Manitoba Invites 55 Candidates in First PNP Draw of 2026

Only candidates who declared a direct invitation under a strategic recruitment initiative were considered. 

A Quick Look at the January 15 Draw

• Total LAAs issued: 55

• Streams included:

Skilled Worker in Manitoba

Skilled Worker Overseas

• Selection type: Strategic recruitment initiatives only 

Invitations were issued under the following initiatives: 

• Employer Services: 21

• Francophone Community: 7

• Regional Communities: 15

• Ethnocultural Communities: 9

• Temporary Public Policy (TPP): 3

Out of the 55 invited candidates, 10 declared a valid Express Entry profile and job seeker code, showing limited overlap with the federal system in this round. 

How This Compares to the Last Draw of 2025 

This January draw looks very different from Manitoba’s final draw of 2025, held on December 31. 

That earlier round, EOI Draw #261, issued 421 LAAs and included two major selections: 

• An occupation-specific draw for workers already employed in Manitoba, mainly in health-related roles

• A strategic recruitment round for invited candidates 

By comparison, this January 15 draw was much smaller and focused only on candidates invited through recruitment initiatives. There was no occupation-specific selection this time. 

What This Means for Candidates 

If you were not invited through a strategic recruitment initiative, your profile would not have been considered in this draw. Manitoba continues to use smaller rounds to work through priority cases, especially those tied to employers, Francophone communities, and regional needs in this round. 

It’s also a reminder to double-check your EOI details. Manitoba has previously noted that candidates are often skipped because: 

• Language test results are missing or expired, or

• A valid invitation number was not entered correctly
   

What We Know So Far About MPNP in 2026 

So far, we don’t know much for this year; the Skilled Worker in Manitoba and International Education pathways received the most invitations last year. That pattern could continue in 2026, depending on Manitoba’s final allocation and labour market needs.  

Manitoba has not yet confirmed how many nomination spaces it has received for 2026. There’s a chance Manitoba could receive a larger allocation this year, since overall PNP spaces are expected to increase.  

However, early updates from other provinces have been mixed. British Columbia’s 2026 allocation came in lower than expected, and Saskatchewan confirmed it will receive 4,761 nominations, the same as its final total for 2025. That’s why Manitoba’s 2026 number could land higher, stay the same, or come in lower – we won’t know until the province confirms it. 

Want to stay on top of Manitoba PNP draws and 2026 updates? Join the Moving2Canada newsletter for draw alerts, analysis, and practical tips to help you stay ready.