A person who had been living in New Brunswick for a year after landing as a PR through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP) asked whether they could move to another province.
What the group advised:- Once you have permanent residence, you are legally free to move to any province you wish. PR status itself does not restrict where you live in Canada.
- However, NB PNP nominees sign a letter of intent to reside in New Brunswick for roughly 2 years after landing. This is a commitment made during the nomination process, not a legal condition attached to your PR status.
- In practice, people do leave before that intent period ends — for example, if they find a job in another province or get married and relocate. Leaving early is possible since PR itself carries no residency lock to the nominating province.
- The main uncertainty raised was around citizenship applications down the line — some group members were unsure whether leaving early could be scrutinized when applying for citizenship later, since it may look inconsistent with the intent declared at nomination. No one in the thread had a definitive answer on this, so treat it as a gray area worth checking with an immigration consultant if you plan to apply for citizenship soon after moving.
Takeaway: PR status lets you move freely, but NB PNP's intent-to-reside commitment is a soft expectation, not enforceable relocation. Weigh it if a citizenship application is coming up soon after your move.