New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream

The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream is for French-speaking foreign nationals with the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to New Brunswick’s economy, and who are ready to live and work in New Brunswick permanently. 

Candidates must meet the program’s eligibility requirements to receive an invitation to apply.

Before you create your profile in INB, read the “Getting Started” section below carefully.

If you have submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) before March 12, 2024, please withdraw it and create a new one. Any EOI submitted prior to this date will not be taken into consideration.

Step 1: Be Permanent Residence (PR) Ready.

Step 2: Create an Expression of Interest (EOI).

Step 3: Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Step 4: Submit an application to the Government of New Brunswick.

Step 5: Receive a decision from the Government of New Brunswick.

Step 6: Submit your federal application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Step 7: Receive a decision from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

1. Meet one of the three connections below:

• An in-person exploratory visit to New Brunswick conducted within 12 months before submitting an EOI.
  • This connection is only for candidates who will be coming from outside of Canada. If you are or have been a temporary resident in a Canadian province other than New Brunswick within the past 5 years, you do not qualify for this connection.
  • Please also note that completing an exploratory visit DOES NOT guarantee an invitation to apply.
  • Priority selection will based on the New Brunswick labor market and family connections in the province.
  • For more information, please refer to the exploratory visit section in the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Guide.
• job or genuine job offer with a New Brunswick employer; or
• One of the New Brunswick priorities below:
  • 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

*** If you are a NB graduate and you are applying without a job or a job offer, you are required to contact your local WorkingNB Office to learn about the job opportunities available in the province. 

For more information about the connections above, please refer to the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Guide

2. Be Permanent Residence (PR) Ready when applying to any of New Brunswick’s immigration streams. That means you:

• Meet all minimum eligibility requirements and selection factors.
• Have all the required documents on hand to prepare and submit a complete and correct application to the Government of New Brunswick and to the Government of Canada.

Being PR Ready means more efficient processing, fewer delays, and a better experience navigating the New Brunswick and Canadian immigration programs. To make sure you are PR Ready, please visit our first steps page to learn about what you need to know before applying for Immigration Program Streams.

Guides

• NB Strategic Initiative Stream Guide
• NB Provincial Nominee Program: Post-Nomination Guide

INB Information

• INB Portal
• INB User Guide for Applicants
• INB User Guide for Representatives

If you experience or notice any technical issues with INB, please contact [email protected]

1. Read Our Guide

The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Guide provides comprehensive information on the program. Please read it carefully before applying. Topics covered include eligibility requirements, selection factors, the application process, and other important information.

2. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)

If you are PR Ready and meet the eligibility criteria, you can create a candidate profile and complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the province through the INB Portal.

Upon successful completion of your EOI, your application will be placed in a pool of candidates. Candidates will be selected from this pool and invited to apply based on immigration allocations, application volumes, and New Brunswick labour market needs.

3. Receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

If you are selected, you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in your INB account. You will need to show proof of the information submitted in your profile. You are required to submit a complete electronic application within 45 calendar days of being issued an ITA.

4. Complete Your Electronic Application

The application and all supporting documents must be submitted electronically through your INB account. All documents must be provided as PDF files. You will have to scan paper documents into PDF files and convert. Make sure your application is complete and includes all mandatory forms and documents.

Submitting an application and meeting the eligibility requirements for the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream does NOT guarantee a nomination. The Government of New Brunswick reserves the right to change criteria and/or pause streams. 

5. Pay the Processing Fee

Before submitting your complete application, you must pay your fees through your online account. Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children are included in the processing fee. Processing fees are non-refundable. The Canadian $250 processing fee is payable by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, INTERAC Online or Visa/Debit.

6. Wait for a Decision

Your application will be assessed according to eligibility requirements and selection factors. The government of New Brunswick will advise you of the final decision in writing and upload that decision to your online profile’s dashboard. The decision to issue a nomination certificate will be at the sole discretion of the government of New Brunswick. If you are nominated you can apply directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR). Remember, you must maintain the conditions of your nomination while you are awaiting a decision on your permanent residence (PR) application.

Forms to Submit with Your Online Application

• NBPNP-004 Employer Information Form (If applicable)
• PCNB-IS 002 Plan d’établissement (required)
• NB-005 Consent and Declaration (Required)
• NB-007 Use of Representative (If applicable)
• NB-025 INB Enrolment Form for Authorized Representatives (If applicable)
• NB-008 Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (If applicable)
• NB-009 Declaration Non-accompanying Parent/Guardian for Minors Immigrating to Canada (If applicable)

*** NB Grads who cannot provide the NBPNP-004 form can upload an explanation letter in the same section with the reason why it can’t be provided.

If you are granted a nomination by the Government of New Brunswick, you are required to apply directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR). Remember, you must maintain the conditions of your nomination while you are awaiting a decision on your PR application. The nomination certificate will be valid for six months from the date of issuance and is considered valid if you submit a complete application for PR before the expiry date on the nomination certificate.

For more information on how to apply for permanent residency, visit immigrate as a provincial nominee (non-Express Entry process).

Other Forms

• NB-011 Request to withdraw your application (If applicable)
• NB-21 Post-Nomination Request Form (as needed)