Skilled immigrants seeking a path to Canadian citizenship have shown considerable interest in the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Program (NBCWP) since its introduction in November 2022.
Immigration is one of the goals of this program, which is a collaboration between the federal and provincial governments in New Brunswick. A variety of sectors and industries are represented by six firms participating in the NB PNP – (New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program):
- McCain Foods
- Cooke Aquaculture Inc.
- J.D. Irving Ltd.
- Groupe Savoie Inc.
- Imperial Manufacturing
- Groupe Westco
As recently as 2013, the government of New Brunswick stated that these firms were selected because they have established excellent immigrant recruitment strategies and have established requisite settlement programs. Regular evaluations will be conducted during the five-year experiment.
Critical Worker Program – What sets it apart from other programs?
Candidates who qualify for the NBCWP will also receive additional settlement assistance, while the NB PNP targets economic immigrants. For candidates to receive this support, participation firms must demonstrate they can provide the following:
- Settlement plans that support candidates in successfully settling into new work environments. And communities, along with a strong commitment to long-term retention.
- Planning a comprehensive human resources strategy for attracting and hiring skilled international talent, and improving employee skills at work.
- Training candidates in foreign languages for up to 200 hours, as necessary.
- Assist candidates who are interested in obtaining a Canadian secondary education equivalent.
Critical Worker Program – Eligibility of this program
To be eligible for the program, candidates must have a legitimate work offer from an employer in the province and be able to prove their intention to live there.
It is necessary for the compensation in the job offer to be comparable with the wage rates in New Brunswick. A job offer’s salary must meet the following requirements:
- Workers’ wages must be comparable to those paid in New Brunswick for equivalent jobs with similar experience and training.
- Make sure your wages are in accordance with your employer’s compensation structure.
Participants are required to apply directly to one of the program employers instead of going through the provincial government.
How large is the program?
It is estimated that 10% of the overall Provincial Nominee Program will go towards the trial program. ONB – (Opportunities New Brunswick) spokeswoman said that the early success of the program might lead to the program reaching over 300 applicants and their families in 2023.
Since the program is still relatively new, ONB reports that the government is closely monitoring the results. Indicative numbers cannot be provided at this time because it is still too early.
Currently, other employers are not expected to be included in the program. Because the pilot’s scope is still limited, it cannot be made accessible to a larger audience, according to ONB.
Participants in the Critical Worker Pilot have shown great enthusiasm for the program, despite a learning curve for everyone.
New Brunswick immigration
Continuing to attract highly qualified immigrants to the province is one of the main objectives of the pilot.
A number of immigration streams have been successfully piloted by New Brunswick in the past, including the AIPP – (Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program) and the NB Strategic Initiative stream. In the same way as those earlier pilots, we see the Critical Worker Pilot as an opportunity to experiment with new immigration strategies, monitor the results in a controlled way that allows us to make adjustments as needed, learn from these efforts, and build on our achievements.
In recent years, New Brunswick has seen an increase in its population due to immigration. During the fourth quarter of 2022, immigration increased the population of New Brunswick by 4,219, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. An increase of 116.8% was observed over the same period in 2021.
A 67% increase in federal funds for immigration was also announced by the province in April. A provincial economic immigration program will be available in 2023 for 5,500 slots through the NB PNP and the Atlantic Immigration Program.
