New Brunswick restricts NB PNP EOIs for NAICS 72 and multiple retail NOCs starting Feb 3, 2026

Immigration New Brunswick has announced a targeted intake restriction effective February 3, 2026 that affects two Provincial Nominee Program pathways: the New Brunswick Express Entry stream and the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream. In practical terms, ImmigrationNB will temporarily stop considering certain Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and will stop issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for specific occupations and, in some cases, for specific industries. This change is especially important for workers connected to NAICS 72 (accommodation and food services) and for several retail and other customer-facing occupations that are restricted regardless of sector.

What changed on February 3, 2026 and which jobs are restricted

New Brunswick Express Entry stream restrictions

Effective February 3, 2026, ImmigrationNB will not consider EOIs or issue ITAs under the New Brunswick Express Entry stream for candidates working in the accommodation and food services sector (NAICS 72) in several hospitality related occupations, including restaurant and food service management, food service supervision, executive housekeeping, cleaning supervision, chefs, cooks, and bakers. A key exception still applies: candidates in these job types may submit an EOI if they are employed by a business that is not directly part of NAICS 72, even when the job title is similar.

ImmigrationNB is also not considering EOIs or issuing ITAs under the New Brunswick Express Entry stream for certain occupations regardless of the employer’s industry. This includes roles such as retail and wholesale trade management, retail sales supervision, retail and wholesale buying, and butchery in retail and wholesale settings.

New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream restrictions

Effective February 3, 2026, ImmigrationNB is not considering EOIs or issuing ITAs under the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream for candidates employed in NAICS 72 (accommodation and food services) across a broad range of hospitality roles. This includes management and supervisory positions in restaurants and food services, executive housekeeping and cleaning supervision, and several front line hotel and food service occupations such as chefs, cooks, bakers, hosts or hostesses, bartenders, hotel front desk clerks, food and beverage servers, food counter attendants and kitchen helpers, and light duty cleaners.

An important exception still applies. Candidates in these job types may submit an EOI if their employer is not directly operating in NAICS 72, even if the work looks similar on the surface.

Separately, ImmigrationNB is also not considering EOIs or issuing ITAs under the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream for several occupations regardless of the employer’s industry. These include shipping and receiving roles, multiple retail management and supervisory occupations, retail and wholesale buying and butchery, common retail frontline positions such as retail salespersons, customer and information service representatives, cashiers, service station attendants, and shelf stockers or order fillers, as well as certain meat, fish, and food processing related roles including meat cutters and fishmongers and selected fish and seafood plant and processing labourer occupations.

What the NB PNP Express Entry and Skilled Worker streams are

New Brunswick’s Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP) is a provincial selection system that allows the province to nominate eligible candidates for permanent residence based on local labour market needs. Within NB PNP, the Express Entry stream and the Skilled Worker stream are two distinct pathways with different processing mechanics and eligibility design.

NB PNP Express Entry stream

This stream is aligned with the federal Express Entry system. In most cases, a candidate must first be eligible for a federal Express Entry program and maintain an active Express Entry profile, then obtain a provincial nomination from New Brunswick. A nomination typically boosts the candidate’s competitiveness in Express Entry and supports receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence through the federal system.

Common requirements usually include:

• An active Express Entry profile and eligibility under a federal skilled program
• Work experience that matches an eligible NOC and the province’s current priorities
• Language ability and education credentials that support federal eligibility
• Settlement intention in New Brunswick and proof of ties or recruitment connection when required by program practice
• Ability to meet admissibility rules for permanent residence (medical, police, etc.)

How to apply:

• Submit an EOI to ImmigrationNB when the stream is open to the candidate’s profile
• Receive an ITA from ImmigrationNB if selected
• Submit a complete provincial nomination application
• After nomination, accept it in Express Entry and proceed with the federal permanent residence application

NB PNP Skilled Worker stream

This is a non Express Entry pathway designed for workers who have a genuine connection to the province through employment and employer support. It is often used by candidates who may not fit Express Entry criteria but who meet provincial skilled worker requirements.

Common requirements usually include:

• A genuine job offer from an eligible employer in New Brunswick
• Work experience and qualifications matching the offered position
• Language ability appropriate to the role and program rules
• Proof the employer meets recruitment and compliance expectations
• Intent to live and work in New Brunswick and ability to become economically established

How to apply:

• Submit an EOI if the occupation and sector are being considered
• Receive an ITA if selected
• Apply to ImmigrationNB for nomination with employer documents and personal eligibility evidence
• After nomination, apply federally for permanent residence

From a practical consultant perspective, these restrictions suggest the province is prioritizing nominations away from high volume sectors and occupations where application pressure is strong. Candidates in affected NOCs should treat the NAICS classification of the employer as a key risk point, because eligibility may turn on whether the business is directly in NAICS 72, not only the job title.

If these changes create uncertainty, the most common difficulties are misclassifying the employer’s industry, choosing the wrong stream, or submitting an EOI that will not be considered due to a restricted NOC. Careful screening of the NOC, NAICS, job duties, and employer structure, plus a complete strategy for documentation, can reduce refusal risk and wasted time, and immigration support can help with preparation, advising, and representation for the application under the right pathway.