Getting nominated under a provincial program like New Brunswick's PNP doesn't automatically hand you a work permit — the nomination and the work permit are two separate steps.
What members clarified:- Nomination processing generally takes about 2-3 months. Only once you're nominated can you formally apply for the work permit itself.
- Your employer's support letter and paid fees are preparatory steps, not the work permit application itself — they support a work permit application you (or your consultant) will file once nominated.
- Applying from outside Canada can still lead to a work permit and travel to Canada while your PR application continues processing — one member's contact received a work permit and travelled to Canada as an outland applicant even while their PR file was still pending.
Takeaway: expect roughly 2-3 months for the nomination itself, then treat the work permit as its own follow-on application — outland applicants can still receive a work permit and travel before their PR is fully finalized.