The New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP) was introduced by New Brunswick in November 2022 with the goal of addressing the province’s severe labor shortages and attracting qualified international workers. The NBCWP provides special support through six cooperating employers who help candidates throughout their entire immigration process, in contrast to many other Canadian immigration programs. To assist international employees in settling down and prospering in New Brunswick, these firms offer thorough settlement programs.

The companies taking part in the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP) are broken down below, along with information about their business sectors, the kinds of jobs they hire for, and the settlement services they provide to applicants for the NBCWP.

What is the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP)?

With a five-year duration scheduled from the time of its inception, the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP) is a unique immigration program created to connect eligible immigrants with prior work experience in key industries within New Brunswick’s economy. This initiative collaborates with six carefully chosen companies that have a proven track record of employing foreign nationals in Canada.

Candidates who are engaged by these approved businesses and relocate to Canada via this initiative will get a variety of settlement services from their employers, such as:

  • Comprehensive settlement plans to facilitate a smooth transition into their new roles and communities. This includes assistance with housing and transportation, with an emphasis on helping newcomers establish roots for long-term retention.
  • Human resources strategies focused on attracting skilled international workers, alongside opportunities for professional development and enhancement of job-related skills.
  • Language training support of up to 200 hours, if needed, to help candidates improve their communication abilities in English or French.
  • Guidance on obtaining secondary education equivalency, assisting candidates who wish to have their foreign academic credentials recognized in Canada.

Who are the designated employers taking part in the program?

Currently, the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP) works with six businesses in the province that have been handpicked because they have a strong record of recruiting newcomers and are leaders in their respective industries. Among these employers are:

  • J.D. Irving Ltd.
  • Groupe Westco
  • Cooke Aquaculture Inc.
  • McCain Foods
  • Groupe Savoie Inc.
  • Imperial Manufacturing

Although applicants applying through the NBCWP are not subject to any occupational limits by the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), it is important to keep in mind that the program is predominantly employer-led. In order to verify whether the position they are interested in is eligible for the NBCWP, prospective applicants should get in touch with the relevant company. The pilot program’s application process is managed by the employer.

Candidates must meet the fundamental requirements of the NBPNP and have a legitimate offer of full-time, indefinite work from one of the recognized employers in order to be eligible for this stream.

Note: The jobs provided by the employers are meant to give readers a rough idea of their business activities; but, over time, they may alter to reflect the companies’ changing needs. You can search the internet or visit the websites of the businesses to find the most up-to-date information on available positions.

Cooke Aquaculture Inc.

For more than 35 years, Cooke Aquaculture Inc., a family-run enterprise, has been effectively running a sustainable aquaculture enterprise in Atlantic Canada. Cooke Aquaculture is an important participant in the aquaculture sector and a major driver of the economic growth of rural coastal communities.

With operations spanning multiple industries, including salmon farming, fish processing, fish product production, transportation, distribution, and sales and marketing, the company is a fully vertically integrated seafood producer.

Cooke Aquaculture provides a variety of positions in a range of industries for job seekers. Potential positions in aquaculture and marine operations include Oiler/Deckhand, Occupational Scuba Diver, Fish Health Manager, Lead Hand in Fishing, Hatchery Technician, Saltwater Marine Site Manager, Harvest Vessel Captain (Fishing Master III), FW Lead Hand, and Saltwater Marine Technician.

Job positions in the processing and plant operations sector could include Yield Check, Quality Assurance Manager, Fish Processor, Fish Processing Plant Worker, and Large Vessel Cook/Deckhand. The business also needs qualified candidates for technical support and maintenance positions, including those of maintenance technician, truck and transport technician, maintenance crew, FW maintenance support, marine mechanic, and maintenance vessel captain.

Additionally, Cooke Aquaculture is hiring for positions in the logistics and transportation industry, such as dispatcher, transportation customer service representative, local truck driver, truck/tractor trailer driver, shunt truck driver, and truck driver-owner operators. Cooke Aquaculture maintains its operations and contributes to the sustainability of the aquaculture sector through these diverse functions.

Groupe Savoie Inc.

With decades of experience in the hardwood processing business, Groupe Savoie Inc. The company was founded in 1978 and has been making hardwood items of superior quality ever since. Groupe Savoie is a vertically integrated company that manages all facets of its business, from the procurement and harvesting of wood to the production of high-quality hardwood products for a range of uses.

Pallets and pallet parts, cabinet and furniture parts, hardwood timber, tonewood components, wood chips, and other products are among the company’s offerings. Regarding job openings, Groupe Savoie is seeking candidates for a number of maintenance and technical tasks, including millwright, welder/assembler, PLC programmer, and building maintenance technician. In addition, there are production support positions in the production department, logistics, and contractual opportunities for Independent Contractors with a focus on Forestry Biomass Trucking.

Groupe Westco 

Located close to the Canada-U.S. border in Saint-François de Madawaska, New Brunswick, lies Groupe Westco, a chicken farming company. It has expanded to rank among the biggest chicken farming operations in Canada.

Groupe Westco now does more than just raise chickens. The company produces food, transports, generates power, forestry, and sustainable power. It also produces organic fertilizer.

Groupe Westco is hiring for a number of roles, such as:

Poultry Farming and Production

  • Food Production Technicians (Table and Liquid Eggs)
  • Quality Control Inspectors
  • Hatchery Technicians
  • Poultry Farm Workers

Logistics and Transportation

  • Distribution Network Managers
  • Truck Drivers
  • Transportation Coordinators

Forestry and Resource Management

  • Road Excavation Workers
  • Forest Harvesting Managers
  • Logging Equipment Operators
  • Forestry Technicians

Imperial Manufacturing Group (IMG) 

For the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and construction industries in North America, IMG is a top manufacturer of air distribution and building equipment. Through acquisitions and new business initiatives, the company has grown greatly over the years, producing over 7,000 goods, such as steel studs, registers, flexible ducting, stove pipes, and air quality equipment.

Today, IMG has more than 1,000,000 square feet of production space spread over 11 manufacturing and distribution facilities in the US and Canada.

In addition, IMG has been named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, and it has achieved Platinum status for seven years running.

IMG is hiring for a number of roles, such as:

Manufacturing and Production Roles

  • Production Support
  • Millwright
  • Evening Production Supervisor
  • Welder/Assembler

Technical and Engineering Roles

  • Machinery Operators
  • PLC Programmer

Logistics and Contractual Roles

  • Transportation Coordinators and Truck Drivers
  • Independent Contractor – Forestry Biomass Truck

Supervisory and Management Roles

  • Building Maintenance Technician
  • Evening Production Supervisor

J.D. Irving, Limited

J.D. Irving, Limited (J.D. Irving) was established in 1882 as a lumber and sawmill company. Over the years, it has expanded to become one of the biggest and most diverse privately held companies in Canada. With its headquarters located in Saint John, New Brunswick, the corporation currently employs over 20,000 people in a variety of industries, including forestry, shipbuilding, construction, and agriculture.

One of the biggest employers in Atlantic Canada is J.D. Irving.

The business is hiring for a number of roles, such as:

Manufacturing and Shipbuilding Roles

  • Chargehand, Metal Fabricator (AOPS)
  • Production Supervisor, Steel
  • Metal Fabricator (Red Seal)
  • Crane Operator
  • Stage Builders/Scaffolders
  • Dimensional Control Surveyor
  • Labourer, Semi-Skilled Services
  • Welding Technician (Visual Robot Welding Portal)
  • Production Supervisor, Mechanical Training and Coaching
  • Welder (Red Seal)
  • Detail Planner

Logistics and Procurement Roles

  • Senior Procurement Specialist, River Class Destroyer
  • Buyer
  • Intermediate Procurement Specialist
  • Material Management Specialist
  • Associate Procurement Specialist, River Class Destroyer

Engineering and Technical Roles

  • Engineer, Industrial Engineering
  • Operations Trainer, Safety
  • Quality Control Inspector, Pipe
  • Level III Welding Inspector
  • Engineer, Production Engineering (Design for Manufacture)
  • Structures Engineer
  • Health, Safety and Environment Specialist (2nd Shift)

McCain Foods

The McCain brothers founded McCain Foods in 1957 as a modest frozen french fry factory in Florenceville, New Brunswick. Since then, it has expanded to become the biggest producer of frozen french fries globally. McCain is currently among the biggest firms in the frozen food sector, selling its goods in more than 160 nations and bringing in more than $14 billion CAD a year.

Apart from its main enterprise, McCain manages other subsidiary businesses across diverse industries such as transportation, potato farming, prepared foods and appetizers. Among these brands are:

Brands:

  • Lutosa
  • Van Geloven
  • Forno de Minas
  • Day & Ross
  • Scelta Products

Positions:

Manufacturing and Production Roles:

  • Shift Clean Up
  • Potato Receiver
  • Sanitation Labourer
  • Training Supervisor

Engineering and Technical Roles:

  • Process Engineer
  • Complex Engineering Manager
  • Research and Development Roles:
  • Process Engineer (R&D)
  • Sensory Scientist

Agricultural Roles:

  • Potato Truck Driver (Class 3)
  • Corporate and Administrative Roles:
  • Deductions Intern
  • Manager, Human Resources Data Governance & Analytics