Moving to Canada has become a great opportunity for families, businesses, students, and tourists worldwide.
If you’ve been searching for a way to settle and work in Canada with your family, look no further.
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Program(NBWCWP)offers you just that.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the benefits of the NBWCWP, the application process, and how to move to Canada with your family using the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program.
It only takes 2 minutes, costs nothing, requires a low IELTS score, and you have nothing to lose. Let’s get started.
Overview: New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Program?
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Program (NBCWP) is a 5-year work permit program for skilled international immigrants.
It aims to address skill shortages in New Brunswick by allowing immigrants to live and work in the province.
The program is a collaboration between the Provincial Government of New Brunswick and the Federal Government of Canada.
It offers a straightforward path to permanent residence and is inspired by the province’s low population.
6 designated employers provide employment, training, and settlement support for program participants. As an employer-specific program, you will work for only one employer in Canada.
6 Employer in the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Program
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Program offers a variety of job opportunities based on the number of employers participating in the program.
These jobs are classified according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC), indicating a high demand for these skills that Canada couldn’t meet.
To help you understand which positions are available, let’s go through the six employers and their areas of specialization:
#1: Cooke Aquaculture Inc.
When you think about seafood and farming, you’re talking about Cooke Aquaculture Inc. It has been around for about 140 years since 1985 by Gifford Cooke. Headquartered in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, it is one of the largest aquaculture companies in North America.
They are known for salmon farming with branches in Canada, the United States, Chile, Scotland, and Spain.
Employment Opportunities
● Senior Fire Control Technician
● Truck and Transport Technician
Source: Job Bank
#2: Groupe Savoie Inc.
Groupe Savoie Inc., located in Saint-Quentin, New Brunswick, is a leading manufacturer of high-quality hardwood flooring and related products.
They have several sawmills and wood processing facilities, focusing on serving residential and commercial markets.
Groupe Savoie is committed to sustainable forestry practices and utilizes advanced manufacturing technologies.
Employment Opportunities:
● Mechanic
Source: Canadacareersite
#3: Groupe Wesco
Groupe Westco was established in 1995 at Saint-François-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick. They are focused on poultry farming and processing.
Their divisions cover chicken production, feed milling, grain handling, and transportation.
Employment Opportunities:
Source: Wesco International
#4: Imperial Manufacturing Group
Imperial Manufacturing Group, headquartered in Richibucto, New Brunswick, specializes in manufacturing and distributing HVAC products, and residential and commercial building materials.
The company has multiple production facilities across Canada and the United States, offering a diverse range of products such as ductwork, registers, grilles, chimney systems, and other HVAC accessories.
Employment Opportunities:
● Painter
Source: Indeed
#5: J.D. Irving Ltd.
This is a conglomerate private company. J.D. Irving Ltd. was founded in 1882 in Saint John, New Brunswick.
It’s one of the largest skills employers in the Atlantic region of Canada.
They stand opulence in forestry, agriculture, transportation and shipbuilding. That’s not all, they’re also into retail and construction.
They are vast in business, in different provinces they oversee other business which involves forest products, pulp and paper, consumer products, industrial equipment and manufacturing.
Employment Opportunities:
● Business System Analyst
Source: JD. Irving
#6: McCain Foods
McCain Foods is a global food company headquartered in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick.
Since 1957 till date, McCain is known for frozen food products such as frozen potatoes and potato edibles.
McCain Foods operates production facilities and farms worldwide, selling its products in over 160 countries.
They offer a diverse range of frozen snacks, vegetables, pizzas, and desserts in addition to frozen potatoes.
These employers provide exciting job opportunities within their respective industries as part of the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Program.
Employment Opportunities:
● Licenses Industrial Operator
Source: McCain Foods
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Program Website lists job openings for 6 employers. You can also check each company’s website for current job openings. Let’s begin!
How to Apply for the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Program has two stages of approval that applicants need to go through. Here’s a breakdown of these stages:
Stage 1: Apply for a nomination certificate
To begin the process, you need to meet all the eligibility criteria and selection factors set by the program.
You also need the support of your employer in New Brunswick, which is shown by completing and signing the Employer Information form (NBPNP-004).
you are to submit your application online when the requirements are met.
The processing time depends on the time it takes to verify the documents you submitted and the number of applications received. Also, brace up for an interview.
Stage 2: Apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a T13 Work Permitand PR Visa
If you are nominated by the Government of New Brunswick (GNB), you must then apply to the Government of Canada through IRCC for a work permit and a permanent residency (PR) visa.
You, your spouse, and your dependents must meet the requirements related to medical, security, and criminal admissibility.
Please note that IRCC has the final authority to issue a PR visa.
It’s important to understand that even if you are nominated by GNB, there is no guarantee that IRCC will approve your PR application.
To submit your application for permanent residence to IRCC, you can choose between two application processes: the online application process or the paper-based application process.
Eligibility Criteria to Apply for the NB Critical Worker Program
To apply, you need to ensure that you meet all the requirements for eligibility. If you meet all the eligibility criteria, your application will be evaluated based on the following factors: age, language proficiency, education, and occupation in demand.
Age
You must be between 19 and 55 years old. Your age will be determined based on the date when you submit a complete application to GNB in response to an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Please note that your age at the time of registration will not be considered.
Official Languages
To meet the language requirement, you must provide valid test results from a designated testing organization.
These results should show that you have achieved a minimum score equal to or higher than Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 for English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 4 for French in all four language abilities: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
If you do not have valid language test results that show a minimum score equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in all four language components at the time of application, your New Brunswick employer must provide a signed attestation letter as part of the nomination application, as per the terms of this pilot.
Education
To qualify, you need a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign diploma equivalent to a Canadian one. If you have a foreign education, you’ll need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a recognized organization. No assessment is needed for a Canadian degree.
Work Experience
In the past five years, you must have worked at least 1,560 hours over 12 months. Unpaid work, internships, and study programs don’t count.
Your work experience can be with one or more employers and must be supported by verifiable documents.
If you lack the required experience, your New Brunswick employer must provide an attestation letter.
Applying for Permanent Residence in New Brunswick
If you want to become a permanent resident of Canada, here are the steps you need to follow:
Accept a Job Offer
You must accept a full-time job offer from a New Brunswick employer who is willing to support your immigration process. The job should not be seasonal.
Express Your Interest
Create an Expression of Interest (EOI) on the Immigration New Brunswick (INB) online application portal. Keep your profile updated and make sure all the information you provide is accurate.
Receive an Invitation to Apply
If you have a job offer from a New Brunswick company, you will receive an invitation to apply (ITA). You will have 45 days to submit a complete application online. If you miss the deadline, you will need to start over.
Note: An ITA does not guarantee approval. Your application may be refused if you don’t meet the eligibility requirements.
Submit Your Application to GNB
After submitting your application and paying the processing fee through INB, the Government of New Brunswick (GNB) will review it. They will assess your application based on eligibility requirements and selection factors.
Settlement Plan
Your New Brunswick employer will help create a settlement plan for you and your family. They may prepare the plan themselves or involve a local settlement agency.
Interview
GNB may require you to participate in an interview to verify information related to your application or for other reasons.
The interview will be conducted in English and/or French, and interpreters are not allowed.
GNB will determine the format, location, and time of the interview. If you don’t attend the scheduled interview, your application may be refused.
You’ll be told what to do from here.
Benefits of the NB Critical Worker Program (NBCWP)
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Program (NBCWP) has many good things and features for people who work for any of the 6 participating companies.
Here are some of the important benefits:
● Settlement: You won’t struggle to find a place to live once you have permission to work, the program helps you find a suitable home so you can settle comfortably in New Brunswick.
● Workers training: These employers will make 200 hours of training available to their employees to improve their language and skills. This helps them adapt and do well in English or French-speaking jobs.
● Support for children’s education: The program also helps find good schools for your kids so they can get a good education. They can also go to daycare while you work.
These are just a few of the good things the NBCWP offers. It’s also important to know that this program is faster than other ways to immigrate to Canada.
One added advantage of the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program is that you don’t need provincial approval before you apply for a work permit.
You’re eligible to apply for permanent residency after one year in the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program.
FAQs
Is the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program a (Visa on its Own?
No, the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program (NBCWP) is not a visa, it is a 5-year immigration program targeted at employing skilled foreigners to make up for the labour shortage in New Brunswick.
What Score of IELTS is acceptable for the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program (NBCWP)?
You don’t need IELTS to qualify for the New Brunswick Critical Worker Program. If your speaking English or French isn’t up to standard, your employer is obligated to provide 200 hours of language training so that you can work in the working environment.
Conclusion
The New Brunswick Critical Worker Program (NBCWP) offers families a straightforward pathway to move to Canada and settle in New Brunswick.
All you need is to meet the eligibility criteria and obtain a nomination certificate from a New Brunswick employer. Apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a work permit and permanent residency. These 2 are the first steps to your success journey in New Brunswick, Canada.