New Brunswick Holds Three Immigration Draws, Issues Over 500 Invitations to Apply
Between October 6 and 9, 2025, the province of New Brunswick conducted three rounds of draws under its Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP), issuing more than 500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination.
The draws were held across two main immigration streams:
- NB Express Entry Stream: For candidates currently employed in the province;
- Skilled Worker Stream: Targeting key sectors such as healthcare, education, and construction.
The provincial government confirmed that all draws shared the same application deadline of October 5 at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST). However, it noted that not all applications submitted for these draws would be processed within 2025. No minimum scores were announced for any of the draws.
NB Express Entry Stream: For Candidates Employed in New Brunswick
- Draw Dates: October 8–9
- Pathway: Employment in New Brunswick
- Invitations Issued: 221
- Sectors Covered: All sectors
This stream targets skilled foreign nationals already employed full-time in New Brunswick. To qualify, candidates must:
- Hold a full-time, non-seasonal position in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation;
- Have at least 12 months of full-time work experience in a TEER 0–3 role within the province;
- Have lived in New Brunswick for at least 12 months prior to applying.
Skilled Worker Stream: Healthcare and Education Lead the Way
The Skilled Worker Stream featured two major sub-categories in these draws:
1. New Brunswick Experience
- Draw Dates: October 6–7
- Invitations Issued: 91
- Key Sector: Healthcare
- Requirements: At least six months of full-time work experience with the supporting employer; Must have lived in the province for at least six months prior to submitting an Expression of Interest.
2. New Brunswick Graduates
- Draw Dates: October 6–7
- Invitations Issued: 210
- Key Sectors: Healthcare, education and community services, construction
- Note: This draw did not include NOC 75101 – Material Handlers.
- Requirements: The job offer must result directly from a recruitment mission organized by the Government of New Brunswick; The position must fall under priority NOC codes; Candidates must have at least one year of paid work experience related to the position.
2025 Progress: 3,589 Invitations Issued So Far
As of this latest round, New Brunswick has issued 3,589 invitations to apply for provincial nomination in 2025.
Initially, the province was allocated 1,500 nomination spots for the year, but successfully negotiated an additional 1,500 in June, bringing the total to 3,000.
Because some candidates decline, withdraw, or fail to meet program requirements, the number of invitations typically exceeds the final number of nominations issued.
Moreover, due to processing timelines for both provincial nominations and permanent residence (PR) applications, invitations issued in a given year often contribute to PR landings in the following year.
Next Steps
Candidates who receive an invitation can submit a formal application to the provincial government. Once approved, the province will issue a nomination certificate, which allows the candidate to apply to the federal government for permanent residence (PR).
Summary
New Brunswick’s recent series of draws underscores the province’s ongoing efforts to attract skilled foreign nationals with local work experience and in-demand expertise.
By prioritizing sectors such as healthcare, education, and construction, the province aims to address labor shortages and strengthen its communities through targeted immigration initiatives designed to support sustainable, long-term economic growth.
Friendly reminder: There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada. We recommend first using UNA AI to generate an objective and neutral immigration plan, so you can gain an initial understanding of the possible immigration pathways and their requirements, and then choose to proceed with one-on-one consultations with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant partnered with UNA.
Eight Immigration Changes Take Effect in Canada as of April 1, 2026
Between March 31 and April 1, 2026, the Canadian federal and provincial governments rolled out eight immigration-related changes affecting a wide range of applicants and residents. Canadian passport fees have risen for the first time since 2013, with a 10-year adult passport now costing $163.50, up from $160. At the same time, a new "30 days or free" processing guarantee promises automatic full refunds when applications exceed the 30-business-day window. The right of citizenship fee increased by $3.25 to $123, and permanent residence application fees are set to rise on April 30. The Super Visa program now offers two additional ways for hosts to meet the minimum income threshold, giving more families the chance to bring parents and grandparents to Canada. Provinces and territories have gained greater authority over assessing nominees' intent to reside and economic establishment prospects. Economic-class permanent residents now face a six-year time limit on access to federally funded settlement services, tightening to five years in 2027. Rural employers can hire low-wage temporary foreign workers at up to 15% of their workforce under the TFWP, up from 10%. Saskatchewan has also extended its $500 application fee and $250 second review fee to all SINP worker categories.
04/04/2026
Canada Issues 3,000 Invitations in First Express Entry Trades Draw of 2026
On April 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the year's first category-based Express Entry draw targeting Trades Occupations, issuing 3,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 477. The draw marks a significant milestone as the first Trades selection since IRCC raised the minimum work experience requirement from six months to one year in February 2026, and represents the twentieth Express Entry draw of the year. Notably, the 3,000 ITAs issued in this single draw already exceed the 1,250 total issued under the Trades category throughout all of 2025, underscoring IRCC's growing emphasis on skilled tradespeople. With 58,830 ITAs issued across all categories in 2026 so far, the Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency categories continue to account for the largest share.
04/03/2026
IRCC Wraps Up March with 2,250 Invitations in Canadian Experience Class Draw
On March 31, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) closed out the month with an Express Entry draw targeting Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, issuing 2,250 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence at a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 509. This marked the 19th Express Entry draw of 2026 and the sixth dedicated CEC round this year. With 55,830 ITAs issued across the first three months of the year — 30,250 of which went to CEC candidates alone — the federal government's strategy of prioritizing immigration applicants already living and working in Canada has come into sharp focus.
04/01/2026
Canada Issues Hundreds of Express Entry Invitations to Provincial Nominees
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 356 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in the 18th Express Entry draw of 2026. Candidates in this draw were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 802 and to have created their Express Entry profile before 3:54 a.m. UTC on February 12, 2026. So far in 2026, IRCC has focused its draws primarily on candidates residing in Canada, especially those with provincial nominations and Canadian work experience. A total of 53,580 ITAs have been issued to date.
03/31/2026
Manitoba Invites More Skilled Workers on March 26, with Francophone Community Initiative Taking Centre Stage
The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) held a new selection round on March 26, 2026, issuing 14 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) under the Skilled Worker Stream to candidates in Manitoba and overseas. Those invited had declared in their Expression of Interest (EOI) profiles that they had been directly invited by the province through a strategic recruitment initiative. Among the various initiatives, the Francophone Community initiative accounted for the highest number of invitations, with eight LAAs issued. In addition, three invitees declared valid Express Entry profile numbers and job seeker validation codes.
03/30/2026
Canada’s Bill C-12 Comes into Force, Tightening Rules on Immigration Application Management, Asylum Eligibility, and Information Sharing
Canada’s federal government has officially enacted the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act (Bill C-12) after it received royal assent on March 26, 2026. According to publicly available information from the Canadian government and Parliament, the legislation introduces major changes in four core areas: asylum eligibility, asylum procedures, the immigration department’s information-sharing powers, and public-interest authority over visas, study permits, work permits, and related immigration applications. The new law also imposes stricter asylum eligibility rules and requires that related executive orders be reported to Parliament, while some of its long-term effects will be subject to future parliamentary review.
03/28/2026
Ontario issues over 1,100 provincial nomination invitations on March 25, targeting foreign workers, international graduates, and in-demand professionals
On March 25, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held five targeted invitation rounds, issuing a total of 1,112 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates currently in Canada who hold valid work or study permits and have qualifying job offers from eligible employers. The invitations covered the Foreign Worker, International Student, and In-Demand Skills categories under the Employer Job Offer streams, across the Greater Toronto Area, Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario (excluding the GTA), Eastern Ontario, and Northern Ontario. At the same time, Ontario is moving ahead with a major restructuring of its provincial nomination system, with several existing categories expected to be repealed on May 30, 2026, when legislative changes come into force and new consolidated streams are introduced.
03/27/2026
Canada Expands Open Work Permit Eligibility for Spouses of Foreign Workers at Two B.C. Companies
Canada has further expanded work permit access for family members of foreign workers employed by selected companies. As of March 23, 2026, foreign workers employed in British Columbia by Lululemon Athletica or Microsoft Vancouver can support an open work permit application for their spouse or common-law partner, without the usual restrictions based on the principal applicant’s skill level, salary, or seniority. The new measure applies to applications received on or after that date and represents a targeted exemption for companies tied to significant investment projects, even as Canada continues tightening spousal open work permit rules more broadly.
03/25/2026
Canada Welcomed 393,750 New Permanent Residents in 2025, as Immigration Policy Entered a Phase of Slower and More Stable Growth
Canada welcomed 393,750 new permanent residents in 2025, down from 483,655 in 2024 and 471,820 in 2023, indicating that federal immigration policy has moved away from the high-growth post-pandemic phase toward a period more focused on sustainability and system capacity. Under the government’s existing plan, the 2025 total came very close to the annual target of 395,000. Looking ahead, Canada also plans to stabilize permanent resident targets at 380,000 per year from 2026 to 2028. At the same time, compared with the moderate reduction in permanent immigration, temporary resident numbers are set to decline more sharply, reflecting Ottawa’s attempt to strike a new balance among labour market needs, housing pressures, pressure on public services, and the pace of population growth.
03/24/2026
Alberta Holds Six Immigration Draws in Three Weeks, Targeting Rural, Healthcare, and Tech Candidates
Over the past three weeks, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) announced results from six provincial immigration draws held between February 26 and March 16, 2026. A total of 1,447 invitations were issued across several streams and pathways, including the Alberta Opportunity Stream, Rural Renewal Stream, Alberta Express Entry Priority Sectors pathway for healthcare, the Accelerated Tech pathway, and the Dedicated Health Care Pathway outside Express Entry. The latest round of draws shows Alberta is continuing to prioritize rural labour shortages, healthcare staffing needs, and the attraction of technology talent in 2026. As of March 17, Alberta had received 6,403 nomination spaces for the year, of which 1,127 had already been used, leaving 5,276 spots remaining.
03/23/2026
