, as well as candidates directly invited by Immigration New Brunswick.

Express Entry Stream: 115 Invitations

The July 16 Express Entry round produced the smallest invitation count of the five draws in this series, drawing from one of two available pathways.

The cut-off for this round was 11:59 p.m. AST on July 15, 2026.

The Employment in New Brunswick pathway is built for Express Entry candidates who have lived in the province for at least 12 months while working full-time for a New Brunswick employer, throughout that period, in a TEER 0–3 occupation.

Atlantic Immigration Program: 114 Invitations

On July 22, New Brunswick issued invitations across a broad range of occupations under the federal Atlantic Immigration Program — its third-largest AIP-specific draw of 2026 so far.

This draw's cut-off was 11:59 p.m. AST on July 21, 2026.

The Atlantic Immigration Program offers an employer-driven route to permanent residence for foreign nationals holding a qualifying job offer from a designated employer in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island. Employers' job offers must be endorsed by the province in which they operate, and candidates must still satisfy the program's requirements for language proficiency, work experience, education, and proof of settlement funds.

What This Means for Applicants

The scale and spread of this week's activity — 750 invitations across four distinct programs in a matter of days — signals that New Brunswick continues to lean heavily on both its own provincial nomination tools and the federal Atlantic Immigration Program to fill labour gaps. The consistent presence of health care occupations across every round underscores how central that sector remains to the province's economic immigration priorities. Candidates in construction, manufacturing, and professional/IT occupations should also take note, since these categories appeared repeatedly across multiple streams. Anyone with ties to New Brunswick — whether through current employment, French-language skills, a recent graduation, or a job offer from a designated employer — should review the specific eligibility criteria for each pathway closely, since selection criteria and cut-off timing can shift from one round to the next.