New Brunswick has eliminated its sector-wide limitation on Accommodation and Food Services vocations under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), opening the door again to eligible hospitality workers throughout the province.
The change occurred on September 14, 2026, when Immigration New Brunswick abolished the previous limitation on businesses classified as NAICS 72.
The restriction prohibited employment offers from restaurants, hotels, catering firms, cafes, and other similar facilities that are being taken into consideration for AIP endorsement, regardless of the workers’ occupation.
New Brunswick Reopens AIP to the Accommodation and Food Services Sector
The abolishment of the sector-wide restriction means that eligible workers employed by businesses in the Accommodation and Food Services sector can now be considered for AIP endorsement.
As long as they meet the program’s requirements and are not on New Brunswick’s restricted list.
Eight Occupations That Remain Restricted
There are certain occupations which continue to be restricted. Here are:
| NOC Code | Occupations |
| NOC 14400 | Shippers and receivers |
| NOC 60020 | Retail and wholesale trade managers |
| NOC 60030 | Restaurant and food service managers |
| NOC 62010 | Retail sales supervisors |
| NOC 62020 | Food service supervisors |
| NOC 64100 | Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers |
| NOC 62101 | Retail and wholesale buyers |
| NOC 94142 | Fish and seafood plant workers |
Which Hospitality Workers Can Now Be Considered?
Eligible professions in the Accommodation and Food Service sector can now be taken into consideration for AIP endorsement if all other eligibility requirements are fulfilled.
The occupations especially useful to the reopening include:
| NOC Code | Occupations |
| NOC 62021 | Executive housekeepers |
| NOC 62024 | Cleaning supervisors |
| NOC 62200 | Chefs |
| NOC 63200 | Cooks |
| NOC 63202 | Bakers |
| NOC 64300 | Maîtres d’hôtel and hosts/hostesses |
| NOC 64301 | Bartenders |
| NOC 64314 | Hotel front desk clerks |
However, the sector’s reopening is not an exemption from the federal AIP qualifying requirements. AIP job offers should normally fall under TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4. TEER 5 positions are ineligible for the AIP.
Being Eligible Does Not Mean Your Application Will Be Selected
The September 14 update removes the sector-wide restriction, while other Atlantic Immigration Program requirements remain in effect.
However, fulfilling the eligibility criteria does not automatically guarantee that an endorsement application will be chosen for processing.
The province has identified factors that consist of:
- Employment duration in New Brunswick
- Attachment and economic establishment to the province
- Job or employment in a priority sector such as education, healthcare, and construction.
Applicants with expiring work permits are told to explore different options to maintain their legal authorization to work in Canada. Workers and employers should consider available federal pathways such as Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to support work permit extensions, where applicable.
Federal AIP Requirements Still Apply
Applicants should meet the applicable federal eligibility requirements for the Atlantic Immigration Program. For the professional experience requirements, qualified candidates generally need at least 1,560 hours of qualifying experience during the last five years. It should be relevant to the AIP’s conditions and rules.
What Hospitality Workers Should Do Now
Hospitality workers who are currently working in New Brunswick PNP should review their eligibility criteria following the September 14 change.
Applicants must:
- Confirm their TEER level and NOC code.
- Check and confirm whether their employer is a designated AIP employer.
- Check the qualifying professional experience.
- Make sure that their language proficiency test satisfies the applicable eligibility criteria.
- Check and verify their education and ECA eligibility requirements, If applicable.
- Documents should be demonstrating employment and establishment in New Brunswick.
- Check the validity of the work permit and other relevant options if it is approaching expiry.
- Candidates should also remember that an AIP endorsement is not guaranteed simply because the sector restriction has been removed.
Applicants should also remember that an AIP endorsement is not automatically guaranteed because the sector restriction has been abolished.
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Source: gnb.ca
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