Manitoba Extends Work Permits for 6,700 temporary workers

Manmeet Kaur
[Published 09 May, 2024 | 06:49 AM]
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Honourable Canada Immigration Minister Marc Miller, has finally approved the request by the government of Manitoba to extend temporary resident status for candidates under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), almost every candidate has work permits that are set to expire in 2024 - and are mainly Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders. The candidates are currently placed in the pool under MPNP's Skilled Worker Program, an immigration pathway designed to fill in-demand job vacancies in the province.

The new temporary measure will allow 6,700 temporary workers to continue working in Manitoba while the provincial government processes their PNP applications. The government expects that these "eligible foreign nationals will receive an official nomination from Manitoba and eventually become permanent residents” within the next two years.

IRCC also stated that it is open to working with other provinces in Canada to help bring in more temporary residents who can apply for Canada PR - and support the labour market needs. Further information on this will be available after a meeting of the Federation of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) scheduled on May 10.

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Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program

Launched back in 1998, Manitoba was the first province to establish a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) was designed to attract newcomers who would otherwise be more likely to immigrate to Canada's urban centres such as Toronto or Vancouver.

Following the massive success and economic benefits of MPNP, almost all Canadian provinces and territories in Canada implemented the same strategy and launched their own PNPs.

Data from the previous year shows that over 10,000 people in Manitoba transitioned from a Work Permit to a Canada PR. Between January and March this year, the province issued 1,560 invitations through the MPNP.

IRCC data shows that in 2022, almost 20% of all permanent residents in Canada came through Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). Additionally, under the Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026, Canadian PNPs alone will seek to welcome 110,000 new PRs by the end of 2024, and 120,000 in both 2025 and 2026.

Changes to temporary resident levels

The new measure is unique in Canada Immigration and aligns with the previously announced intention by Marc Miller to pursue more domestic draws to help transition temporary residents to permanent residents. In other words, IRCC is targeting to engage with newcomers who are already in Canada - and help them become permanent residents, rather than increasing the previously uncapped number of temporary residents who arrive in Canada every year.

Last year, Canada had a temporary resident population exceeding 2.5 million people, which was 6.2% of the total population. In 2023, 157,000 people transitioned from temporary residents to permanent residents.

These changes come at a time when Canada is dealing with a shortage of affordable housing for newcomers and those already in Canada, as well as its worn-out healthcare system and high cost of living.

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Read More: Manitoba PNP invitations issued in 2024

Source: canada.ca