Manitoba continues to face labour market shortages, and employers are experiencing difficulty with filling critical labour gaps, especially in rural and northern regions where challenges are heightened.The Manitoba government recognizes these challenges and remains committed to supporting employers.
As of April 14, 2026, Manitoba opted in to two temporary measures offered by Employment and Social Development Canada for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which will support eligible rural employers across the province.
The two temporary measures are:
- eligible employers will be able to retain their current proportion of low-wage positions filled by temporary foreign workers at a given worksite, above the cap.
- eligible employers will benefit from a 15% cap — instead of the usual 10% cap — on the proportion of temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions.
Both measures will be applicable to eligible employers across all sectors in all regions of Manitoba, except for the Winnipeg CMA.
The temporary measures are in effect from April 14, 2026, until March 31, 2027. For more details and to learn more about how the measures will be applied, please click here.