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New Brunswick immigration nominations cut in half under federal program changes

by Todd Humber

New Brunswick will see a sharp reduction in its permanent resident nominations this year due to changes made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, cutting the province’s allocation by 50 per cent.

The federal government’s decision lowers New Brunswick’s permanent resident nomination allocation to 2,750 in 2025, down from 5,500 in 2024. The province will divide the nominations between the Provincial Nominee Program (1,500) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (1,250).

Jean-Claude D’Amours, New Brunswick’s acting minister of post-secondary education, training and labour, said the reduced allocation will have a direct impact on the province’s workforce and economic growth.

“The federal government’s allocation provided to New Brunswick is a significant step back from previous years,” D’Amours said. “Unfortunately, this move has forced us to make difficult decisions and we expect it will limit our ability to manage economic growth for our province and its businesses.”

He added that the province had not anticipated cuts of this magnitude. “The changes go far beyond anything we could have anticipated, and the one-size-fits-all measure fails to recognize our province’s unique status as the only officially bilingual province,” he said.

The New Brunswick government has raised its concerns with the federal government, and discussions are ongoing.

With fewer nomination spots available, the province plans to prioritize applicants in sectors facing critical labour shortages, including health care, education and construction trades. Some occupations will be restricted from participation.

“We empathize with New Brunswick businesses who may no longer be able to benefit from these programs, and we encourage them to reach out to WorkingNB to help fill job vacancies,” D’Amours said.

The province expects to open its immigration programs in the coming days. Employers and applicants are advised to monitor government program pages for updates.

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