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New Brunswick, Canada's picturesque Maritime province, boasts a rich blend of culture, history, and natural beauty that attracts visitors from around the globe. This province offers something for everyone with its charming coastal towns, lush forests, and vibrant urban centers. In this extensive article, we will explore the three best cities in New Brunswick that have captured the hearts of locals and tourists alike. Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John, each with unique qualities and attractions, have risen to the top as must-visit destinations in this enchanting region.
Join us as we dive into the distinctive charm, captivating history, and exciting experiences that await you in these unforgettable cities. Whether you're planning a vacation, considering a relocation, or simply looking to learn more about this captivating region, our in-depth guide will reveal why these cities are the jewels of New Brunswick.
Top 3 Cities in New Brunswick
New Brunswick has a population of 776,827 and has a balance of both traditional rural communities and modern urban cities. It is a melting pot of generations of immigrants, making it extremely easy to adjust to. Top industries include the financial, fishing, and agricultural sectors and manufacturing, technology, construction, and hospitality industries.
Moncton
Moncton is a great place to live, with a warm and welcoming society. The city is growing, with an estimated 2,000 people moving to Moncton every year, with more than half of that figure from outside Canada. Moncton is a bilingual city with a mixture of English and French speakers and cultures. Most of Moncton's French speakers are bilingual, and working in Moncton without speaking French is easy, but it could prove helpful in business. Moncton is a growing center for high-tech and service industries, including call centers drawn by Moncton's bilingual workforce. To ensure your language ability meets Moncton's standards, look at the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).
Moncton offers affordable housing, making it a great place to do business. In addition, the city has world-class educational, health, and business facilities and communities where people are still genuinely interested in helping others.
| Cost | CAD |
|---|---|
| Monthly Expenses for one person | 1,334.90 |
| Monthly Expenses for a family of four | 4,748.10 |
| 1 Bedroom apartment monthly rent | 1,180.94 |
| 3 Bedroom apartment monthly rent | 1,956.67 |
Moncton has excellent services and good quality of life, including healthcare services provided by The Moncton Hospital and Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre. The city also has fantastic nightlife and entertainment, food and drink festivals, and is an excellent place for cycling.
Fredericton
Fredericton, New Brunswick, is a great place to live with many benefits. It is known as the “start-up capital of Canada” and attracts entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, international students, and people who value a cleaner, greener life. Fredericton is a family-friendly city with residential real estate prices that are much lower than other Canadian cities. It is a safe place for kids and a perfect place to raise a family in a peaceful environment.
The city has a rich history, culture, and fantastic employment opportunities as the local economy is driven by Information and Communications Technology (ICT), business, and research. Living costs remain relatively affordable, and real estate and rental prices remain reasonable. Here are some of the living costs you can expect in Fredericton, according to Numbeo.com:
| Cost | CAD |
|---|---|
| Monthly Expenses for one person | 1,245.20 |
| Monthly Expenses for a family of four | 4,447.40 |
| 1 Bedroom apartment monthly rent | 1,219.09 |
| 3 Bedroom apartment monthly rent | 1,764.44 |
Fredericton has a vibrant social life with several restaurants and pubs in the city, providing excellent entertainment to its residents. The Play House and Black Box Theater have several productions throughout the year. The city is also known for having a lot of walking, biking, and running trails, making it an excellent place for people who enjoy the outdoors and appreciate natural beauty. However, some of the disadvantages of the city include a lack of public transport, higher cost of some amenities, and a lack of cultural diversity.
St. Johns
Saint John offers breathtaking ocean views, nature parks, stunning historical architecture, a dynamic arts scene, great shopping, and every type of home you can imagine.
Saint John is a beautiful city with stunning historical architecture, a dynamic arts scene, rich in parks and wilderness, great shopping, and every type of home you can imagine. It is also one of the world's most affordable cities, with easy and affordable housing options. Saint John is considered one of the safest places in Canada to raise a family, with solid social institutions like churches, schools, and social clubs contributing to the proper upbringing of children. The city has a surprisingly affordable cost of living compared to most other Canadian cities. Saint John's crime rates are 23% lower than the New Brunswick average. The city has a friendly community of helpful and approachable people. The city's unique combination of features, including a vibrant and beautiful historic city center, nature parks, and breathtaking ocean views within easy reach, make it a great place to live.
It is also one of the world's most affordable cities. Here are some expenses you can expect living and working in Saint John, according to Numbeo.com.
| Cost | CAD |
|---|---|
| Monthly Expenses for one person | 1,360.80 |
| Monthly Expenses for a family of four | 4,789.40 |
| 1 Bedroom apartment monthly rent | 1,004.50 |
| 3 Bedroom apartment monthly rent | 1,675.00 |
The city has a friendly, warm, and welcoming community.
Saint John has a thriving art scene, with many clubs, programs, and galleries. In addition, the beautifully-restored Imperial Theatre plays host to many concerts, shows, and productions, and the New Brunswick Museum provides a fascinating look into Saint John's history. The city also has many shopping options, with the central neighborhood, Uptown, boasting a variety of shops.
Saint John has a transportation system that is extensive in coverage and the number of people who use the system. The city is also home to post-secondary education institutions such as the New Brunswick Community College and University New Brunswick – Saint John campus. Overall, Saint John is a great place to settle a family, with a low cost of living, affordable housing, and a friendly community.
How to Immigrate to New Brunswick
There are three main ways to immigrate to New Brunswick:
Express Entry
Canada's Express Entry System is an online system the Canadian government uses to manage and process applications for skilled workers who wish to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence status. The system manages three main federal economic programs, which are as follows:
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) for workers in occupations generally requiring a university degree, such as:
- Senior Managers in Financial Communications & other business-related services
- Healthcare Managers
- Financial & Investment Analysts
- Restaurant Managers
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) for workers in trades generally requiring a diploma or job-specific training such as:
- Shore captains(fishing)
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Chefs
- The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is for skilled workers who have lived and worked in Canada for at least one year.
Express Entry is a competitive immigration system that ranks all eligible candidates against one another and invites the best-ranking candidates to apply for Canadian permanent resident status. Candidates are ranked against one another based on age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and other factors. If you are eligible for one or more Express Entry programs and submit your profile, you will receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. About every two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invite immigration candidates with the highest CRS scores to apply for permanent residence. Learn more about how to apply for Express Entry here.
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) is a program that allows New Brunswick to nominate immigrants to fill the economic and labor market needs of the province. The program offers unique pathways for permanent residency and is designed to attract and retain new immigrants who can cater to the needs of the local workforce. The NBPNP has several immigration streams, including the Skilled Worker Stream, designed for foreign nationals with the skills, education, and experience needed to work in the province.
The program also helps New Brunswick employers recruit foreign nationals and international graduates whose skills are needed in the province. As a result, the NBPNP favors those with job offers in one of New Brunswick's in-demand occupations. If you fulfill the requirements, you may be selected to immigrate to Canada through the NBPNP, a faster route toward permanent residence. Successful applicants will receive a New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Certificate, which will speed up obtaining permanent residency. You can apply to the NBPNP through the Express Entry System. If you receive a provincial nomination, you will receive up to 600 CRS points, effectively guaranteeing your permanent residency in Canada.
The program is ideal for those seeking a perfect destination for building a career or raising a family. Learn more about the NBPNP here.
The Atlantic Immigration Program
The Atlantic Immigration Program is a federal immigration program that helps employers recruit skilled foreign workers and international graduates to meet labor needs in Canada's four Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador. The program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada who want to work and live in one of the four provinces. The program helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they have yet to fill locally.
To participate in the program, employers must first be approved by being designated and then have their positions endorsed by the province. Once the employer's positions are endorsed, foreign workers identified by the employer can apply directly to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residency. The program accepts TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 job offers, and language testing is required in all applications. Learn more about if you qualify for the AIP here.
FAQs
What are Some of the Best Cities in New Brunswick, Canada, other than Moncton, Fredericton, and St. John's?
New Brunswick has several other cities that are great places to live. Dieppe is one of the fastest-growing cities in the province and is known for its vibrant Francophone culture. Edmundston is a small city in the northwestern part of the province known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities. Miramichi is a city on the province's east coast known for its rich history and cultural heritage. Bathurst is another city on the province's east coast known for its beautiful beaches and outdoor activities. These cities offer a low cost of living and affordable housing options. They also have efficient public transportation systems and a strong sense of community. Learn more about life in New Brunswick's cities here.
What are the Major Industries in New Brunswick?
New Brunswick's diverse economy includes traditional, resource-based, value-added, and knowledge/technology-sector industries. Most of New Brunswick's manufacturing industries produce food, paper, and wood products, while firms manufacture metal goods, mineral products, and more. Major employment sectors in New Brunswick include agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, retail trade, and manufacturing. Educational services are also a significant industry in New Brunswick, with Rutgers University having a campus in New Brunswick and being one of the top employers in the area.
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