In an ongoing effort to strengthen ties to the community within Manitoba, the province has amended the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which allows temporary foreign workers a faster path towards Permanent Residence (PR).

At the start of 2013, Manitoba opened the option of applying online to all PNP applications – this option was formerly available to Priority applicants only.  With the availability of applying online, it is now faster and easier than ever to apply for PR through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).  Along with this came a deadline for mail-in applications. Applicants using a paper application must have it submitted and received by the MPNP no later than September 6^th, 2013.  From this date forward, all applications for the MPNP must be submitted online. All correspondence with the MPNP will be made by email so applicants must provide a valid email address in order to apply for the program. In July 2013, the MPNP underwent major renovations with new requirements put into effect on September 1^st.  From this date forward, applicants with ties to another Canadian province or territory must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.

If you are a foreign national who has studied in any other province or territory of Canada, you must:

1. Show at least one year of continuous work experience with an employer in Manitoba
   
2. Hold a valid work permit issued by Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC)
3. Have a permanent, full-time job offer from an employer in Manitoba

The most significant change is the amount of work experience required which has doubled from the previous 6 months requirement.  Note that this change will not affect international students who have graduated from a Manitoba post-secondary educational institution.  Only applicants who have studied in another province or territory of Canada will be affected by this change. In addition to the above mentioned requirements, applicants will still need to show strong ties to Manitoba and ties to other provinces or territories must not be stronger than Manitoba ties. In essence, the province is trying to keep applicants from leaving Manitoba once they have been approved for PR.

In order to make it even easier for foreign workers who wish to join the community in Manitoba, the MPNP was streamlined in April 2013 to create two paths for immigration to Manitoba. Temporary foreign workers now have two options for immigration to Manitoba.

1. Temporary Foreign Workers in Manitoba – If you are a temporary foreign worker or an international student graduate working in Manitoba full-time for at least six months with an offer of permanent employment from a Manitoba employer, you may be eligible to apply for PR through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. Keep in mind that you must not have previous education in Canada outside of Manitoba. If you do, you will need to meet the eligibility requirements mentioned above.
2. Skilled Workers outside Canada – Skilled workers from abroad looking to immigrate to the province of Manitoba may be eligible to apply for the MPNP as long as they meet the minimum requirements of employability and adaptability.

Applicants for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program are assessed based on points given for each of the following categories:

a.      Age

b.      English proficiency – you must show your proficiency in English by taking one of the approved English-language tests. Points are given based on the score obtained on this test.

c.       Work experience

d.      Education

e.     Connection to Manitoba

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program is open to skilled workers from any occupation that can prove they are employable in the province of Manitoba. An exception to this is caregivers, who must apply for PR directly from CIC. Anyone living in Canada as a refugee or who have claimed and been refused refugee status may not apply for the MPNP. Investors and entrepreneurs may apply through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program for Business.

For more information about Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program and to find out whether you qualify to apply for one of the two MPNP categories, contact our office by calling 1-888-808-7338 to speak with an immigration consultant or you may fill out the form on the right side of this page and one of our consultants will get in touch with you promptly.

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