The Government of New Brunswick has announced it is expanding the capacity of the Practice Ready Assessment New Brunswick (PRANB) program from 10 to 14 spaces per cohort, increasing the number of internationally trained physicians that can be assessed and licensed to practise in the province.

The announcement was made on April 30, 2026, at a ceremony in Moncton recognizing physicians completing the program’s most recent cohort. Premier Susan Holt, Health Minister John Dornan, and College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick (CPSNB) registrar Dr. Laurie Potter participated in the event alongside representatives from Horizon Health Network and Vitalité Health Network.

About the PRANB Program

PRANB is a collaboration between the New Brunswick Department of Health and the CPSNB. It provides an alternate route to licensure for internationally trained physicians in family medicine who have completed their medical training and practiced independently abroad. Eligible candidates undergo a 12-week supervised clinical field assessment evaluating their knowledge, skills, and suitability to provide safe patient care in accordance with provincial standards. The program is offered in both English and French.

Successful candidates are required to enter into a three-year return-of-service agreement with the Department of Health, committing to practice in communities with identified primary care needs. The province’s first cohort of 10 physicians, who completed the program in early 2025, are now practicing across communities including Moncton, Miramichi, Bathurst, Campbellton, and Woodstock, collectively serving an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 patients.

Practitioner Implications

The PRANB expansion reflects a broader provincial strategy to address primary care shortages through international physician recruitment. For practitioners advising clients in healthcare occupations, New Brunswick continues to prioritize this sector across both its licensing pathways and its immigration programs. Practitioners supporting internationally trained physicians navigating both the PRANB assessment process and provincial immigration streams should monitor gnb.ca and cpsnb.org for updated eligibility criteria and intake timelines as cohort capacity increases.

If you advise clients on immigration pathways in Atlantic Canada, join us for East Coast PNP and The Atlantic Immigration Program 2026 on September 15, 2026, a four-hour course with instructors Sarah Gray and Lana Roberts covering provincial nominee programs and immigration opportunities across the region. Register here.

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