MPNP - (Worker) Skilled Worker in Manitoba

Express Entry nomination options

Candidates may be considered for an enhanced nomination if they meet both Manitoba program and federal Express Entry requirements. You must create an Express Entry profile before creating an MPNP EOI, enter the correct profile number and job seeker validation code, and maintain a valid profile. Having an Express Entry profile does not automatically create a nomination and does not guarantee an invitation from Manitoba.

Not all MPNP nominations are part of Express Entry. Candidates nominated via a non-Express Entry stream cannot automatically transfer that nomination to Express Entry to receive CRS points. You must verify your nomination type and MPNP instructions before proceeding with your federal application.

Source: MPNP — enhanced nomination; MPNP — distinction between nomination types. Checked on October 7, 2026.

Program Update – October 6, 2026

As per the notice dated June 11, 2026, candidates with an active CEP EOI and at least 6 months of work experience in Manitoba are invited to transition to the Skilled Worker in Manitoba (SWM) pathway for priority consideration in upcoming EOI draws. Please review the SWM requirements, update your EOI, and provide full details regarding your education and connections to Manitoba. This announcement does not declare the CEP closed; you should not rely on previous CEP criteria to assume eligibility for application submission or invitation receipt.

Source: Notice regarding the transition from CEP to SWM.

Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge (MWTB)

The August 2026 announcement regarding the MWTB applies to the group that received a Manitoba support letter in 2024/2025 under the previous temporary policy. The deadline for this group to receive a nomination has been extended to December 31, 2027. This is not an automatic expansion for all work permit holders; you must verify your eligibility group and IRCC requirements.

Official Manitoba announcement

To apply under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba (SWM) Pathway, you must prove you have current employment in Manitoba as an established connection to the province.

What is ongoing Manitoba employment?

Ongoing Manitoba employment means that you:

• Hold a valid work permit, and
• A Manitoba company has offered you a long-term, full-time job after you have completed at least 6 months of continuous full-time employment at that company as:
  • a temporary foreign worker, or
  • an international graduate student who is currently working.

If you are able to obtain a temporary work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you may be eligible to apply to the MPNP as a temporary foreign worker. Please visit the IRCC website to learn more about work permit options.

Qualifying employment

Your employer must:

• Be incorporated or registered under the laws of a provincial or federal government in Canada, and
• Operate as a business with established production facilities, a plant, or a place of business in Manitoba.
• The employer must demonstrate to the MPNP's satisfaction that they are an established business with the capacity to provide you with long-term, full-time employment in Manitoba.

The following periods are not counted when calculating qualifying Manitoba work experience:

• self-employment,
• unauthorized work, or
• work experience gained while studying full-time (e.g., experience gained via a co-op permit).

The following individuals are not eligible to apply under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba Pathway, and any Manitoba work experience in these roles does not count toward qualifying work experience:

• self-employed individuals,
• business owners,
• owner-operators,
• individuals providing services as an independent contractor to the business supporting the application.

Note: The MPNP only issues a work permit support letter if a verified employee-employer relationship exists.

Requirements for international graduates from other provinces: If you graduated from a post-secondary program in another Canadian province and wish to apply under the SWM Pathway due to a job offer in Manitoba, you must have worked for that Manitoba employer for at least 1 year to be eligible.

Temporary foreign workers

Requirements

• The long-term job offer must come from the same employer for whom you have worked full-time during the required period.
• You must be fully qualified for the position, including training/education and any required licenses/certifications.
• You must have sufficient English proficiency to be job-ready; specifically, you must demonstrate the level of English or French required to perform the duties described in the job description.
• Your connection to Manitoba through employment must be stronger than any connections you may have to another province.
• You must demonstrate in your Settlement Plan your intention and plan to live, work, and establish your family life in Manitoba as a permanent resident.

Note: Individuals exempt from work permit requirements to work in Manitoba (e.g., Ministers of Religion) are not eligible to apply under this category.

Employment that is part of a work-study program is not eligible.

International student working graduates

Applies only to graduates of post-secondary educational institutions in Manitoba. You are eligible if a Manitoba employer offers you a long-term job after you have worked at least 6 months of continuous full-time employment with a valid post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

Requirements

• You completed an approved education/training program at a public post-secondary institution or a registered private vocational school in Manitoba. (Language programs are excluded.)
• Your study/vocational program was full-time and at least 1 academic year in duration.
• You completed the program and received a diploma, degree, or certificate.
• You worked continuously for at least 6 months for the same employer who offered you the long-term, full-time job.
• You hold a valid PGWP issued by IRCC.
• Your connection to Manitoba through employment is stronger than any connections you may have to another Canadian province.
• You demonstrate in your Settlement Plan your intention and plan to live, work, and establish your family life in Manitoba as a permanent resident.
• You have the full qualifications and the level of English or French proficiency required to perform the job duties.

Note: If you are an international graduate who does not meet the eligibility requirements for the International Student Working Graduate category, you may be eligible to apply through the Skilled Worker Overseas Pathway or a pathway under the Business Investor Stream.

How to apply

This process applies to pathways under the Skilled Worker Stream and International Education Stream, with the exception of the International Student Entrepreneur Pilot. Pathways under the Business Investor Stream have a different, separate process and do not use the MPNP Online portal.

• Create an Expression of Interest (EOI) profile.
• If you receive a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA), submit a full application to the MPNP.
• The application will be thoroughly assessed by an MPNP officer.
• Successful candidates will be nominated by the MPNP.
• Within 180 days of the nomination date, submit a separate application to the Government of Canada to apply for permanent residence for yourself and your family.

Who cannot apply to the MPNP

The following individuals are not eligible to apply to the MPNP:

• Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process
• Live-in Caregivers currently residing in Canada
• Temporary foreign workers currently working and residing in a province other than Manitoba
• Spouses of Canadian citizens or permanent residents
• Individuals refused by the MPNP within the last 6 months who cannot rectify the reason for the refusal
• Individuals with an active immigration application with any other provincial immigration program or federal immigration program in Canada. (Note: an Express Entry profile is not considered an immigration application.)
• If you or your spouse already have an active MPNP application, you are not eligible to submit an additional application for any other MPNP stream/pathway.

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