New Brunswick Holds First February 2026 Draws, Issues 326 Invitations Across Two Streams
Sreejith
New Brunswick has continued its early-2026 immigration activity with new invitations issued through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP). On February 2, 2026, the province conducted draws under both the Express Entry Stream and the Strategic Initiative, issuing a combined total of 326 invitations to eligible candidates.
These draws reflect New Brunswick’s ongoing focus on addressing labour shortages across sectors and supporting Francophone immigration pathways, while maintaining broad eligibility across occupations.
Draw Overview
Both draws held on February 2 considered candidates who met the eligibility requirements and had profiles submitted before February 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM (AST).
Breakdown of Invitations Issued
New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
- Date of draw: February 2, 2026
- Pathway: Employment in New Brunswick
- Occupational categories selected: All sectors
- Invitations issued: 166
This draw targeted candidates with valid employment in New Brunswick across a wide range of occupations, reinforcing the province’s employer-driven selection approach.
New Brunswick Strategic Initiative
- Date of draw: February 2, 2026
- Pathways:
- New Brunswick Francophone Priorities
- Francophone Workers in New Brunswick
- Occupational categories selected: All sectors
- Invitations issued: 160
The Strategic Initiative draw focused on Francophone candidates, highlighting New Brunswick’s continued efforts to strengthen its French-speaking workforce and support linguistic diversity within the province.
What This Means for Candidates
With invitations issued across all sectors and pathways supporting both Express Entry and Francophone immigration, New Brunswick is maintaining a broad and flexible selection strategy in early 2026. Candidates with employment in the province or strong French-language ability remain well positioned for future draws as New Brunswick continues to address workforce needs throughout the year.