New Brunswick slashes immigration endorsements for key occupations under AIP

A sudden policy shift leaves hundreds of jobs ineligible for immigration support. Will employers in food service, retail, and admin find another way? The province's new focus: healthcare, education, and construction.

, and Administrator

2026 April 4 . 5:02 PM

2 min read

The image shows a poster with text and a pie chart depicting the number of occupations with most... — The image shows a poster with text and a pie chart depicting the number of occupations with most new jobs. The pie chart is divided into sections, each representing a different type of job, such as healthcare, retail, and food services. The text on the poster provides further information about the occupations and their respective percentages.

New Brunswick slashes immigration endorsements for key occupations under AIP

New Brunswick has made significant changes to its immigration policies under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). The province will no longer accept new endorsement applications for several occupations, effective immediately. This decision comes as the federal government cuts immigration allocations for 2025 by half compared to the previous year. The federal government's Immigration Levels Plan for 2025–27 has reduced admissions under Canada's Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) by 50%. New Brunswick's total allocation for 2025 now stands at 2,750 spaces, divided between the NB Provincial Nominee Program (1,500) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (1,250).

Under the new rules, New Brunswick will no longer endorse applications for certain occupations through the AIP. These include accounting technicians, administrative assistants, shippers and receivers, restaurant and food service managers, food service supervisors, cooks, bakers, bartenders, and other customer service representatives. However, applications for these roles submitted before 18 February 2025 will still be processed. Occupations still eligible for AIP endorsement—if applications were received before the February deadline—include retail and wholesale trade managers, retail sales supervisors, retail salespersons, visual merchandisers, and hotel front desk clerks. The AIP remains an employer-driven pathway for skilled workers and recent graduates from Atlantic Canadian institutions who have a job offer from a designated employer in the region. With reduced immigration targets, New Brunswick is now prioritising sectors such as healthcare, education, and construction. The province has not released specific data on how many foreign workers entered through the AIP in 2024 for the now-unsupported occupations.

The changes mean fewer immigration opportunities for certain occupations in New Brunswick. Employers and applicants in affected roles must now look to other pathways or ensure their applications were submitted before the cut-off date. The province's focus has shifted to sectors facing critical labour shortages under the new federal allocation limits.