The New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Program (NBCWP) is a first-of-its-kind immigration project between the New Brunswick provincial government, and the federal government.
In an attempt to address key labour shortages in New Brunswick, the Canadian federal government will work with Immigration and Opportunities NB, and six selected employers in New Brunswick on a new immigration pilot project; to bring and settle skilled foreign workers to the province.
Overview
On the 7th of November 2022, the provincial government of New Brunswick and the federal government introduced the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot Project (NBCWP). The program is unique in the fact that it seeks to not just provide economic immigration to New Brunswick; but also to help newcomer retention to the area by providing settlement services for immigrants.
The pilot will work with six selected employers to help fill labour gaps in several industries, including manufacturing, fisheries, food production, forestry, farming and more.
This five-year pilot will be regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure that it yields the necessary results. Newcomer attraction, economic contribution, and retention are high on the provincial government’s list of priorities; with New Brunswick ranking 8th overall in population among Canada’s provinces, and 11th in terms of GDP per capita.
Partner Employers
The six employers who are selected to be a part of this program have been chosen due to their exemplary record under the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), their history of good immigrant hiring practices, and because they have the requisite settlement services for new economic immigrants.
These six employers are:
- Cooke Aquaculture Inc.;
- Groupe Savoie Inc.;
- Groupe Westco;
- Imperial Manufacturing;
- J.D. Irving Ltd.; and
- McCain Foods.
Settlement Services
One of the most unique features of the NBCWP is the emphasis that the pilot puts, not just on bringing economic immigration to New Brunswick, but also on helping newcomers settle and establish lives in the province.
In line with this vision, the six businesses listed above must ensure that (in support of new immigrant settlement) they:
- Have robust settlement plans for housing, and transportation, to best support the successful establishment of candidates in their new jobs and communities, with a strong commitment to long-term retention;
- Have comprehensive human resources planning for recruiting and hiring skilled international talent, and for on-the-job skills enhancement;
- Provide up to 200 hours of language training, as required, to candidates; and
- Offer guidance and support to candidates who may wish to pursue their Canadian secondary education equivalency.
