Maple News reports that the province of New Brunswick has temporarily paused several of its immigration pathways, effective November 15, 2024, after reaching its annual allocation of candidate nominations. The impacted streams include:
– The New Brunswick Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP),
– The New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot,
– The Exploratory Visit connection under the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative.
These suspensions are scheduled to last until the end of the year, and align with the province’s management of its annual federal nomination limits. The province has encouraged applicants to continue monitoring its official immigration portal for future updates or reopening announcements.
Under the temporarily closed New Brunswick Atlantic Immigration Program, the province is no longer accepting or processing Employer Expressions of Interest (EOIs). However, candidates who already have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from an employer may still proceed with submitting their Employer Designation application. Additionally, applications that were fully submitted before the pause will continue to be processed.
The Atlantic Immigration Program is a fast-track permanent residence pathway aimed at skilled workers and international graduates with a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada. While New Brunswick has paused its stream, other Atlantic provinces—including Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island—are continuing to operate their respective AIP streams.
The New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot is also suspended until year’s end. This stream allows recent international graduates from designated private institutions in New Brunswick to apply for permanent residency if they meet certain criteria, including a valid job offer.
These program pauses are not uncommon, particularly near year-end, when provinces often reassess their nomination space in collaboration with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Candidates interested in New Brunswick may use this time to prepare documentation, explore alternative provincial nominee programs (PNPs), or evaluate other national immigration options such as Express Entry.
Maple News will continue to provide updates as further details emerge and as New Brunswick provides more clarity on program reopenings in 2025.