If you’re waiting for a New Brunswick immigration draw, September 2026 brought a clear signal: the province is actively selecting candidates, but the selection is tightly connected to labour market needs, immigration priorities, and specific pathways.
Between September 10 and September 18, 2026, Immigration New Brunswick issued 610 invitations and selections across four immigration rounds. The rounds covered the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream, New Brunswick Express Entry Stream, Strategic Initiative, and Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
For candidates planning their Canada permanent residence journey, the numbers matter—but understanding which pathway selected whom matters even more.
Here’s what happened.
New Brunswick Immigration Draw September 2026: 610 Invitations and Selections
The September 2026 New Brunswick immigration draws were divided across four pathways.
| Date | Immigration Stream | Pathway | Invitations/Selections |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 17, 2026 | Express Entry Stream | Employment in New Brunswick | 102 |
| September 15–18, 2026 | Skilled Worker Stream | New Brunswick Graduates; New Brunswick Experience | 197 |
| September 11, 2026 | Strategic Initiative | Francophone Workers; NB Francophone Priorities | 251 |
| September 10, 2026 | Atlantic Immigration Program | AIP selection | 60 |
| Total | 610 |
The largest selection was the Strategic Initiative draw, which issued 251 invitations to candidates under the Francophone-focused pathways. The Skilled Worker Stream followed with 197 invitations, while Express Entry issued 102 invitations and the Atlantic Immigration Program selected 60 applications for processing.
New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Draw: 251 Invitations
The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative draw on September 11 was the biggest round of the month.
A total of 251 invitations were issued under:
- Francophone Workers in New Brunswick
- New Brunswick Francophone Priorities
The cut-off date was September 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time.
This is particularly relevant for candidates looking at Francophone immigration to Canada and those whose profiles align with New Brunswick’s French-language immigration priorities.
If you’re considering the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), don’t assume that simply having an eligible occupation is enough. The province evaluates candidates based on its current labour market needs, available allocation, and other provincial priorities.
New Brunswick Skilled Worker Draw Issues 197 Invitations
The New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream held its September selection between September 15 and 18.
It issued 197 invitations through:
- New Brunswick Graduates
- New Brunswick Experience
The selected occupational categories included:
- Construction
- Education, social and community services
- Manufacturing
- Other trades
- Professional and IT
- Sales and services
Interestingly, transportation was not included in this Skilled Worker selection, even though it appeared in the other September rounds.
That difference matters.
New Brunswick immigration draws are not necessarily broad, all-sector selections. The province can target specific occupations, sectors, pathways, and candidate groups depending on its current priorities.
What Does This Mean for Skilled Workers?
If you’re applying through the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream, your occupation, work experience, education, employment situation, and pathway can all affect whether your profile aligns with a future invitation round.
The province also states that expressions of interest submitted to the NBPNP pool remain valid for 365 days, but submitting an expression of interest does not guarantee an invitation to apply.
In other words: entering the pool is not the finish line.
New Brunswick Express Entry Draw: 102 Invitations
On September 17, 2026, New Brunswick issued 102 invitations through its Express Entry Stream under the Employment in New Brunswick pathway.
The cut-off date was September 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. AST.
The occupational categories included:
- Construction
- Education, social and community services
- Manufacturing
- Other trades
- Professional and IT
- Sales and services
- Transportation
For candidates already building an Express Entry profile, this pathway can be particularly important because a provincial nomination can substantially change a candidate’s CRS position.
A nomination through the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream is associated with 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points under the federal Express Entry system.
That can make provincial nomination a major component of a candidate’s Canada PR strategy.
Atlantic Immigration Program Selects 60 Applications
New Brunswick also selected 60 applications for processing under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) on September 10.
The applications had to be in the AIP candidate pool by September 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. AST.
The Atlantic Immigration Program is designed to help participating Atlantic Canadian provinces and employers attract and retain skilled foreign workers.
However, there is an important update candidates should not overlook.
As of September 14, 2026, New Brunswick paused acceptance of new employer designation applications under the AIP for the remainder of 2026. The province says the pause is intended to allow it to reassess designated employers and evaluate program priorities against provincial economic needs.
So, while 60 applications were selected in the September round, the current AIP landscape is not simply “apply and wait.” Employer eligibility and provincial restrictions need to be checked carefully before taking action.
Which Occupations Were Selected?
Across the September rounds, New Brunswick selected candidates from several occupational categories, including:
Construction, education and social/community services, manufacturing, other trades, professional and IT, sales and services, and transportation.
One noticeable difference from some earlier New Brunswick PNP draws is that health care was not listed among the occupational categories selected in these four September rounds.
That doesn’t mean health-care candidates are permanently excluded from New Brunswick immigration.
It means candidates should avoid assuming that a sector selected in a previous draw will automatically be selected in the next one.
Immigration priorities can change.
What Candidates Should Do After the September 2026 Draws
Here’s where many applicants make a mistake: they look at the invitation number and stop there.
Instead, check whether your profile actually fits the current requirements.
1. Check Your New Brunswick Immigration Pathway
Determine whether you’re pursuing:
- New Brunswick Skilled Worker
- New Brunswick Express Entry
- New Brunswick Strategic Initiative
- Atlantic Immigration Program
- Another Canadian immigration pathway
Each has different requirements and selection considerations.
2. Review Your Occupation
Your NOC code, employment history, job offer, and sector can all matter.
Don’t rely only on your job title. Make sure your actual duties align with the relevant occupational classification.
3. Check Your Expression of Interest
For the NBPNP, expressions of interest remain valid for 365 days. Immigration New Brunswick reviews the pool according to provincial labour market needs, available allocation, and other priorities.
Keep your information accurate and monitor your profile.
4. Don’t Confuse Eligibility With an Invitation
This is one of the biggest misconceptions around PNP immigration Canada.
Being eligible for a program doesn’t automatically mean you’ll receive an invitation.
New Brunswick explicitly states that meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee an invitation, while receiving an invitation also does not guarantee nomination.
5. Monitor New Brunswick Immigration Updates
With immigration allocations and provincial priorities changing throughout the year, candidates should regularly check official updates instead of relying on old draw information.
This is especially important for people considering Canada immigration in 2026, because restrictions and selection priorities can change quickly.
What This New Brunswick Immigration Draw Means for Canada PR Applicants
The September 2026 rounds show that New Brunswick continues to use multiple immigration pathways to target different groups of candidates.
For some applicants, Express Entry and provincial nomination may be the central route.
For others, the Skilled Worker Stream, Francophone immigration, or Atlantic Immigration Program may be more relevant.
The important takeaway isn’t simply that New Brunswick issued 610 invitations.
It’s that the province is selecting according to specific pathways and labour market priorities.
If your occupation, experience, language ability, and immigration pathway align with those priorities, understanding the latest draw can help you make more informed decisions about your next step.
At VisaNexa, we help prospective immigrants understand Canadian immigration pathways, including Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, skilled worker immigration, and permanent residence options.
Before submitting an application, review the latest program requirements and make sure your profile matches the pathway you’re pursuing.
