Transition to permanent residency and retention in New Brunswick of temporary foreign workers with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills

Abstract

New Brunswick’s ability to sustain a competitive digital economy depends in part on how effectively the province attracts, transitions, and retains skilled Information and Communications Technology (ICT) workers. Temporary foreign workers represent an important component of this labour supply, making it essential to understand their pathways into the province and their longer term settlement patterns. This report examines the role of temporary foreign workers with ICT skills in New Brunswick’s labour force. Using linked administrative data sets – including Permanent Resident Data, Transition Data, and Citizen Data – the study analyzes the pathways through which ICT skilled temporary foreign workers enter the province, the rates at which they transition to permanent residency, and their subsequent retention in New Brunswick.

Findings show that ICT skilled temporary foreign workers represent a small but consistent share of temporary workers in the province. Transition rates to permanent residency vary by work permit stream, with higher conversion among workers in the International Mobility Program than those in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Among those who become permanent residents, short term retention is relatively strong, though longer term retention declines over time. These results contribute to a broader understanding of how temporary migration supports New Brunswick’s ICT workforce and the factors shaping long term settlement.