The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) has introduced new restrictions under the NB Experience pathway of its Skilled Worker Stream. Effective May 4, 2026, Invitations to Apply (ITAs) will only be issued to candidates employed in healthcare, education, and construction trades occupations until further notice.
Book Your Consultation for Canadian Immigration
According to the province, the decision was made due to the limited number of nomination spaces remaining for 2026.
Although New Brunswick has not officially announced its nomination allocation for 2026, recent estimates reported by CIC News suggest the province may have received approximately 3,603 nomination spots this year. However, the exact distribution of these spots across different streams and pathways has not been disclosed.
Options for candidates outside targeted sectors
Candidates who already submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) under the Skilled Worker Stream but work in non-targeted occupations may still explore other immigration pathways if eligible.
The Government of New Brunswick recommends one of the following options:
- Withdraw the current EOI and submit a new application under another eligible stream or program.
- Keep the existing EOI active while creating a separate INB profile to submit another EOI or an Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) endorsement application, if eligible.
Applicants choosing the second option must use a different email address from the one linked to their current NBPNP EOI profile.
Earlier NBPNP changes in 2026
These latest restrictions follow significant program updates introduced by New Brunswick earlier this year.
On February 3, 2026, the province stopped accepting new EOIs and issuing ITAs for candidates working in the accommodation and food services sector (NAICS 72) under both the Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams.
The Skilled Worker Stream also excluded 14 National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes from EOI consideration and ITA issuance across multiple sectors. Some of the affected occupations included cashiers (NOC 65100), retail sales supervisors (NOC 62010), and service station attendants (NOC 65101).
Under the Express Entry Stream, four additional NOC codes were also removed from eligibility.
At the same time, New Brunswick extended its Private Career College Graduate Pilot until the end of 2026, but only for international students already enrolled in approved programs at two designated colleges in the province.
The province also introduced several updates to its Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) alongside these changes.
