New Brunswick overhauls provincial immigration pathways, i.e., the Government of New Brunswick has made several important changes to its provincial immigration programs. These include limits on certain occupations, a new system for reviewing applications, and the extension of one pilot program.
These changes affect both in-Canada and overseas applicants under the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the New Brunswick Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
Key Changes Effective February 3, 2026
As of February 3, 2026, New Brunswick will:
- No longer consider Expressions of Interest (EOIs) or issue invitations under the NBPNP for individuals working in the accommodation and food services sector under its Express Entry and Skilled Worker streams.
- No longer consider EOIs or issue invitations to individuals working in 14 specific occupations under the Skilled Worker Stream, including cashiers and fish and seafood plant workers.
- No longer consider EOIs or issue invitations to individuals working in four specific occupations under the Express Entry Stream, including retail sales supervisors and retail and wholesale butchers.
- No longer accept endorsement applications for individuals working in the accommodation and food services sector under the NB AIP.
- No longer accept endorsement applications for eight specific occupations under the NB AIP, including shippers and receivers and retail and wholesale buyers.
- Move to a candidate pool system for AIP endorsement applications.
- Temporarily restrict new employer designation applications under the AIP.
- Limit endorsement applications for positions offered to overseas candidates in three sectors.
- Extend the Private Career College Graduate Pilot until the end of 2026 for certain international students.
New Brunswick shared these changes on its official website on February 3.
Updates To The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
The NBPNP will stop accepting new EOIs or issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for individuals working in the accommodation and food services sector (NAICS 72) under the:
- New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream; and
- New Brunswick Express Entry Stream.
Examples Of NOCs No Longer Eligible Under The Skilled Worker Stream
The NBPNP has listed the following occupations as no longer eligible for EOIs or ITAs under NAICS 72 for the Skilled Worker Stream. This list is not complete.
- NOC 60030 – Restaurant and food service managers
- NOC 62020 – Food service supervisors
- NOC 62021– Executive housekeepers
- NOC 62024 – Cleaning supervisors
- NOC 62200 – Chefs
- NOC 63200 – Cooks
- NOC 63202 – Bakers
- NOC 64300 – Maîtres d’hôtel and hosts/hostesses
- NOC 64301– Bartenders
- NOC 64314 – Hotel front desk clerks
- NOC 65200 – Food and beverage servers
- NOC 65201– Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related occupations
- NOC 65310 – Light duty cleaners
Examples Of NOCs No Longer Eligible Under The Express Entry Stream
The NBPNP has also listed the following occupations as no longer eligible for EOIs or ITAs under NAICS 72 for the Express Entry Stream. This list is not complete.
- NOC 60030 – Restaurant and food service managers
- NOC 62020 – Food service supervisors
- NOC 62021– Executive housekeepers
- NOC 62024 – Cleaning supervisors
- NOC 62200 – Chefs
- NOC 63200 – Cooks
- NOC 63202 – Bakers
The Government of New Brunswick notes that individuals working in these jobs may still submit an EOI if their employer is not directly part of the accommodation and food services sector (NAICS 72).
Additional Occupations No Longer Eligible, Regardless Of Sector
Beyond limits on accommodation and food services jobs, the following occupations will no longer be considered for EOIs or ITAs under the NBPNP, no matter the industry.
| Occupation | NOC Code |
| *Butchers – retail and wholesale | 63201 |
| Cashiers | 65100 |
| Fish and seafood plant workers | 94142 |
| Labourers in fish and seafood processing | 95107 |
| Labourers in food and beverage processing | 95106 |
| Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale | 65202 |
| Other customer and information services representatives | 64409 |
| *Retail and wholesale buyers | 62101 |
| *Retail and wholesale trade managers | 60020 |
| *Retail sales supervisors | 62010 |
| Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 64100 |
| Service station attendants | 65101 |
| Shippers and receivers | 14400 |
| Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | 65102 |
Note: *Under the Express Entry stream, only these occupations are facing restrictions (beyond the NAICS 72 limits listed above).
Extension Of The Private Career College Graduate Pilot
The NBPNP is extending the Private Career College Graduate Pilot until the end of 2026. This extension will apply in a limited way and only to international students already enrolled in eligible programs at a New Brunswick campus of Oulton College or Eastern College, whose programs extend beyond the pilot’s original end date.
This pilot was first launched in September 2022 as a three-year program. After its final closure, the NBPNP will no longer issue nominations through this pilot.
Eligible programs at each college:
Oulton College
- Education and Social Development
- Early childhood education / educational assistant
- Child and youth care
- Human services counsellor
- Health
- Medical office administration
- Medical laboratory assistant
- Medical laboratory technology
- Practical nurse
- Primary care paramedic
Eastern College
- Education and Social Development
- Child and youth care with addictions support worker
- Early childhood education.
- Health
- Medical administrative specialist
- Personal support worker
Updates To New Brunswick’s Atlantic Immigration Program
As of February 3, New Brunswick is moving its AIP to a candidate pool system for endorsement applications submitted by designated employers.
The province is also temporarily stopping new employer designation applications. This pause will allow the province to review current designated employers, reassess program goals, and make sure the program supports provincial economic needs.
At this time, endorsement applications for job offers made to foreign nationals living outside Canada are limited to New Brunswick-led recruitment in the following sectors:
- Healthcare
- Education
- Construction trades
As with the NBPNP, New Brunswick has stated it will not consider endorsement applications under the AIP for accommodation and food services jobs. However, designated employers not directly in this sector (NAICS 72) may still submit applications.
Examples Of NOCs Being Restricted Under The AIP
- NOC 60030 – Restaurant and food service manager
- NOC 62020 – Food service supervisors
- NOC 62021– Executive housekeepers
- NOC 62024 – Cleaning supervisors
- NOC 62200 – Chefs
- NOC 63200 – Cooks
- NOC 63202 – Bakers
- NOC 64300 – Maîtres d’hôtel and hosts/hostesses
- NOC 64301– Bartenders
- NOC 64314 – Hotel front desk clerks
The NB AIP has also clearly stated that, no matter the sector, it will not consider endorsement applications for the following eight occupations.
| Occupation | NOC Code |
| Butchers – retail and wholesale | 63201 |
| Fish and seafood plant workers | 94142 |
| Retail and wholesale trade managers | 60020 |
| Retail sales supervisors | 62010 |
| Retail and wholesale buyers | 62101 |
| Shippers and receivers | 14400 |
| Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 64100 |
| Other customer and information services representatives | 64409 |
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