In April of this year the New Brunswick government launched the Population Growth Secretariat and tasked it with increasing New Brunswick's population through efforts in the areas of immigration, repatriation, retention and settlement.

New Brunswick has signed a Provincial Nominee Agreement with the federal government, which allows the Province to play a more active role in immigration by selecting a number of immigrants to fulfill specific economic needs. The Population Growth Secretariat administers the Provincial Nominee Program.

According to this agreement, those nominated by the Province will see their immigration application processed expeditiously which should result in a shorter processing time for immigrant visas. Final approval of an applicant, based on the individual's health and security background check, is still the responsibility of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada is a federal agency which "Responds to the needs of communities in all parts of the country by creating opportunities for individuals to come to Canada to make an economic, social, cultural and civic contribution while also realizing their full potential, with a view to becoming citizens."

One basic need of all New Brunswickers, including immigrants, is shelter. That is my area of expertise as a real estate Agent licensed by the Province of New Brunswick. In order to provide better service to clients from other cultures, I've taken an approved Continuing Professional Education Course, "Selling Across Cultures" by Laraine Kaminsky of Graybridge Malkam.

Additionally in June of 2004 I attended Rendez-vous Immigration 2004, a two day symposium held in St. Andrews to discuss the advantages and challenges related to immigration in New Brunswick. New Brunswick is different than most provinces in that there is not a single major city, but three modest cities within an hour and a half drive from each other. Of the 33 Census Metropolitan Areas in Canada, Moncton is ranked 29th and Saint John is 32nd in population.

It's my belief that New Brunswick is most attractive to those who do not wish to live in a large metropolitan area. Immigrants seeking homes with larger lots and generally more green space will find New Brunswick very attractive. In the category of population density per square kilometre, of the 33 CMAs, Moncton is ranked 29th at 53 per square kilometre and Saint John 32nd at 36. In comparison ranked #1, 2 and 3 is Toronto at 866, Montreal at 853 and Vancouver at 735 per square kilometre. And because the abundance of land means the price of building lots is reasonable, housing prices are much lower in New Brunswick than many other areas.

Feel free to contact me about immigration to New Brunswick, Canada.

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Larry Estabrooks is an independent real estate agent in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

www.LarryEstabrooks.com - My personal home page

www.MonctonCity.info - If you don't know Moncton, discover it here.

www.MonctonHomes.info - If you're considering a property anywhere in the Moncton area, start here.

email me - larry@larryestabrooks.com

For contact information: www.LarryEstabrooks.com/contact/