So far this year, Manitoba has invited 2,269 immigration candidates to apply for a nomination through its PNP.

Manitoba held an unusual draw on April 19.

Through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) the Province invited 399 candidates who may be eligible for the Skilled Workers Overseas stream.

Typically, Manitoba holds three Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws at a time, and only invites a handful of Express Entry candidates. The new draw did not include any Skilled Workers in Manitoba nor International Education Stream candidates.

Also, the province had different Expression of Interest (EOI) score requirements depending on whether invited candidates were invited through strategic recruitment initiatives, or if they already had an Express Entry profile.

Here are the results of the new MPNP draw:

• 30 candidates invited under a strategic recruitment initiative with an EOI score of at least 703; and
• 369 candidates invited under a strategic recruitment initiative with an EOI score of at least 708.

Express Entry candidates will only be eligible to receive the provincial nomination if their profile is still valid when the MPNP assesses their application. All invited candidates have 60 days from when they receive their Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA) to apply for the provincial nomination.

Manitoba immigration programs

Manitoba has a number of immigration programs dedicated to attracting international talent to settle in the province. The provincial government manages its immigration through the MPNP, which supports immigration applications to the federal government. Canadian provinces do not have the ability to give out permanent residency status, but they can help an application along by issuing provincial nominations.

If you want to benefit from a nomination from Manitoba, you need to register an Expression of Interest with the MPNP. This puts you in a position to receive an LAA through the Skilled Workers in Manitoba and Skilled Workers Overseas streams.

Manitoba then ranks candidates out of 1,000 points for their human capital factors, as well as their connections to the province.

The Skilled Workers Overseas Category and Skilled Workers in Manitoba streams are designed to allow the province to identify candidates who meet its labour market needs.

Candidates overseas need to demonstrate connections to Manitoba through the likes of close family ties, previous experience in the province, or an invitation through one of Manitoba’s Strategic Recruitment Initiatives. You do not need to be living in Manitoba at the time of your application to be eligible.

In order to receive an invitation under the Skilled Workers in Manitoba category, you need to have a full-time job offer from a provincial employer.

International graduates who complete education in Manitoba can receive an LAA under the International Education Stream if they demonstrate that they have in-demand skills.

Manitoba invites Express Entry candidates

Express Entry is the main way Canada manages skilled worker applications. It is possible to skip the PNP process and receive a permanent residence invitation by applying through Express Entry directly. However, having a provincial nomination effectively guarantees that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will invite you to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Express Entry is an application management system for three federal immigration programs. When you submit your profile, you are then ranked based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which considers factors like your age, work experience, education, and language skills.

The highest-scoring candidates receive invitations to apply for permanent residence through regular Express Entry draws.

You gain an additional 600 CRS points if you receive a provincial nomination from a PNP, such as Manitoba’s. This award is high enough to allow you to receive an Invitation to Apply in an Express Entry draw.