The Manitoba Work Experience Pathways is one of several immigration pathways available through the Skilled Workers in the Manitoba Stream of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). This pathway is geared to foreign nationals who possess the necessary skilled work experience and are currently residing in Manitoba at the time they applied.
Those who have been nominated successfully through this pathway will be asked to file an official application for Canadian permanent residence. The MPNP Ranking System is used in this stream to rank potential candidates against one another. Only the most competitive individuals would be invited to file a formal application to the program.
What are the minimum requirements for applicants to be eligible?
Here is a quick rundown of the minimum eligibility requirements for the Manitoba Work Experience Pathway.
| Do I need an Express Entry Profile? | No, you do not need an Express Entry Profile. |
| Do I need connections to the province? | Work experience, to be discussed further below. |
| Do I need an existing job offer? | All candidates must obtain a job offer from their company for a full-time, permanent role. |
| What are the minimum language proficiency requirements? | The minimum requirements are: ● CLB 4 for NOC C or D ● CLB 5 for any other NOC 0, A, or B ● CLB 6 for Compulsory Trades ● CLB 7 for Regulated Occupations Language test must’ve been completed within the 2 years preceding application to the program. |
| What is the minimum educational level required? | There is currently no minimum educational level required. |
| Are there work experience requirements? | 1 year of work experience at Skill Levels NOC 0, A, B, C, or D |
| Is there an investment requirement? | There is currently no investment required to qualify. |
Do I need connections to the province?
An applicant should already be in Manitoba working for an employer on a valid work permit to be eligible for the Manitoba Work Experience Pathway. The length of work experience required in Manitoba to be eligible differs:
| Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) and foreign grads that finished education in a Manitoba post-secondary institution and are currently employed in an MPNP In-Demand Occupation | The required Manitoba work experience is a minimum of 6 months. |
| International alumni of eligible Canadian post-secondary schools that operate outside of the province who are employed in an MPNP In-Demand Occupation: | The required Manitoba work experience is a minimum of 12 months. |
| Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) and international alumni that finished education in an eligible Manitoba post-secondary institution and are NOT currently employed in an MPNP In-Demand Occupation | The required Manitoba work experience is a minimum of 12 months. |
Please keep in mind that foreign graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions situated outside of Manitoba who have a post-graduation work permit and are employed in an occupation that is not on the MPNP In-Demand Occupation List are ineligible for this stream.
It’s also worth noting that, while complete details concerning this program have not been determined, other MPNP streams suggest that the province does not consider job experience earned while enrolled in full-time school towards the criteria for this stream.
Do I need a settlement plan and funds?
All MPNP candidates must submit a settlement plan explaining their plans for integrating into Manitoban life, and they must be prepared to demonstrate that they fulfill specific provincial settlement money criteria.
Candidates in Manitoba must demonstrate access to at least $10,000 CAD, with an extra $2,000 CAD per spouse and accompanying dependent. This is the provincial requirement; the conditions for completing a federal immigration application may differ.
How do I start my application?
Please keep in mind that this stream is not currently available and accepting applications. The application method outlined here is set to take effect in 2019. Prior to the start of this stream, MPNP will revise the Expression of Interest (EOI) mechanism.
The Manitoba Work Experience Pathway will be based on an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. Candidates who match the basic stream criteria can create an account on the MPNP Online platform. After submitting their profiles, applicants will be granted a score and rated against one another using the MPNP Ranking System (this ranking system may change prior to the opening of this stream). During one of the MPNP Draws, the top-ranked applicants will be granted a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA).
The candidate has sixty days after obtaining an LAA to submit a completed application to MPNP. The application is available online using the applicant’s MPNP Online account. If the application is successful, the applicant will obtain a provincial nomination for permanent residence. They will be sent a nomination package that will include instructions on how to prepare and submit a federal application for permanent residency.
Provincial candidates have six months from the date of their nomination to apply for permanent residency. They must complete a paper application and send it to the proper application center. On average, paper-based PNP applications for permanent residency are handled within 18 months.
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