New Brunswick has extended its Private Career College Graduate Pilot through December 31, 2027 — the second extension of a program that offers permanent residence to international graduates of select healthcare and childcare programs at Oulton College and Eastern College who cannot access the federal Post-Graduation Work Permit.
New Brunswick has extended its Private Career College Graduate Pilot through December 31, 2027. This is the second extension of the program — it was previously due to close at the end of 2026, and had already been extended once in February 2026. The extension matters because this pilot serves a group that falls through a significant gap in the federal immigration system: graduates of private career colleges in New Brunswick who completed programs in healthcare, early childhood education, and related fields, but who are not eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) that university and public college graduates can access.
The gap this pilot fills: why private college graduates need it
The federal PGWP is available to graduates of Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) that meet specific criteria. Private career colleges in New Brunswick — including Oulton College and Eastern College — do not qualify their graduates for a PGWP, regardless of how long or how relevant the program was. Without a PGWP, a graduate has no federal pathway to maintain work authorization and build the Canadian experience needed for permanent residence under programs like Canadian Experience Class. The Private Career College Graduate Pilot fills exactly that gap. It provides a provincial nomination pathway directly from graduation to permanent residence, bypassing the need for a PGWP entirely. The T13 employer-specific work permit replaces the open PGWP for the purposes of maintaining status while the PR application is in process.
Eligible colleges and programs
Only two colleges and specific programs within them qualify. Graduates of programs not on this list — even at the same colleges — are not eligible.
- Eastern College — Early Childhood Education
- Eastern College — Child and Youth Care with Addictions Support Worker
- Eastern College — Medical Administrative Specialist
- Eastern College — Personal Support Worker
- Oulton College — Early Childhood Education / Educational Assistant
- Oulton College — Child and Youth Care
- Oulton College — Human Services Counsellor
- Oulton College — Medical Office Administration
- Oulton College — Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technology
- Oulton College — Practical Nurse
- Oulton College — Primary Care Paramedic
Who qualifies: core requirements
All of the following must be true at the time of application.
- Graduated from one of the eligible programs listed above at a participating college
- Secured a full-time, non-seasonal job offer in a related priority occupation — this must happen within 90 days of graduation
- At least 19 years old
- Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 5 in all four language abilities: reading, writing, listening, and speaking
- Demonstrated commitment to permanent residence in New Brunswick
- Employer is willing to support the application through the NBPNP process
The application process: 9 steps
The pilot follows New Brunswick's standard provincial nomination process, adapted for this stream. The sequence is strict — do not attempt to skip or reorder steps.
- Step 1 — Accept employment offer from a qualifying New Brunswick employer
- Step 2 — Create an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the INB Portal
- Step 3 — Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from ImmigrationNB
- Step 4 — Submit your complete application to New Brunswick within 20 calendar days of receiving the ITA
- Step 5 — Receive your provincial nomination certificate and work permit support letter
- Step 6 — Apply to IRCC for a T13 employer-specific work permit before your study permit expires
- Step 7 — Submit your permanent residence application to IRCC
- Step 8 — Confirm continued employment and that your nomination conditions are maintained
- Step 9 — Receive the IRCC permanent residence decision
Critical deadlines
There are three hard deadlines that determine whether your application can proceed. Missing any one of them ends your eligibility under this stream.
- 90 days from graduation: you must have a qualifying full-time job offer in hand. This clock starts the moment you complete your program.
- 20 calendar days from ITA: once ImmigrationNB issues your Invitation to Apply, your complete application — all documents as PDFs — must be submitted through the INB Portal within 20 calendar days. Incomplete submissions are not accepted.
- 6 months: your nomination certificate is valid for 6 months. Your T13 work permit application to IRCC must be submitted within that window, and before your current study permit expires.
Fees and what they cover
The provincial application fee is CAD $250, non-refundable. This single fee covers the principal applicant, a spouse or common-law partner, and dependent children. All documents must be submitted electronically through the INB Portal in PDF format. Processing times are not published by ImmigrationNB and vary based on document verification and application volume.
One rule you cannot work around
Once you receive a provincial nomination certificate or Atlantic Immigration Program endorsement in New Brunswick, you cannot withdraw it to reapply under a different program. If you receive a nomination under the Private Career College Graduate Pilot and your circumstances change — for example, if you lose your job or your employer withdraws support — you must contact ImmigrationNB immediately. Attempting to withdraw and restart under another stream is not permitted.
Other NB immigration changes to know
As of February 3, 2026, ImmigrationNB tightened restrictions across other streams that may affect applicants exploring parallel options. The NB Skilled Worker Stream is now limited to three sectors: Healthcare, Education, and Construction Trades. Candidates in other fields must use alternative provincial programs. The Atlantic Immigration Program has also moved to a pool-based monthly selection process — applications are no longer processed on a first-come basis and expire after 365 days if not selected.
Studying or recently graduated from Oulton College or Eastern College? The 90-day window after graduation moves quickly. If you are approaching graduation or have already graduated, understanding whether your program qualifies and whether a job offer in your field is achievable before the deadline is the first step. We can review your eligibility and help you plan your timeline.
