Is New Brunswick a good option for international students? As Canada’s only official bilingual province, New Brunswick attracts a diverse community of international students from all over the world and is home to top-ranked schools, colleges, and universities known for their research and community impact.
This guide covers everything you need to know to help you decide if New Brunswick is right for you.
What Makes New Brunswick Great for International Students?
What is the Geography of New Brunswick Like?
Situated in the Appalachian Region, New Brunswick is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean, unlike the other Maritime provinces, and is made up of river valleys and low rolling hills.
What is the Weather and Climate in New Brunswick Like?
With a humid continental climate, New Brunswick typically has more mild winters and warm, sometimes hot, summers.
What Are the Largest Cities in New Brunswick?
The largest cities in New Brunswick are:
Moncton - The most populous city, Moncton is on the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq peoples. Moncton is home to Magnetic Hill, a fascinating optical illusion where cars appear to roll uphill with the engine off.
Saint John - Situated on the Bay of Fundy, Saint John is the country’s oldest incorporated city and its third-largest port.
Fredericton - The capital of New Brunswick, Fredericton is known as a cultural hub with a thriving arts and creative community.
Dieppe - Dieppe is known for its European-style charm. The majority of its population are bilingual, speaking both English and French.
Notable Schools in New Brunswick for International Students
According to Maclean’s Top Universities of 2023, a ranking based on students, reputation, faculty, student support, and resources, these are the top universities in New Brunswick:
Mount Allison University - Ranked 28th for Best Overall, 27th for Highest Quality, 32nd for Most Innovative, and 33rd for Leaders of Tomorrow. Located in Sackville,
Mount Allison - has a reputable fine arts program, and standout programs in Health Studies and Aviation.
University of New Brunswick - Ranked 29th for Best Overall, 20th for Highest Quality, 29th for Most Innovative, and 35th for Leaders of Tomorrow. The country’s oldest English language university,
University of New Brunswick - has campuses in Saint John and Fredericton. It has a student-teacher ratio of 15:1 and a strong focus on research, entrepreneurship, and experiential learning.
Université de Moncton (Moncton University) - Ranked 40th for Best Overall, 38th for Highest Quality, 37th for Most Innovative, and 36th for Leaders of Tomorrow. Located in Moncton, it’s the country’s largest francophone university outside of Quebec. It’s known for its research in collaborative artificial intelligence projects and its Computer Science, Juris Doctor, and Mechanical Engineering programs.
St. Thomas University - Ranked 47th for Best Overall, 46th for Highest Quality, 48th for Most Innovative, and 45th for Leaders of Tomorrow. Located in Fredericton, this exclusively undergraduate university with a highly-regarded journalism program is also known for its Law, Politics and Society, Social Work, and Human Rights programs.
Other top schools and colleges in New Brunswick for international students:
Maritime College of Forest Technology - One of the top colleges in Fredericton, the Maritime College of Forest Technology specializes in natural resource education, providing access to three teaching forests for its students.
New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) - NBCC offers over 90 programs in its Fredericton, Miramichi, Moncton, Saint John, St. Andrews and Woodstock campuses. NBCC recently started the FAST NB campaign, which connects skilled immigrants with companies.
New Brunswick College of Craft and Design - With a focus on fine art, applied design, and entrepreneurship excellence, this college also provides a Wabanaki visual arts program focused on the region’s Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq and Passamaquoddy peoples’ traditional and contemporary crafts.
Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) - With five campuses in Bathurst, Campbellton, Dieppe, Edmundston and the Acadian Peninsula, CCNB offers over 80 programs along with growing research in collaboration with Springboard Atlantic’s and Tech-Access Canada’s networks.
Crandall University - Located in Moncton, Crandall is a Christian faith liberal arts university known for academic excellence.
What Is the Population of New Brunswick Like?
New Brunswick has a population of 775,600 people, with 44,100 immigrants in the province. There are 44,200 visible minorities with the largest minority groups being Black, South Asian, Filipino, and Arab. The Indigenous population makes up 4.4% of the population as of 2021.
Annually, around 3,000 international students come to New Brunswick for post-secondary education.
Top 5 Tourist Attractions in New Brunswick
If you decide to study in New Brunswick, be sure to take in these dazzling sights:
Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park - Known as the Flowerpot Rocks or The Rocks, these unique sea stack formations formed by tidal movements are worth seeing at both low and high tide.
Fundy National Park of Canada - This is the place to take in the natural beauty of the Bay of Fundy. Walk along the ocean floor at low tide to see local treasures and at high tide to admire the ocean’s beauty.
Magnetic Hill - Home to the unique optical illusion where cars in neutral seem to roll uphill. Be sure to also visit Magnetic Hill Zoo, Atlantic Canada’s top zoo.
Whale Watching at St. Andrews - See a humpback whale, a white shark, or, if you’re lucky, the endangered right whale (only 450 remain in the world). Peak whale-watching season is August to early September.
Kouchibouguac National Park - A place for bird watching, and natural sights, this park is also a designated Dark Sky Preserve – one of the country’s best stargazing sites.
What Does the New Brunswick Job Market Look Like?
Since 2022, New Brunswick employment has seen a 2.5% growth and is currently ranked 10th of 13 provinces by economical growth rate. The top industries in New Brunswick are the services industry, manufacturing industry, agriculture, and mining industry.
Here is the job market and local economy forecast for New Brunswick until 2027:
New Brunswick Cities with Largest Employment and Job Opportunities
Moncton - Primary industries are tourism, food and accommodation services, and trade.
Saint John - Primary industries are maritime industries such as shipping, fishing, ship building, telecommunications, e-commerce, and trade.
Fredericton - Primary industries are resource-based, with some substantial growth in aerospace and defence manufacturing, food processing, information and communication technology, and biosciences.
Source: https://arrivein.com/career-ca/most-in-demand-jobs-in-new-brunswick-nb-for-newcomers/
Top 5 Industries with the Highest Job Openings in New Brunswick
Health Care and Social Assistance
Retail and Wholesale
Trade Manufacturing
Construction
Public Administration
Source: https://www.nbjobs.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/2019-04-15-lmo-report-en-v2.pdf
What Skills and Education Levels Do Employers Look for in New Brunswick?College or Apprenticeship Training - 38,400 job openings
Secondary School and/or Occupation Specific Training
- 34,800 job openings
University Education
- 16,400 job openings
Can I Apply for Permanent Residence After Studying in New Brunswick?
From 2015-2022, 4,300 people became permanent residents in New Brunswick, with 9,500 people receiving permanent residency in 2022.
If you’re curious about the New Brunswick international student PR program, the New Brunswick PNP (Provincial Nominee Program) has all the information you need.
There are seven New Brunswick immigration pathways:
New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream
- For individuals with the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to the New Brunswick economy.
New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
- For individuals who have the skills, education, and work experience to fulfil occupations in high demand.
New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream
- For entrepreneurs who are interested in operating, managing, or starting a business in New Brunswick.
New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream for French-speaking immigrants
- For French-speaking individuals who have the skills, education, and work experience to work in New Brunswick.
- For skilled workers or recent graduates of an Atlantic Canada post-secondary institution who want to live and work in New Brunswick.
New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot
- This five-year pilot program is for individuals who satisfy requirements for jobs that are experiencing critical labour shortages.
New Private Career College Graduate Pilot Program
- For international graduates with the skills, education, and
work experience
to contribute to the New Brunswick economy.
What is The Study and Succeed in New Brunswick Program?
The Study and Succeed in New Brunswick program is a three-year initiative launched by the New Brunswick government focused on retaining international students and providing resources for immigration to New Brunswick. The program offers the tools, training, and professional networking for starting a career and life in the province. Nine cohorts of 100 students currently attending New Brunswick colleges and universities will be selected to participate.
Protect Yourself From Immigration Fraud
Protect yourself from immigration fraud by taking advantage of free resources offered by your school’s International Student centre and educating yourself. If you receive any urgent demands for money or private information, don’t act immediately. Instead, contact Immigration Services.
How Do I Study in New Brunswick?
Choosing the right school is no easy task for international students, and we hope this guide has helped you decide if New Brunswick is the place for you!
If you’re looking for guidance on studying in Canada as an international student, reach out to IDP Education Canada’s counsellors for a free consultation. They can answer any questions you may have about your application or what courses to take. Book a chat here.
Curious about how safe it is to study in Canada as an international student? Read this blog post.
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