Foreign workers who have a connection to Manitoba may be able to obtain Canadian permanent residence through the Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas (SWO) category of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).
The Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas is based on the needs of the Manitoba economy and local employers. This is a points-based Canadian immigration category.
Candidates first need to submit an Expression of Interest to immigrate to Manitoba. The highest-scoring candidates are then invited to apply to the MPNP when the Government of Manitoba conducts a draw, or invitation round. In Manitoba, an invitation is known as a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA).
Successful applicants are nominated for permanent residence.
The Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas category nominates applicants who demonstrate an established connection to Manitoba through:
- the support of family members or friends;
- through previous education or work experience in Manitoba; or
- through an Invitation to Apply received directly from the MPNP as part of a Strategic Recruitment Initiative.
Immigration through the Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas category
While a connection to Manitoba is required in order to be eligible to apply through the Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas category, this is not a sponsorship program. Potential candidates still need to demonstrate that they are a skilled worker with English or French language ability, settlement funds, and the intention to settle permanently in Manitoba. As the Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas category has a points-based assessment, potential candidates also need to obtain a score of at least 60 points for language ability, employability, education, age, and adaptability.
Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas: existing categories
There are three ways to demonstrate you have a connection to the province.
Manitoba Support
If you have close family members or friends who are Canadian permanent residents living in Manitoba, they may be able to endorse your application. Your family member or friend must have been continuously living in the province for at least one year. You will need to demonstrate close ties to your supporter, and they must be able to endorse your settlement plan and provide their contact details for your application.
Close relatives can support more than one applicant at once, but friends or distant relatives are only eligible if they (and their household) are not supporting anyone else for any other immigration program, in Manitoba or elsewhere in Canada (for example, your friend cannot endorse you if his spouse is sponsoring her parents at the same time, even though the Parent and Grandparent Program is a separate Canadian immigration program).
If your supporter has endorsed a Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas candidate before, he or she will need to show that candidate successfully settled in the province permanently. You cannot be supported by immigration representatives, Canadian elected officials and their staff, or anyone who is not a close friend or relative of you or your spouse or partner. Additionally, children cannot support their parents through this category, and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident cannot support his or her spouse or partner.
Manitoba Experience
If you have worked or studied in Manitoba before, this could be the route for you. Past workers require at least six consecutive months’ work experience in Manitoba, shown by a signed letter of reference from the employer and a copy of the work permit used. Past students need to show they attended and completed an authorized study or training program at a public or registered private post-secondary university or college in Manitoba. Graduates need to submit their study permit(s), transcripts, and certificate, diploma, or degree.
Manitoba Invitation
Through the Strategic Recruitment initiative (SRI), Manitoba can identify and invite candidates for immigration to Manitoba through the Manitoba Skilled Workers Overseas category. This is accomplished through two means: regular recruitment events overseas, linking Manitoba employers directly with job seekers; and exploratory visits, during which an applicant can research employment opportunities.
During these overseas recruitment events and exploratory visits, MPNP program officers interview likely candidates and issue Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) to those who seem likely to be able to settle successfully in Manitoba. If you want to make an exploratory visit to Manitoba, you need to submit an application during a designated intake period. In order to be eligible to receive a LAA through either an overseas recruitment event or an exploratory visit, you must:
- be aged 21 to 45;
- demonstrate employability and adaptability;
- have a diploma, degree, or certificate from the completion of a post-secondary study or training program of at least one year in length;
- have at least two years’ full-time work experience in the last five years, and demonstrate you are able to find a job in that occupation in Manitoba (including any licensing or certification that may be required for regulated occupations);
- show that you genuinely intend to settle in Manitoba (a Settlement Plan is required) and that your connection to Manitoba is stronger than your connection to any other province; and
- submit results of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in each language ability from an approved language test, taken within the last two years.
MPNP – Eligibility points grid
Once eligibility has been assessed according to one of the options above, you must score at least 60 points (out of 100) to be considered eligible. The Manitoba immigration points grid assesses candidates across five factors: language ability, age, work experience, education, and adaptability. Note: This is a separate points grid from the MPNP ranking system (detailed further below).
Eligibility factor 1: Language ability
Points for language ability are based on individual Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) scores for reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Points awarded based on official test results provided. Official tests include IELTS or CELPIP for English, and TEF for French.
| First language | |
|---|---|
| Proficiency | Points awarded |
| CLB 8 or higher | 20 |
| CLB 7 | 18 |
| CLB 6 | 16 |
| CLB 5 | 14 |
| CLB 4 | 12 |
| CLB 3 or lower | 0 |
| Second language | |
| Proficiency | Points awarded |
| CLB 5 or higher | 5 |
Eligibility factor 2: Age
| Age | Points awarded |
|---|---|
| 18 | 4 |
| 19 | 6 |
| 20 | 8 |
| 21-45 | 10 |
| 46 | 8 |
| 47 | 6 |
| 48 | 4 |
| 49 | 2 |
| 50 or older | 0 |
Eligibility factor 3: Work experience
Points for work experience are based on documented proof of full-time employment in the past five years. Only full-time jobs of six months (continuous) or longer are considered.
| Years of work experience | Points awarded |
|---|---|
| Less than one year | 0 |
| One year | 8 |
| Two years | 10 |
| Three years | 12 |
| Four years or more | 15 |
Eligibility factor 4: Education
| Highest level of education | Points awarded |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree or Doctorate | 25 |
| Two post-secondary programs of at least two years each | 23 |
| One post-secondary program of two years or longer | 20 |
| One one-year post-secondary program | 14 |
| Trade certificate | 14 |
| No formal post-secondary education | 0 |
Eligibility factor 5: Adaptability
A connection to Manitoba is required of all candidates. Adaptability points are calculated according to documented proof of a strong connection to Manitoba and employability in your assessed occupation, demonstrating that you have the genuine intention and ability to successfully settle and economically establish in Manitoba. You can only receive points for one type of connection, even if multiple apply to you. In addition to Adaptability points, you may also score points for Regional Immigration for having a connection to, and planning to settle in, a region of Manitoba outside the city of Winnipeg.
| Connection to Manitoba | Points awarded |
|---|---|
| Close relative in Manitoba | 20 |
| Invitation to Apply received from the MPNP as part of a recruitment mission or exploratory visit | 20 |
| Previous work experience in Manitoba (at least six months) | 12 |
| Completed post-secondary program of two years or more in Manitoba | 12 |
| Completed post-secondary program of at least one academic year in Manitoba | 10 |
| Friend or distant relative living in Manitoba | 10 |
| Regional Immigration (intention to reside outside Winnipeg) | 5 |