What is the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream?
The New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream (NBBIS) is the province’s entrepreneur pathway to permanent residence. It’s for experienced business owners and senior managers who will start or buy a business in New Brunswick and run it themselves, day to day.
You come first on a work permit, open the business and run it for at least 6 consecutive months. Once you’ve met your Business Performance Agreement, ImmigrationNB can nominate you, and you then apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
NB Business Immigration Stream at a glance
Key takeaway
New Brunswick has some of the lowest entry thresholds of any entrepreneur stream, but it screens hard on the business itself. Many business types are excluded, your business plan can’t be changed after you submit it, and you must live in the province and manage the business in person. Selection also depends on the yearly nomination allocation New Brunswick receives from IRCC, which was cut sharply in 2025.
Who qualifies for the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream?
You must meet every requirement below when you submit your expression of interest (EOI), when you apply, and when you’re nominated.
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Be 19 to 59 years old
Your age is locked when you submit your full application after an invitation.
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Have 2 years of business experience in the last 5
As an owner of at least 51% of a company, or as a senior manager in a for-profit company, managing daily operations and supervising at least 2 employees.
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Have at least a high school diploma
Foreign credentials need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than 5 years old.
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Score CLB 4 in English or NCLC 4 in French
In all four skills, on an approved test taken within the last 2 years.
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Have a personal net worth of at least $500,000
$300,000 for farming. It can include your spouse’s assets, must be legally obtained, and is checked by a designated verifier after you’re invited.
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Invest at least $150,000 and control at least 33.3% of the business
Personal purchases, like your home or car, don’t count. Any business partners must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
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Create at least 1 full-time job
At least 30 hours a week, for a citizen or permanent resident living in New Brunswick. Jobs held by you or your family members don’t count.
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Score at least 65 out of 100 points
On the selection grid explained below.
Good to know
Meeting the minimums doesn’t guarantee an invitation. ImmigrationNB selects EOIs based on the province’s economic needs, the applications it already has, and its yearly nomination allocation.
What kind of business can you start or buy?
Your business must be a for-profit, private-sector company that brings economic benefit to New Brunswick, operates year-round and is managed by you from inside the province.
- Set up as a sole proprietorship, a corporation, or a partnership with Canadian citizens or permanent residents only.
- Make at least $150,000 in eligible investments. Land and buildings count for no more than 25% of that amount.
- Control at least 33.3% of the equity.
- Create at least 1 full-time job for a citizen or permanent resident living in New Brunswick.
- Have a real place of business in the province (a “permanent establishment”).
- The same owner, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, ran it for the 3 years before your purchase.
- It made a net profit in at least 2 of the last 3 years, shown by audited statements and CRA assessments.
- You buy at proven fair market value, and goodwill is no more than 10% of net book value.
- It hasn’t been in receivership or bankruptcy in the last 3 years.
- You keep existing staff on similar terms. If it already has a full-time employee who is a citizen or permanent resident, it meets the job requirement.
- E-commerce and online businesses
- Consultancy, and online language or training centres
- Home-based businesses
- Bed and breakfasts, and inns with fewer than 5 units and under $100,000 in revenue
- Property investment, landlord and rental management
- Brokerage and most financial services, such as payday loans or pawnshops
- Coin-operated businesses, co-operatives and not-for-profits
- Newcomer settlement services and long-term care facilities
- Seasonal businesses, or any business run remotely from outside New Brunswick
This list isn’t complete, and ImmigrationNB can change it at any time.
- Net worth of at least $300,000 and an investment of at least $150,000.
- At least 2 years of farm ownership or management experience.
- A mandatory exploratory visit of 5 full business days before your EOI.
- A review meeting with a business growth officer at the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, who issues a letter of reference.
- Operate at least 9 months a year and live on the farm or within 10 km of it.
- Hobby farms, equine, exotic plants and petting zoos don’t qualify.
Tourism businesses
Some tourism businesses qualify even though they are seasonal. They must operate at least 9 months a year, or 6 months if the eligible investment is over $1 million.
How is your expression of interest scored?
ImmigrationNB scores your EOI out of 100 points, and you need at least 65. The EOI is free and stays valid for 12 months. If you submit more than one EOI in 12 months, the later ones may not be assessed.
19 to 49: 10 points. 50 to 59: 5 points.
First official language, per skill: CLB/NCLC 7 or higher earns 5 points, 5 or 6 earns 4 points, and 4 earns 3 points (up to 20).
Second official language: 5 points if you reach CLB/NCLC 4 in all four skills.
Master’s or PhD: 20. University degree: 16. Two-year post-secondary diploma: 13. High school diploma: 10.
Owner of 51% or more, supervising at least 2 full-time employees: 15 points for 10 of the last 10 years, 12 for 6 to 9 years, 8 for 2 of the last 5.
Senior manager: 9, 7 or 5 points for the same periods. A shareholder with no day-to-day management role gets no points.
- Exploratory visit with trip report: 5
- Location more than 20 km from the centre of Fredericton, Saint John or Moncton: 5
- Detailed market research: 5
- Moving 5+ years of ownership experience into the same industry: 4
- Relevant laws, by-laws and licensing covered in the plan: 3
- Investment over $500,000: 3 (or $150,000 to $499,999: 2)
Your spouse or partner studied full-time in New Brunswick for at least a year, worked full-time there for at least 6 months, or has CLB/NCLC 4 in all four skills.
How does the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream work?
The stream follows a work-permit-first model. You prove the business works in New Brunswick before the province nominates you for permanent residence.
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Step 01
Plan and visit
Choose an eligible business, take your language test and get your ECA. An exploratory visit of at least 5 full business days is optional but worth 5 points (mandatory for farming).
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Step 02
Submit your EOI
Create an account on the INB portal and submit your EOI with your business plan (NBBIS-BP). It's free and valid for 12 months.
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Step 03
Apply after an invitation
You have 90 days to submit a complete application and pay the $2,000 non-refundable fee. A designated verifier must check your net worth within 90 days of the invitation.
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Step 04
Interview and agreement
ImmigrationNB may interview you in English or French, without an interpreter. If approved, you sign your Business Performance Agreement (BPA) within 60 days.
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Step 05
Get your work permit
With the province's letter of support, you apply to IRCC for a work permit. IRCC decides whether to issue it and for how long.
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Step 06
Open and run the business
Arrive, report to ImmigrationNB, open the business within 9 months and run it for at least 6 consecutive months while meeting your BPA.
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Step 07
Nomination and PR
After a site visit and interview, ImmigrationNB issues your nomination. You then apply to IRCC for permanent residence, and IRCC makes the final decision.
What must you do after you arrive in New Brunswick?
Your 24-month Business Establishment Period (BEP) starts on the day you arrive. Missing a deadline is reported to IRCC and can cost you the nomination.
| Deadline | What you must do |
|---|---|
| Within 1 month of arrival | Submit the Report of Arrival (NBBIS-004). |
| Within 3 months | Ask to change your business plan (NBBIS-007), only if the approved plan isn’t workable. ImmigrationNB doesn’t have to agree. |
| Within 9 months | Open the business and submit the Report of Business Opening (NBBIS-005). |
| After 6 consecutive months of operation | Request nomination (NBBIS-006) once you’ve met your BPA conditions and investment. |
| Before the 24-month BEP ends | Have the business established and operating under your BPA, or the nomination is refused. |
Where and how you must live
Live in New Brunswick for at least 75% of your BEP, within 100 km of your business (10 km for farms). You must manage the business in person, on site, day to day. Your business start date can’t be earlier than your arrival date.
How much does the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream cost?
Submitting an EOI is free. The main costs come after you’re invited.
Investment is separate
Your $150,000 minimum investment and $500,000 net worth are separate from these fees. If your business plan needs more than the minimum, the higher amount becomes your commitment in the BPA. Our professional fees for this stream start at $20,000.
What mistakes lead to refusals in the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream?
Most refusals come from choices made before the application is filed.
Picking an ineligible business
Why it hurts
E-commerce, consultancy, home-based, rental and many other businesses are excluded, no matter how strong the plan.
What works instead
Check the excluded list before you write a single page of your plan.
Submitting a generic business plan
Why it hurts
You get no feedback and can't amend the plan. If you can't defend it at the interview, you're refused.
What works instead
Write it yourself or alongside your adviser, with New Brunswick market research, local suppliers and the licences you'll need.
Using the wrong net worth verifier
Why it hurts
A verifier that isn't designated, or one that helped with your business plan, leads to refusal.
What works instead
Hire a designated verifier only after you're invited, and keep them separate from your plan.
Running the business from elsewhere
Why it hurts
You must live in New Brunswick 75% of the time, within 100 km of the business, and manage it in person.
What works instead
Move your family, rent or buy locally, and keep records that show you're there.
Hiring family or hiring late
Why it hurts
The required job can't be filled by you or a family member, and it must be at least 30 hours a week.
What works instead
Plan recruitment before you arrive so the role is filled well before you request nomination.
Counting on a 6-month timeline
Why it hurts
Six months of operation is the minimum, not the norm. Setup, hiring and the 9-month opening deadline all take time.
What works instead
Budget for the full 24-month BEP and treat an early nomination as a bonus.
Why choose New Brunswick for your business?
New Brunswick is a Maritime province on Canada’s East Coast. The capital is Fredericton, and Saint John and Moncton are its largest commercial centres.
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Lower entry costs
A $150,000 minimum investment anywhere in the province, and operating costs well below Toronto or Vancouver.
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Points for smaller communities
A location more than 20 km from Fredericton, Saint John or Moncton adds 5 points to your score.
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A bilingual market
Canada’s only officially bilingual province. English or French works for the stream, and both can add points.
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Atlantic access
A day’s drive from Montreal and Boston, with ports for import and export businesses.
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Room for families
Affordable housing, short commutes, public health care and schools in English and French.
New Brunswick or Manitoba: which entrepreneur stream fits you?
Manitoba’s Entrepreneur Pathway is the closest alternative. See our Manitoba Entrepreneur PNP guide for the full details.
| Requirement | New Brunswick | Manitoba |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 19 to 59 when you apply | No age limit |
| Business experience | 2 of the last 5 years as an owner (51%+) or senior manager | 3 of the last 5 years as an owner or senior manager |
| Net worth | $500,000 ($300,000 for farming) | $500,000 |
| Minimum investment | $150,000 anywhere in the province | $250,000 in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region, $150,000 elsewhere |
| Language | CLB/NCLC 4 | CLB/NCLC 5 |
| Exploratory visit | Optional and worth 5 points (mandatory for farming) | Recommended, not required |
| Often a better fit for | Applicants who want a low investment anywhere in the province and a bilingual Atlantic market | Applicants over 59, or those planning a business outside Winnipeg |
Both streams require at least 1 new full-time job and a business plan. Rules change often, so confirm the current criteria before you apply.
Frequently asked questions about the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream
No. You need CLB 4 in English or NCLC 4 in French in all four skills, with results less than 2 years old. If you also reach level 4 in the other official language, you earn 5 extra points.
Only for farming businesses. For everyone else, it’s optional but worth 5 of the 25 business plan points. It must last at least 5 full business days (not counting weekends, travel days or holidays), take place within 12 months before you apply, and be backed by an Exploratory Visit Report submitted with your EOI.
Yes. The business needs the same Canadian owner for the past 3 years, a net profit in at least 2 of the last 3 years, and no receivership or bankruptcy. You must pay fair market value, keep goodwill to 10% of net book value or less, and keep existing staff on similar terms.
Yes. Your spouse’s or partner’s assets count toward your net worth, and your family is included in your permanent residence application. Whether your spouse gets an open work permit depends on IRCC’s current family rules, so check this before you apply.
Only within 3 months of arriving, and only if the approved plan isn’t workable. You submit a Request to Change Business Plan (NBBIS-007) with a new plan. ImmigrationNB doesn’t have to agree, so get the plan right before you apply.
At least 6 consecutive months after the business opens, and only once you’ve met the conditions and investment in your Business Performance Agreement. All of this must happen within the 24-month Business Establishment Period. ImmigrationNB will visit your business and interview you before it nominates you. The program guide also refers to operating the business for 1 year under your BPA within that 24-month period, so plan for that possibility.
You must be 19 to 59 when you submit your full application after an invitation, since that’s when your age is locked. If you’re older, Manitoba’s Entrepreneur Pathway has no age limit, and we can review other options with you.
No. Under the program guide, your business start date can’t be earlier than the date you arrive in Canada on the work permit supported by ImmigrationNB. Time and money spent before that don’t count toward your agreement.
