Home > Permanent Residence > Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) > New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) > NBPNP - NB Strategic Initiative stream
The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative (NBSI) stream. The guide will go through an overview of the stream, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.
Overview of the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative stream
The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative (NBSI) stream is one of New Brunswick's PNP streams that does not require the candidate to hold a job offer to be eligible, but will need to have good language proficiency in French.
When receiving a nomination under the NBSI stream, candidates can then apply for Permanent Residence to the federal government of Canada. |
This stream is not aligned with Express Entry, and if nominated, a candidate cannot take advantage of the 6-month average processing times of applications under Express Entry. Processing times of Provincial Nominee Programs when not using the Express Entry system are usually longer and take at least 1 year.
The NBSI stream requires a good level of French language proficiency as its main eligibility requirements, and candidates may not need to provide proof of funds.
The NBSI stream requires a good level of French language proficiency as its main eligibility requirements, and candidates may not need to provide proof of funds.
Eligibility Requirements
There are 8 main categories of eligibility requirements that we will summarize below. You may be eligible to the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative (NBSI) stream if you satisfy to all the requirements below:
1. Age:
You must be at least 19 years old to be eligible when submitting a complete application.
2. Language proficiency:
You must demonstrate you meet the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirements for each language skill, in French, which is CLB5.
3. Education:
You are considered eligible to the stream if you have at least a Canadian secondary (high school) diploma or foreign equivalent. If the educational credential is from a foreign (non-Canadian) institution or authority, you must also submit an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) issued by an approved provider.
4. Work experience:
To be eligible to the NBSI stream, you need to have at least 1 year of full-time (1,560 hours full-time or equivalent part-time) work experience in the last 10 years. The work experience must have been accumulated for over a period of at least 12 months.
5. Intent to reside in New Brunswick:
To establish intent, you may be asked to demonstrate your attachment to New Brunswick, that may include, but are not limited to:
6. Qualifying Connection to New Brunswick:
To be considered under the NBSI stream, you must have one of the following three eligible connections:
a. An Exploratory Visit,
b. A job or genuine job offer with a New Brunswick employer, or
c. A New Brunswick Priority.
a. Exploratory Visit:
Exploratory Visits to New Brunswick must be conducted within 12 months prior to submitting an Expression of Interest for the NBSI stream, last for at least five full business days (statutory holidays and weekend are not counted), but longer trips are recommended.
The purpose of an exploratory visit is to conduct extensive research related to employment and living opportunities in New Brunswick. Suggestions for meetings may include, but are not limited to:
The Exploratory Visit Report is different from the required Settlement Plan.
It is mandatory to inform the NBPNP at least 30 days before your arrival to New Brunswick.
The NBPNP does not provide letters of support for visas or authorizations to enter Canada.
This connection is only for candidates who will be coming from outside of Canada. If you have been a temporary resident in another province in the past 5 years, you do not qualify for this connection.
b. Job or genuine job offer with a New Brunswick employer:
A New Brunswick employer has offered, and you have accepted, permanent, full time (at least 30h/week), year-round (non-seasonal) employment in an occupation in any NOC TEER Category.
The wage offered must be competitive with New Brunswick wage rates for the occupation.
If the intended job offer is in a regulated occupation, you are required to be certified or licensed by the regulatory authority for that occupation.
The NBPNP reserves the right to consider only certain types of jobs and occupations for nomination, based on New Brunswick's labour market, current inventory, yearly nomination allocations distributed by IRCC, and any other factors determined by the NBPNP.
c. New Brunswick Priorities:
On a very limited basis, the NBPNP may directly invite a candidate from the Expression of Interest (EOI) pool to submit an application based on the following New Brunswick Priorities:
7. Settlement funds:
You must show that you have sufficient funds to successfully establish yourself and your family in New Brunswick. The amount needed and types of funds accepted can be found in the settlement funds guide. You do not have to show that you have these funds (i) if you have a genuine job offer in New Brunswick, OR (ii) if you are currently working or authorized to work in New Brunswick.
8. Selection factors 100-point assessment grid:
To be eligible to the NBSI stream, you need to score a minimum of 65 points out of a 100 in the following point assessment grid.
Remember that for each factor you will be claiming points for, you will have to provide supporting documents to prove you satisfy the criteria of the factor.
1. Age:
You must be at least 19 years old to be eligible when submitting a complete application.
2. Language proficiency:
You must demonstrate you meet the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirements for each language skill, in French, which is CLB5.
3. Education:
You are considered eligible to the stream if you have at least a Canadian secondary (high school) diploma or foreign equivalent. If the educational credential is from a foreign (non-Canadian) institution or authority, you must also submit an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) issued by an approved provider.
4. Work experience:
To be eligible to the NBSI stream, you need to have at least 1 year of full-time (1,560 hours full-time or equivalent part-time) work experience in the last 10 years. The work experience must have been accumulated for over a period of at least 12 months.
5. Intent to reside in New Brunswick:
To establish intent, you may be asked to demonstrate your attachment to New Brunswick, that may include, but are not limited to:
- description of any actions taken to permanently settle in New Brunswick;
- prior or current employment/studies in New Brunswick;
- employment search details;
- community involvement;
- ability to support yourself in New Brunswick;
- family ties and other social relationships and connections;
- details of prior visits to Canada; and
- your connection to other jurisdictions in Canada.
6. Qualifying Connection to New Brunswick:
To be considered under the NBSI stream, you must have one of the following three eligible connections:
a. An Exploratory Visit,
b. A job or genuine job offer with a New Brunswick employer, or
c. A New Brunswick Priority.
a. Exploratory Visit:
Exploratory Visits to New Brunswick must be conducted within 12 months prior to submitting an Expression of Interest for the NBSI stream, last for at least five full business days (statutory holidays and weekend are not counted), but longer trips are recommended.
The purpose of an exploratory visit is to conduct extensive research related to employment and living opportunities in New Brunswick. Suggestions for meetings may include, but are not limited to:
- New Brunswick employers,
- Regulatory bodies, if you are in a regulated occupation,
- Regional economic development offices/chamber of commerce officials/municipal newcomer coordinators,
- Residential real estate agents,
- New Brunswick settlement agencies,
- Schools and childcare facilities.
The Exploratory Visit Report is different from the required Settlement Plan.
It is mandatory to inform the NBPNP at least 30 days before your arrival to New Brunswick.
The NBPNP does not provide letters of support for visas or authorizations to enter Canada.
This connection is only for candidates who will be coming from outside of Canada. If you have been a temporary resident in another province in the past 5 years, you do not qualify for this connection.
b. Job or genuine job offer with a New Brunswick employer:
A New Brunswick employer has offered, and you have accepted, permanent, full time (at least 30h/week), year-round (non-seasonal) employment in an occupation in any NOC TEER Category.
The wage offered must be competitive with New Brunswick wage rates for the occupation.
If the intended job offer is in a regulated occupation, you are required to be certified or licensed by the regulatory authority for that occupation.
The NBPNP reserves the right to consider only certain types of jobs and occupations for nomination, based on New Brunswick's labour market, current inventory, yearly nomination allocations distributed by IRCC, and any other factors determined by the NBPNP.
c. New Brunswick Priorities:
On a very limited basis, the NBPNP may directly invite a candidate from the Expression of Interest (EOI) pool to submit an application based on the following New Brunswick Priorities:
- You have completed your program of study from Université de Moncton or Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) within the last 6 months.
- You have been residing in New Brunswick for 12 months and have been working remotely for 12 months for the same Canadian company located outside of Quebec.
- You received a letter of interest from a New Brunswick Immigration Officer.
7. Settlement funds:
You must show that you have sufficient funds to successfully establish yourself and your family in New Brunswick. The amount needed and types of funds accepted can be found in the settlement funds guide. You do not have to show that you have these funds (i) if you have a genuine job offer in New Brunswick, OR (ii) if you are currently working or authorized to work in New Brunswick.
8. Selection factors 100-point assessment grid:
To be eligible to the NBSI stream, you need to score a minimum of 65 points out of a 100 in the following point assessment grid.
Remember that for each factor you will be claiming points for, you will have to provide supporting documents to prove you satisfy the criteria of the factor.
100-point assessment grid | Maximum Points |
---|---|
Factor 1 - Age | 12 |
Factor 2 - Official languages | 28 |
Factor 3 - Education | 25 |
Factor 4 - Work experience | 15 |
Factor 5 - Adaptability | 20 |
Total | 100 |
Minimum required | 65 |