Life in New Brunswick

Home to some of the most beautiful and treasured cities and attractions, the province is less populated than Ontario. Yet, fueled by a wealth of opportunity left by an aging workforce, New Brunswick offers an abundance of jobs, leaving you with endless Entrepreneurial possibilities while striving to bridge the worker-to-retiree ratio.

Let's discover what life and culture are really like in New Brunswick!

About New Brunswick

Initially, the French were the first to claim the province, previously known as Acadia to them (now New Brunswick), when the British came on board in 1713 to take over Acadia. In turn, the French defended the maritime province but were defeated in the 1750s.

In 1755, most French Acadian settlers were expelled from the area (though they ought to return later); the British expanded and governed Nova Scotia in 1784. At this time, New Brunswick was developing as a separate province.

Time went by, and settlers began to incorporate cities within New Brunswick. The economy started showing significant improvement with the ushering in of the timber exports and shipbuilding industry. Because New Brunswick featured tremendous agricultural lands and luscious forests, it became the ideal vessel for carrying through the age of wood, wind, and water - an era serving as the lifeblood of the New Brunswick economy.

Today, the economy relies mainly on the production of food products, paper, and wood products. However, the province is also big on manufacturing metal goods, mineral products, and machinery, while some cities have small computer software companies. Additionally, Canada's largest oil refinery, located at Saint John, has been growing exponentially due to the increased demand throughout North America.

Where is New Brunswick on the Map?

You can find New Brunswick on the Eastern seaboard of the North American continent, situated approximately 340 km from North to South, and 300 km from East to West.

Being one of Canada's four Atlantic provinces, along with Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province where French and English have maintained equal status.

The most famous attraction in the province, the Bay of Fundy, which holds the distinction of the highest tides in the world. Locals and tourists love to visit New Brunswick for the warm waters in summer and the many seasonal activities that take place annually.

Economy and Industries in New Brunswick

New Brunswick is offering many job opportunities to workers in forestry, agriculture, tourism, retail trade and small-scale manufacturing. Most modern sectors are centred on finance and insurance, with companies choosing to conduct business here because of the abundance of bilingual residents. As mentioned, there is also a growing IT sector in several cities in New Brunswick.

If you're looking to immigrate to New Brunswick, you should know about your current employment opportunities. According to Canada Job Bank, we have listed some of the current active jobs in New Brunswick:

Auto body technician

Salary: $20.00 to 24.00 hourly for 40 hours per week.

Carpenter helper

$18.00 hourly for 40 hours per week.

Air duct cleaning technician

$16.00 to 19.00 hourly for 40 to 50 hours per week.

Delivery truck driver

Salary: $16.00 hourly for 40 hours per week.

Shipper-receiver

Salary: $15.00 to 17.00 hourly for 40 to 50 hours per week.

Physiotherapist

Salary: $50.00 to 60.00 hourly for 30 to 40 hours per week. The minimum wage is guaranteed.

The jobs mentioned above may not be available by the time you search for a job, but you'd be pleased to know that the province is constantly searching to fill the labour market needs and therefore, we advise you to keep a close eye on the Canada Job Bank site for your convenience.

While our immigration experts cannot guarantee you a job, they can guide you and assist with curating your resume based on the Canadian standard, maximizing your chances of securing a job offer. Contact our immigration experts today.

Climate and Weather in New Brunswick

The province can call for freezing, snowy winters and fairly warm summers. The maritime province is positioned towards the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Bay of Fundy, causing cold winters. According to Climates to travel, you can expect the temperature to drop to -30 °C (86°F) or even below this temperature. Summer days can call for warmer days with 30/32 °C (86°F) , though quite rare.

During the winter, snowfalls are generally expected, with 2-3 meters (6.5/10 feet) of snowfall each year. In winter, the sea-closed areas can be frozen, and whales can be observed in the Bay of Fundy from mid-July to early September.

Cost of Living in New Brunswick

Besides having well-priced real estate, Canadian essentials are much cheaper in New Brunswick. As per Canadian law, all permanent residents and citizens of New Brunswick enjoy free universal healthcare. In other words, you can have most of your medical needs fulfilled free of charge, thanks to New Brunswick Medicare. However, some non-essential procedures are unfortunately not covered by the healthcare system.

As per the data on Numbeo we have given you brief break down of the cost of living in New Brunswick:

Immigration and Dedicated Visa Programs for New Brunswick

If you’re wanting to live and work in New Brunswick, you need to know about the available immigration programs for this province. Below give you a brief outline of the New Brunswick immigration pathways. Should you require further assistance, our RCICs are available to advise you throughout the process.

New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Programs (NBPNP)

If you would like to live and work in New Brunswick, you can apply to immigrate to Canada through one of several Federal Economic programs. However, if you are interested in the fast-track option to the province, you will have to get familiar with the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP).

We urge applicants to conduct the necessary before settling in New Brunswick. You want to ensure that your skill set is high in-demand and that you can fill the labour shortage within a province.

Furthermore, the NBPNP is an immigration program that targets people with the right skills and education to grow the province's economy. The NBPNP currently has the following five immigration streams:

The province operates several immigration streams:

• New Brunswick Express Entry Labour Market Stream
• New Brunswick Entrepreneurial Stream
• New Brunswick Post-Graduate Entrepreneurial Stream
• New Brunswick Skilled Workers with Employer Support
• New Brunswick Skilled Workers with Family Support: As of February 16, 2018, the New Brunswick Skilled Worker Applicants with Family Support stream has been terminated. The NBPNP will accept no applications to this stream submitted after this date.

New Brunswick Express Entry Labour Market Stream

The pathway enables highly skilled individuals to gain permanent residence. In addition, the program is aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration system, which means applications will be processed faster since the Express Entry system is designed to yield quick immigration results.

Feel free to learn more about creating your Express Entry profile here.

New Brunswick Entrepreneurial Stream

This program targets business owners or senior business managers with experience willing to invest in a New Brunswick business that the business owner will manage. To qualify, applicants must have a particular net worth and while applying their business management skills to start a new business or purchase a business that already exists in New Brunswick.

New Brunswick Post-Graduate Entrepreneurial Stream

This stream is aimed at recent graduates from New Brunswick universities and colleges. This stream is ideal for those graduates who have started or bought a New Brunswick business that has been in operation for at least one year. Furthermore, those eligible and who want to settle in New Brunswick permanently can get nominated through this stream.

New Brunswick Skilled Workers with Employer Support

This program targets highly skilled foreign workers with a full-time valid job offer from an eligible New Brunswick employer.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP)

The program was designed to bring more workers to the Atlantic provinces struggling with a declining workforce. While unemployment is not a problem, the issue is a lack of skillful individuals to fill the vacant positions. Additionally, the AIPP enables newcomers who have secured a valid job offer from a designated employer in the Atlantic region.

Note: Each of these streams has its unique set of criteria you will need to meet if you want to use them to immigrate to New Brunswick. For a more in-depth overview, explore our resource here.

Demographics in New Brunswick

Most of the English-speaking population stem from Scottish descendants, Irish, and English settlers dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bilingual province where English and French have equal status. French speakers make up about one-third of the population and are a descendant of the Acadian settlers.

However, the First Nations Indians are still small in size, and some have formed neighboring communities. The 20th century called for a multicultural population with eastern European, Dutch, German, Italian, and Asian immigrants settling in the urban areas. At the same time, Roman Catholics increased compared to Protestants, who in turn belonged to the Baptist, United Church of Canada in Toronto, Anglican, Pentecostal, and Presbyterian denominations.

In the early 21st century, the population decreased in number as more young people left New Brunswick for better employment opportunities and higher salaries in central Canadian cities and western oil fields.

Education in New Brunswick

Whether you're an international student or a parent seeking proper education for their children, you can be well assured that New Brunswick is ideal for you. You can expect access to an adequate education in the country, with all citizens and permanent residents enjoying government-funded education under 18 years and under.

The University of New Brunswick ranks among the top learning institutions in the province. However, many other colleges and trade schools attract thousands of students from across the country every year.

For your convenience, find out more about the various colleges and universities in New Brunswick here.

Major Cities in New Brunswick

New Brunswick's cities do not have the urban sprawl of cities like Toronto and Vancouver; instead, they retain a desirable small-town charm despite their size. As a result, many are initially drawn to the city life of New Brunswick. With microbreweries, world-class seafood eateries, and galleries popping up around every corner of cities, who wouldn't want to live there?

Below we highlight some of the major cities in New Brunswick:

Saint John

Saint John is a vibrant city that has recently revitalized urban life. The city is still perhaps the most dynamic city along Canada's Atlantic coast. Redevelopment of several areas has led to Saint John becoming an attractive destination for businesses and the service industry. Saint John may be perfect for you if you are French-speaking, as English and French speakers somewhat evenly inhabit the city.

Moncton

Moncton is the largest city of New Brunswick, thanks to it having the fastest growing urban area east of Toronto. The largest French-language university in Canada outside of Quebec, Universite de Moncton, is also found here. Moncton is famous for its robust economy that always recovers after financial trauma. The people of Moncton embody this strength, and their hard work is known throughout Canada. As a result, Moncton has a meagre unemployment rate that is consistently lower than the national average.

Fredericton

The capital city of New Brunswick, Fredericton, is a city filled with friendly, tight-knit communities. Most jobs are related to the public sector; however, there is a growing commercial sector, with IT leading the charge of this growth. Some of the best universities in the province, like the University of New Brunswick, are found here. Fredericton doesn't shy away from the fun, as the city hosts the annual Harvest Jazz Blues Festival which attracts numerous regional and international musicians.

Things to do in New Brunswick

New Brunswick Attractions

Spend your days along the coast in this magical province, watching migrating whales and hiking the sculpted cliffs over the Bay of Fundy. Home to the highest tides in the world, this bay also boasts the famous Hopewell Rocks. These strangely shaped rock formations offer an idyllic spot for kayaking, swimming, and boat tours, so organize a tour guide to show you around the area.

New Brunswick is ideal for hiking, cycling, and observing wildlife in its natural habitat. So grab your binoculars and make your way to Irving Nature Park, where you can explore 11km of untouched coastline while grabbing a snack at the harbour and enjoying the abundant birdlife.

Vibrant Culture in New Brunswick

If you want to experience different, exciting cultures, then New Brunswick should be at the top of your list. The small towns love to celebrate their multicultural population with Irish, Scottish, and Chinese festivals. Canada's Irish Festival on the Miramichi is one of the annual highlights, with Irish dancing, music, and cultural workshops that bring out the celebratory spirit in people from all backgrounds.

Live and Work in New Brunswick Today

Now that you know more about life and culture in New Brunswick, you might want to travel or call this province home permanently. We can assist you with an application or guide you through a suitable immigration program. Ready to start a new life in New Brunswick? Let our professional immigration consultants help you.

Pros and Cons in New Brunswick

Pros

• Affordable housing
• People are polite
• Rich in natural beauty

Cons

• Competitive employment industries
• Language barriers can be common
• Extreme cold weather with better summers

FAQs

How cold does it get in New Brunswick?

You can expect the temperature to drop to -30 °C or even below this temperature.

How long does it take to get PR in New Brunswick?

Gaming permanent residence (PR) can take approximately six months or less after obtaining a New Brunswick permanent nomination. However, the processing times also depend on the completeness of your application, which can cause a delay in processing times. Find out more about processing times and what to expect after submitting your application.

What is a good salary in New Brunswick?

According to Talent Canada the average New Brunswick salary can start from $33,150 per year or $17 per hour. Entry-level positions can start at approximately $29,250 per year, while experienced workers can make up to $49,653 per year.