The province of New Brunswick confirmed on 25 July 2026 that it issued a total of 750 invitations across several immigration streams between 16 and 22 July. The selections covered the Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) and the Critical Worker Pilot, with scores dipping as low as 55 on the province’s points grid for in-demand occupations such as health care aides, long-haul drivers and software testers. The volume marks a 25 % increase over the province’s June invitation round and reflects Fredericton’s commitment to meet its 2026 target of 10,000 newcomer landings—a figure now baked into the Maritime Growth Strategy. Employers in forestry, aquaculture and back-office IT say the larger draw will help them stabilise operations ahead of the fall harvest and holiday e-commerce spikes. For candidates, the takeaway is that French-language skills and Atlantic study experience remain the quickest ticket to nomination. More than one-third of this week’s invitations went to francophones, aligning with Ottawa’s push for greater regional linguistic diversity. Immigration practitioners should note that New Brunswick has shortened employer pre-screening validity to six months (down from 12), meaning companies that last filed master recruitment plans in February must reapply before making new job offers. The province has also introduced a two-business-day turnaround for endorsement letters under the AIP, provided employers submit complete settlement plans. The next draw is expected in mid-August, but officials have hinted at smaller, occupation-specific selections in the interim if labour shortages intensify.
Source: CIC News
