NEW BRUNSWICK PAUSES PR PATHWAYS
Immigration law
11 Dec
New Brunswick has announced that it will no longer be
accepting or processing Employer Expressions of Interest (EOIs) through the
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
The Atlantic
Immigration Program provided permanent residency to skilled workers who wish to
settle in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, or Prince
Edward Island in Early 2023.
Candidates who
have received an employer Invitation to Apply (ITA) can still proceed with
submitting their Employer Designation application AND New Brunswick will
still process applications from candidates who have submitted complete Employer
Designation applications. Additionally, candidates who have received an
employer Invitation to Apply (ITA) can still proceed with submitting their
Employer Designation application.
The province has
advised candidates to regularly check their website for any updates or changes
– because who doesn’t love a little suspense in their day?
But as of November
15, the following pathways have been temporarily suspended:
·
The New Brunswick Atlantic Immigration Program
·
The New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate
Pilot
·
The Exploratory Visit Connection under the New
Brunswick Strategic Initiative.
Candidates still
eager to apply can check out Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince
Edward Island, where the AIP (Atlantic Immigration Program) is still up and
running as you might want to settle in a place with scenic views and a job
opportunity.
The AIP is an
immigration route for skilled workers aiming to settle in Atlantic Canada. To
qualify, a foreign national must have a job offer from a designated employer in
the region.
New Brunswick
has temporarily halted, maybe till the end of this year, the issuance of new
nomination certificates under this pilot. However, candidates who receive an
ITA can still submit their complete nomination application.
Applicants who
miss the 90-day eligibility window once nominations resume in January will be
out of luck for this pilot stream. They’ll need to explore other pathways because
as they say, there are plenty of fish in the immigration sea.
The New
Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot Program is designed for
international graduates of select one- and two-year programs that lead to
careers in high-demand fields like education, social development, IT,
cybersecurity, business administration, supply chain and logistics, and health.
It is available to graduates from specific private career colleges in New
Brunswick who are not eligible for the federal Post Graduation Work Permit
(PGWP).
Until further
notice, the province has announced that the Exploratory Visit connection under
the initiative is on pause, and no new ITAs will be issued-looks like the
"exploring" will have to wait for now.
Expressions of Interest [EOI is a statement
by a company or investor of their intention to compete for an opportunity to do
a job or become involved in a business] submitted before March 12, 2024, will
not be considered. However, EOIs already in the system remain valid for 365
days from the submission date, meaning they will still be reviewed if the
stream reopens within that period.
The Exploratory
Visit connection is for people outside Canada. It asks them to visit the
province in person within 12 months of submitting their EOI.
The New
Brunswick Strategic Initiative is for people who speak French and want to move
to the province. It helps French-speaking individuals find work and settle in
New Brunswick. The goal is to grow the number of French speakers in the
province and support French-language services.
The Exploratory
Visit connection is for people outside Canada. It requires them to visit the
province in person within 12 months of submitting an EOI – think of it as a
work-related vacation. The visit must last at least five full business days for
research, and candidates will need to submit a report about their adventures.
So, pack your bags and start researching-there’s work to be done.
Candidates who want to settle in New Brunswick can still apply if they
meet one of these two conditions:
· They have a job, or a genuine job offer from a New
Brunswick employer.
· They meet one of the following criteria:
>> Completed a program at Université de Moncton or Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) in the last 6 months.
>> Lived in New
Brunswick for 12 months and worked remotely for the same Canadian company
(outside Quebec) for 12 months.
>> Received a
letter of interest from a New Brunswick Immigration
Officer.
The province
says it has already handed out all the ITAs it can for candidates in this
stream-talk about reaching the "full quota" early. As for 2024, New
Brunswick is keeping its allocation numbers under wraps for now, so we’ll have
to wait and see.