New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot

The New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot aims to address the labour requirements in certain occupations of the province. Since this is an employer-based stream, candidates cannot directly apply for it. Instead, participant employers must submit these applications.

The aim of creating this pilot program is to help employers recruit workers in specific industries that, have been in the previous years and will continue to, find it difficult to hire employees. 

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NB Critical Worker Pilot Eligibility Criteria: For Candidates

The following are the eligibility requirements under the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot for candidates: 

1. Intend to Settle in NB
2. Valid Job Offer 
3. Competitive Wage
4. Remote Work Arrangements
5. Regulated Occupations
6. PR Ready

1. Intend to Settle in NB

The candidate must have intentions to stay permanently in New Brunswick. To show their intentions for the same, the candidate may be asked to show the following:

• any action taken by themselves that shows they want to permanently settle in the province
• they are currently working in the province 
• show how long they resided in New Brunswick or for how long they have been living there currently
• show their involvement in the community
• that they can support themselves in the province
• show any of their connections to the province, including their work, or study-wise
• show any of the familial ties they have or social connections

This is not an exhaustive list. The candidate may be asked to demonstrate their intentions to live in New Brunswick in other ways as well. 

2. Valid Job Offer

The candidate must have a valid job offer from an employer in New Brunswick. The employer must be eligible. 

3. Competitive Wage

Candidate must be offered a competitive wage. The wage has to be competitive with other employees in New Brunswick in a similar position as the candidate’s. 

In case the candidate was hired at a positive LMIA, at the time of registration and application, their wage must either be equal to or greater than how it was originally in the LMIA. 

4. Remote Work Arrangements

The candidate can work remotely but the work location must be one of the approved ones, such as:

• candidate must be living in New Brunswick, as well as they must have lived in the province in the last 12 months (1 year) before submitting an application; and
• Candidate must be authorized to work for an eligible employer

Moreover, they can work full-time, part-time, or temporarily remotely. 

5. Regulated Occupations

If the candidate is working in any of the regulated occupations in New Brunswick, they must be certified or licensed for the same by a regulatory authority of the occupation. 

6. PR Ready

Any candidate applying for an immigration stream in New Brunswick must be ready to submit a Canada PR application. This means they must have all the needed documents and meet all the eligibility requirements. 

Critical Worker Pilot Eligibility Criteria: For Employers

The following are the eligibility requirements under the Critical Worker Pilot stream for employers (applicants): 

• The applicant must complete and sign the Employer Information Form (NBCWP-004). Along with the employer, the candidate must also sign this form. 

• Before the applicant submits an application for a work permit, they must pay a federal compliance fee and submit an employment offer form through the IRCC Employer Portal.

• In case the business is expanding, it should meet the additional requirements of generation of an average of $500,000 of total gross yearly revenue (in the last 2 years), and have at least three full-time employees who are Canadian PRs or citizens, working in NB.

• The employer must not misrepresent employment opportunities when recruiting foreign workers. Misrepresentation includes giving out false information about the job position, length of employment, wage rates, other benefits, and terms or conditions of the employment. If the employer is found performing such activities, they may be excluded from the list of approved employers. 

Approved Employer List

There are 6 participating employers, hiring foreign workers under the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot. These employers are:

• Cooke Aquaculture
• J.D. Irving Ltd.
• Groupe Savoie
• Groupe Westco
• Imperial Manufacturing Group
• McCain Foods, Ltd.

Selection Factors

Once the candidate meets all the eligibility criteria, their application is assessed based on their age, education, language, and other factors.

1. Age 
2. Language 
3. Language Test
4. Education
5. Work Experience

1. Age

The candidate must be between the ages of 19-55 years on the date they submit a complete application after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA). 

2. Language 

The candidate must score a minimum of CLB/NCLC level 4 in all abilities to be eligible for this stream.  

3. Language Test

The language test that the candidate will provide must be less than 2 years at the time of submitting a PR application (if they receive a provincial nomination). Moreover, it must be from one of the following approved language test organizations:

• IELTS General Training (English)
• CELPIP-General (English)
• PTE Core (English)
• TCF Canada (French)
• TEF Canada (French)

Language Proficiency Test	(minimum score) Reading	(minimum score) Writing	(minimum score) Listening	(minimum score) Speaking
IELTS General	3.5	4	4.5	4
CELPIP General	4	4	4	4
PTE Core	33	41	28	42
TEF Canada	121	181	145	181
TCF Canada	342	4	331	4

4. Education

The candidate must have at least a high school diploma or an equivalent degree and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for the same. The candidate can get an ECA from any of the following designated organizations:

• World Education Services (WES)
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
• International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)
• Comparative Education Service (CES)

5. Work Experience

As for work requirements, the candidate should have worked for at least 1,560 hours over 12 months in the last 5 years.  The work must have been paid; unpaid work won’t be counted along with work experience gained as an intern or as a co-op. 

Document Checklist

• Birth certificate
• Marriage, divorce/death certificate
• Common-law union
• Passport
• Travel documents
• Children’s information
• Language test results
• Educational Credential Assessment
• Work Experience
• Employment contract

Other Documents

• Consent and Declaration (NB-005)
• Use of Representative (NB-007)
• Affidavit of Translation
• Work permit
• Settlement Plan

NB Critical Worker Pilot Application Process

Step 1- Accept the Employment Offer

The candidate must have a valid, full-time, job offer from a New Brunswick employer. They must be eligible and willing to support the candidate throughout the immigration process. 

Step 2- Create an Expression of Interest (EOI)

On the online portal of Immigration New Brunswick (INB), the candidate must create an EOI. After creating a profile, they must make sure to keep it updated with all their past and current information. 

This is an important aspect and one that should be kept in mind because the Government of New Brunswick could even refuse your application if you fail to notify them about your life circumstances. 

Step 3- Receive Invitation to Apply (ITA) 

Since the candidate has an employment offer, they will receive an ITA. They have 45 calendar days to submit their application online. The ITA does not guarantee that the candidate will be approved for nomination. 

Step 4- Submit Application

Once the candidate submits a complete application, the provincial government will review it. The application is assessed based on all eligibility criteria and selection factors. 

In case the government of New Brunswick requires additional information to process the application, the candidate must provide it. 

Step 5- Receive a Nomination

If the government of New Brunswick approves your application, it will notify you through the online system, by issuing you a nomination certificate. The nomination package that you will receive will also include a work permit support letter. 

Step 6- Submit PR Application to IRCC

Now that you have a nomination, you can apply for permanent residence directly to IRCC. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will make the last decision on your PR visa application. 

Step 7- Receive Decision

If IRCC approves your PR visa application, you will become a PR of Canada. Within 30 days of arriving in Canada, you must land in New Brunswick and report it to the Government of New Brunswick. 

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Who is eligible for the Critical Worker Pilot?

To be eligible for the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot, the candidate must:
1. have intentions to reside
2. have a valid job offer
3. have a competitive wage
4. meet occupation requirements
5. be PR ready

What companies are in the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot 2024?

The companies in the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot 2024 are:
1. Cooke Aquaculture
2. J.D. Irving Ltd.
3. Groupe Savoie
4. Groupe Westco
5. Imperial Manufacturing Group
6. McCain Foods, Ltd.

Which occupations are in demand in New Brunswick?

Occupations in demand in New Brunswick are in the following industries:

• Education 
• Manufacturing
• Healthcare
• Construction
• Transportation
• Agriculture, etc

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