New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream

Licensed RCIC guidance on New Brunswick’s current business immigration route, the NBBIS, after the old Entrepreneurial Stream closed.

Written and reviewed by Usman Khalil, RCIC (R709592), a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Last reviewed: September 20, 2026.

New Brunswick now runs its business immigration through the Business Immigration Stream (NBBIS). This page explains what changed, who NBBIS is for, the current thresholds, and the staged, work permit first process, reviewed by a licensed RCIC.

Important: The New Brunswick Entrepreneurial Stream is closed and no longer accepting applications. It has been replaced by the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream (NBBIS), which is expression of interest and invitation based. Older figures such as a $250,000 investment and a two job requirement are outdated and no longer apply.

1. What changed in New Brunswick

If you searched for the New Brunswick Entrepreneurial Stream, the most important thing to know is that it is closed and no longer accepting applications. New Brunswick has replaced it with the New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream, known as NBBIS, and the rules and figures are different. Government of New Brunswick: Business Immigration Stream. We retain the former stream name in this guide because people still search for it, but this page is now dedicated to the current NBBIS. Older numbers, such as a $250,000 investment and a requirement to create two jobs, are outdated and should not be used.

2. NBBIS eligibility at a glance

NBBIS is an expression-of-interest and invitation-based program for experienced business owners and senior managers who intend to settle permanently in New Brunswick and actively run a business there. Current minimum criteria include age 19–59, at least a high-school education, CLB 4, a personal net worth of at least $500,000 ($300,000 for farming applicants), a business plan with at least $150,000 in eligible investment, creation of one full-time job, and at least 65 points. For the business-owner route, the applicant must have held at least 51% ownership in a private-sector company, participated in day-to-day operations as a primary decision maker and supervised at least two employees for at least two years in the last five. For the senior-manager route, the applicant must have been a primary day-to-day decision maker in a for-profit company and supervised at least two employees for at least two years in the last five. A recent qualifying New Brunswick exploratory business visit is a priority selection factor, not a blanket eligibility requirement.

3. The staged process: work permit first

The process is staged. The EOI itself is free. If invited, New Brunswick currently charges a non-refundable $2,000 application fee before the complete nomination application. After an expression of interest is selected and the provincial application is approved, follow the current Business Performance Agreement and work-authorization instructions, establish or purchase the New Brunswick business, and actively manage it. After arriving in New Brunswick, current provincial instructions require an arrival report within 1 month and a business opening report within 9 months. Under the current NBBIS rules, the entrepreneur may submit a request for nomination after the business has operated for 6 consecutive months and the Business Performance Agreement requirements have been met. A provincial nomination is not permanent residence; IRCC makes the final decision on the federal permanent-residence application.

4. Source of funds and business plan

NBBIS requires applicants to document personal net worth and accumulated funds and to submit a business plan that meets the current program criteria. The financial evidence should be consistent with the source-of-funds evidence, the proposed investment and the immigration business plan. MAK can coordinate immigration strategy with financial-document and business-plan preparation within the scope of its RCIC and CPA expertise.

5. Application risks and evidence gaps

The application should demonstrate that the principal applicant meets the current NBBIS criteria, that net worth and accumulated funds are supported by reliable records, and that the business plan is specific to the proposed New Brunswick business. Immigration status, business-operation milestones and nomination timing should also be tracked carefully against the current program rules.

6. How MAK helps

MAK works with licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants and a CPA. We confirm whether your profile fits the current NBBIS criteria, prepare the source of funds and business documentation, and manage the filing, with an honest assessment of your fit before you invest time and money in an application.

Frequently Asked Questions