New Brunswick (French: Nouveau-Brunswick) is one of four Atlantic Provinces on the east coast of Canada. According to the Constitution of Canada. New Brunswick is the only bilingual province. About two-thirds of the population declare themselves anglophones and third francophones. One-third of the population describes themselves as bilingual.

Click on the map to view New Brunswick's location.

Geography

Roughly square, New Brunswick is bordered on the north by Quebec, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Bay of Fundy, and on the west by the US state of Maine. The southeast corner of the province is connected to Nova Scotia at the isthmus of Chignecto.

Glaciation has left much of New Brunswick's uplands with only shallow, acidic soils which have discouraged settlement, but are home to enormous forests.

Climate

The climate of New Brunswick, a province of eastern Canada, is continental, with freezing, snowy winters and pleasantly warm summers. Although New Brunswick is a maritime province, facing the sea on two sides (the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the east and the Bay of Fundy to the south), winter is very cold because air masses generally come from the interior, moreover, a cold current flows in the sea.

History

Indigenous peoples have been in the area since about 7000 BC. New Brunswick may have been part of  Vinland during the Norse exploration of North America, and Bisque, Breton, and Norman fishermen may have visited the Bay of Fundy in the early 1500s.

The first documented European visits were by Jacques Cartier in 1534. By the early 1700s the area was part of the French colony of Acadia, in turn part of New France. In the early 1700s, rivalry between Britain and France for control of territory led to the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, under which Acadia was reduced to Île Saint-Jean ( Prince Edward Island). The ownership of New Brunswick being disputed, with an informal border on the Isthmus of  chignecto.

Economy

New Brunswick has a wealth of natural resources that have traditionally formed the center of its economy. With its vast forested areas, lumber products are one of the main exports. Today New Brunswick is home to a modern service-based economy, with major financial and insurance industries leading the way. Canada is investing heavily in encouraging these modern industries in New Brunswick to combat unemployment in fishing and agriculture, which also remain important industries. Many companies are choosing to locate customer service and technical support call-centers in New Brunswick because of the availability of bilingual staff. Information technology has also been a growth industry for the province, and a major beneficiary of investment. Manufacturing is also a major employer in the province and has been on the rise in the recent years. Much of the heavy industry can be found in Saint John. Leading the manufacturing industries are food and beverages, followed by pulp and paper furniture, metal processing and transportation equipment. The province has also enjoyed increasing tourism as people come to take in the provinces natural beauty. Tourism has been a major source of job creation in the last decade.

Government and Politics

Under Canadian federalism, power is divided between federal and provincial governments. The head of government is the Premier of New Brunswick, normally the leader of the party or coalition with the most seats in the legislative assembly. The current Premier of New Brunswick is Blaine Higgs, who was sworn in November 9, 2018. Under amendments to the province's Legislative Assembly Act in 2007, a provincial election is held every four years. The two largest political parties are the New Brunswick Liberal Association and the Progressive conservative party of New Brunswick. Since the 2018 election, minor parties are the Green party of New Brunswick and the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick.

Health Care

Under Canadian Law, all provinces and territories must provide universal, publicly funded health care to all citizens and legal residents of Canada. In other words, most basic health services in Canada are offered at no direct cost to the patient. Certain procedures that are not deemed necessary (such as elective cosmetic surgery and a number of dental care procedures, for example) are generally not covered, but the list of services paid for publicly varies from province to province. New Brunswick Medicare pays for most medically required services provided by medical practitioners. In addition to Medicare, health insurance can be purchased from major private sector insurers.

Education

New Brunswick offers a distinct lifestyle, beautiful natural scenery, friendly people, a safe and secure environment and an appreciation of the skills and experiences of newcomers. With affordable lifestyle, universal government-funded health care and easy access to eastern Canada’s urban centers, New Brunswick is fast becoming a destination of choice for international learners. In New Brunswick, you can study minutes from oceans, lakes, rivers and trails, as well as vibrant urban settings. With a total population of approximately 750,000 people, New Brunswick offers a warm and welcoming experience for international learners.

The NBPNP is New Brunswick’s Provincial Nominee Program.

Through the NBPNP, prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive a New Brunswick provincial nomination certificate. With this nomination, foreign nationals may then apply for Canadian permanent residence. The NBPNP accepts applications under the following immigration categories:

- Express Entry Labour Market Stream
- Skilled Workers with Employer Support
- Post-Graduate Entrepreneurial Stream
- Entrepreneurial Stream 
- Skilled Workers with Family Support
- Succession Connect pilot program