New Brunswick has moved ahead with 63 Atlantic Immigration Program endorsement applications, giving selected workers a chance to continue toward permanent residence in Canada. The latest round also reflects wider programme changes in the province, including broader occupation eligibility and continued limits on overseas recruitment through government-led initiatives.
New Brunswick advances 63 Atlantic Immigration Program applications
New Brunswick has selected 63 workers for further processing under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), a key regional pathway for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to settle in Atlantic Canada.
The province processed these endorsement applications through selection activity on September 25 and October 2, 2026. The candidates chosen were working in several sectors, including construction, education, sales, manufacturing, transportation, trades, and professional or IT roles.
Unlike some other Provincial Nominee Program streams, this process does not begin with invitations to apply. Instead, New Brunswick reviews applications already submitted for endorsement and decides which ones will move forward. That distinction is important for workers and employers trying to understand the province’s immigration system. For readers looking at broader Canadian immigration pathways, the AIP works differently from both Express Entry and many provincial nomination streams.
Workers whose endorsement applications are approved can then use that endorsement to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence in Canada. In practical terms, the provincial endorsement is a major milestone, because it confirms that the job offer and employer meet the programme’s regional rules.
Occupational groups included in the latest selection
The 63 selected applications came from seven broad occupational categories:
- Construction
- Education, social, and community services
- Manufacturing
- Other trades
- Professional and IT
- Sales and services
- Transportation
New Brunswick reported a cut-off date and time of September 24 and October 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic time for these processing rounds. In simple terms, eligible applications submitted before those deadlines had a chance to be included.
How the Atlantic Immigration Program works in New Brunswick
The Atlantic Immigration Program is designed to help Atlantic provinces attract and retain workers needed by local employers. For New Brunswick, this remains an important option for addressing labour shortages while supporting long-term settlement in the province.
Employer designation remains central
To qualify under the AIP, a foreign national must have a job offer from a designated employer. This means the employer has already been approved by the province to participate in the programme. Without that designation, a worker cannot normally move ahead through this stream.
That requirement makes the AIP more employer-driven than many federal programmes. By comparison, candidates in Express Entry immigration programmes are often assessed first on human capital factors such as age, education, work experience, and language test results like IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, or TCF. In many Express Entry cases, applicants also need an Educational Credential Assessment before they can claim points for foreign education. Under AIP, the employer relationship plays a much more direct role from the beginning.
What endorsement means for a worker
Once a province issues an endorsement certificate, the worker can submit a permanent residence application to IRCC. In some cases, the worker may also apply for a federal employer-specific work permit linked to the AIP. This permit can be valid for up to two years, allowing the person to keep working while the permanent residence application is being processed.
For workers already in Canada, this can be especially helpful. If they apply for the AIP work permit before their current status expires, they may be able to remain and work under maintained status while waiting for a decision. That can reduce disruption for both the worker and the employer.
Anyone comparing regional options may also want to learn more about Canadian work permits and how they connect to permanent residence planning.
What the 2026 numbers show so far
New Brunswick said this was its 10th AIP-focused selection round of 2026. As of October 2, a total of 695 applicants had been selected this year for endorsement processing.
The latest draw of 63 applications sits in the middle range when compared with earlier rounds. Some draws this year were smaller, while others moved forward with more than 100 applications at a time.
| Date of selection | Applications moved to processing |
|---|---|
| September 25 and October 2 | 63 |
| September 10 | 60 |
| August 10 and August 20 | 68 |
| July 22 | 114 |
| June 3 | 97 |
| May 1 | 50 |
| April 1 | 118 |
| March 3 to 6 | 125 |
These numbers show that New Brunswick continues to use the AIP steadily, even while adjusting its priorities. For workers considering Atlantic Canada, this is a reminder that opportunities may remain available even when federal draws or other provincial streams become more competitive.
For some applicants, AIP may be a stronger fit than federal economic immigration. Others may still prefer to follow recent Express Entry draws or review their score under the Comprehensive Ranking System. The best pathway depends on the person’s work history, language results, education, and whether they already have a Canadian employer.
Recent changes to New Brunswick’s AIP rules
New Brunswick has recently made important changes to how it handles the AIP, and these updates matter for both workers and employers.
More occupations are now eligible
As of October 14, the province expanded eligibility and began accepting endorsement applications for nearly all occupations that otherwise meet programme rules. This is a notable easing of earlier restrictions.
However, four occupations remain excluded:
- Fish and seafood plant workers (NOC 94142)
- Food service supervisors (NOC 62020)
- Restaurant and food service managers (NOC 60030)
- Shippers and receivers (NOC 14400)
This broader access could benefit employers in sectors that were previously uncertain about whether they could use the programme. It may also create new opportunities for workers already in New Brunswick who want to transition to permanent residence.
Overseas recruitment is still restricted
At the same time, New Brunswick confirmed that endorsements for foreign nationals living outside Canada remain limited to government-led recruitment efforts in three sectors only: health care, education, and construction.
That means many overseas applicants cannot simply secure a private offer and expect to move through the AIP immediately. The province is still controlling access carefully, especially for candidates abroad. This makes planning even more important for those exploring immigration to Canada process options from outside the country.
Pause on new employer designations continues
The province also confirmed earlier that its pause on accepting new employer designation applications under the AIP will stay in place for the rest of 2026. According to New Brunswick, this pause gives immigration officials time to review current designated employers and make sure programme use matches provincial economic needs.
For employers, this means existing designation status is especially valuable right now. For workers, it means job offers from already designated employers may carry more weight than ever. If you are unsure whether AIP, a provincial stream, or a federal route is best, it can help to assess your immigration options before making major decisions.
Immigration rules, occupation lists, and programme requirements can change quickly, so readers should always confirm current details with IRCC and the province, or speak with a licensed immigration professional before acting. EverNorth Immigration is here to help with experienced, compassionate support at every stage of your move to Canada, whether you are exploring employer-driven pathways or other long-term options. If you are ready to take the next step, you can book your free immigration assessment and get a professional evaluation of your options.
