Settling in New Brunswick

To be eligible you must be a citizen or legally entitled to remain in Canada and make your permanent and principal home in New Brunswick, or be an international student who meets the student criteria.

Tourists, visitors and transients are not eligible.

Newcomers arriving from another country may be covered from their first day in the province, if they are eligible and the Director decides they have set up a permanent residence in New Brunswick.

You can only apply after you have physically moved to New Brunswick.

People moving from within Canada wait until the first day of the third month after the month they settle (for example, a July 20 move means coverage from October 1).

People arriving from outside Canada must show they are not keeping permanent resident status in another country.

International students qualify if they study full time at an approved New Brunswick post-secondary institution for the full school year with a valid immigration document.

A full school year for this purpose means at least September to April.

A student's spouse and dependants qualify if they live with the student and hold their own valid immigration document for the same period.

Part-time students are not eligible.

Exchange students are not eligible.

The province says international students should think about private insurance for services Medicare does not cover, such as ambulance fees and drugs.

Apply online, or send the PDF form to Medicare by mail or email, or drop it off at a Service New Brunswick office.

The province says to allow 10 to 12 weeks for processing (a separate Quick Guide PDF gives a shorter time for online applications; see "Not confirmed or blocked").

You need photocopies of documents showing your status in Canada, your identity and your New Brunswick residence.

People arriving from outside Canada also need a copy of each person's last entry stamp in their passport.

Status documents accepted for non-Canadians include a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence, a permanent resident card and valid permits.

Proof of residence (for example a lease or utility bill) must show the applicant's name and New Brunswick address.

International students must also prove enrolment for a full school year, and an acceptance letter is not enough.

The newcomer page says private insurance can cover services Medicare leaves out, such as prescription drugs, dental care and vision care.

Visitors are encouraged to buy private emergency medical insurance for travellers.

Refugee claimants who cannot get provincial coverage may get limited, temporary coverage through the federal Interim Federal Health Program.

A driver licensed elsewhere must get a New Brunswick licence as soon as they become a resident.

Temporary residents (a work or study permit valid for more than 6 months) can get a New Brunswick licence, or drive on their valid home licence for up to 6 months from landing in Canada.

Drivers from other provinces and the United States can exchange class for class without a test.

Drivers from other countries must take the full exam (vision, written and road tests), unless their country has reciprocity.

Nationals of reciprocity countries can exchange for a Class 5 (or motorcycle) licence without testing.

The reciprocity countries are Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Isle of Man, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and Wales.

Even reciprocity drivers must bring proof of identity, proof of address, the foreign licence, a translation and proof of legal presence in Canada.

A licence not in English or French needs an official translation (from a translation agency or an international driver's licence), plus one proof of identity and two proofs of residency.

Ukrainian category B or BE licences exchange for a Class 5 without the written and road tests (a vision test is still required).

Taiwan licences also need a translation authenticated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto and a verification certificate.

New Brunswick has two public school sectors, Anglophone and Francophone.

International student tuition for 2025-2026 is $20,769 a year, plus a $300 non-refundable administration fee and a possible $150 orientation fee.

Department Policy 114 says students admitted on that basis are not charged tuition (the policy dates from 1992 and was last revised July 1, 2001).

Policy 114 defines a fee-paying international student as someone who comes from outside Canada (or from Maine) to attend school in New Brunswick.

Registration starts online, through the Parent Portal or the school district's website, and needs a birth certificate, proof of address, immunization records, Medicare or medical insurance information, and any earlier school or medical reports.

The province offers a video series for newcomer families, including one on registration and the documents needed.

Example district (Anglophone East, Moncton): students born outside Canada register through the district's Student Welcome Centre.

Anglophone East: the student must be physically in the province to pre-register online, then attend an in-person appointment.

Anglophone East: students born outside Canada and their parents must show proof of legal status (permanent resident card, work permit, study permit, refugee claimant document and similar) along with the other documents.

Anglophone East: families must show proof of Medicare or medical insurance for the length of studies.

The Government of New Brunswick's newcomer page covers settlement services, housing, health care, children and families, and transportation.

It lists settlement service providers by region; they help with languages, jobs and getting to know the community.

Immigration New Brunswick offers an orientation guide for newcomers; you need an account to read it.

The province's immigration page (where the old welcomenb.ca address now leads) brings together immigration programs, settlement services and newcomer resources.