FAQs - Skilled Workers

Who cannot apply to the MPNP?

The following are not eligible to submit an application to the MPNP:

  • Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process
  • Live-in Caregivers currently living in Canada
  • Temporary foreign workers currently working and residing in a province other than Manitoba
  • Spouses of Canadian citizens or permanent residents
  • Individuals who have been refused by the MPNP within the last six months and who are not able to address the reason(s) for refusal
  • Individuals who have 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 to any other stream/pathway of the MPNP.

Is there a minimum net worth required to apply to the MPNP?

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient and available settlement funds as per the Settlement Funds page on our website.

If I obtain a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA) from your office, will I be guaranteed a Permanent Resident Visa to come to Canada?

No. The MPNP will extend letters of advice to the EOI candidates who have the potential to qualify for the MPNP. Applicants must meet all requirements of the MPNP stream they have applied for, as well as those of IRCC, to obtain a Permanent Resident Visa.

Do I need to hire a lawyer, consultant, or representative to help me complete or advise me on my application?

The MPNP does not require you to hire a lawyer, consultant or representative to assist you with your application. In some cases (for example, if you have difficulty understanding the forms) you may wish to hire someone to help you fill out the forms or give advice. However, if you hire someone, your application will not receive special attention, or be handled differently from other applications.

If you choose to use an immigration representative, you are responsible for ensuring that your representative is authorized.

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires that all immigration representatives that provide Canadian immigration services for a fee must be registered and in good standing with the appropriate regulatory body.

Representatives must operate according to the MPNP Code of Conduct. Failure to declare an immigration representative or recruiter may result in the refusal of your MPNP application.

Manitoba will only recognize or release information to a paid immigration representative who is:

  • a lawyer who is a member in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society; or
  • a notary who is a member in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Quebec; or
  • an immigration consultant who is a member in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC)

Using an immigration representative will not get your application special attention or guarantee it will be approved.

How do I check that an immigration consultant is in good standing?

You can check if an immigration consultant is registered and in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and accredited as a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA), or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) by searching the CICC website.

You can check if a lawyer is a member in good standing by contacting the appropriate Canadian provincial or territorial law society. You can check if a notary is a member in good standing by contacting the Chambre des notaires du Québec.

The MPNP has no official immigration representatives acting on its behalf and does not endorse or require the services of an immigration representative or recruiter.

Can I still apply to MPNP if I have been refused under an immigration program of another province?

Yes. However, you will be required to advise the MPNP if an application has been made previously to another Provincial or Federal immigration program. You are required to advise the MPNP of the results of that application including copies of any correspondence such as a letter of refusal. The application should contain sufficient information to allow the MPNP to evaluate why the factors for refusal in the other Provincial or Federal programs do not apply to the application to Manitoba.

If my application is refused, can I appeal the decision?

All decisions are final. There is no appeal process to the MPNP after a decision has been rendered. The MPNP has implemented the Procedural Fairness Policy to allow you to address concerns prior to the MPNP making a final decision.

Can Canadian citizens or permanent residents support an MPNP application for their spouse?

No. If you are married to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you are not eligible to apply to the MPNP, but you may qualify under IRCC's Spousal Sponsorship category. Please visit the IRCC's web page on sponsoring your spouse, partner or child to learn more.

Can I participate in Express Entry if I have an active application with the MPNP?

At this time, only those MPNP applicants directly contacted by the MPNP and advised to do so should submit an Express Entry profile as the MPNP will otherwise not be able to assist you with your Express Entry submission. All applicants should follow the steps outlined in their Letter of Approval from the MPNP when applying for permanent residence.

Please note that candidates who were not nominated through our Express Entry "sub-stream", but decide to submit an Express Entry profile indicating they are a Provincial Nominee will be removed from the Express Entry pool after 30 days as provinces and territories can only confirm the nomination of those Express Entry candidates that were nominated to designated program categories.

Can I participate in Express Entry if I have already been nominated by MPNP?

MPNP applicants under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba or Skilled Worker Overseas streams who are already nominated should not enter Express Entry as the MPNP will not be able to support this application. Nominated applicants should follow the steps outlined in their Letter of Approval from the MPNP when applying for permanent residence.

For applicants nominated through one of the regular MPNP program categories, this includes submitting their permanent resident applications to the Centralized Intake Office, rather than using Express Entry.

How do I obtain a Work Permit Support Letter from the MPNP to apply for a Work Permit?

If you are a Provincial Nominee, the MPNP may issue you a Work Permit Support Letter (WPSL) that will allow you to apply to IRCC for a work permit. If you are already working in Manitoba with a temporary work permit and need to renew your work permit, request a WPSL at least two months before your current work permit expires. If you have obtained a new job offer from a Manitoba employer, you may also request a WPSL to apply for a work permit.

Please make a written request for a WPSL by email to immigratemanitoba@gov.mb.ca. With your written request, include a current job offer letter from your Manitoba employer. The letter must be on company letterhead and include your job title, job duties, salary / wage information, start date and contact information for the signatory of the letter.

The issuance of a work permit support letter is at the sole discretion of the MPNP. The MPNP may not issue a work permit support letter if the MPNP is not satisfied with the sincerity of the employer, the employment conditions, or your ability to economically establish in Manitoba. Your employer must be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Manitoba. Your employer must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the MPNP that they are an established business with an ability to offer you full-time and long-term employment in Manitoba. If you are not issued a work permit support letter and seek other work permit options, please see the IRCC website.

Note: Your employer must register on the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Employer Portal and pay the compliance fee before you are issued your work permit support letter. They should do this at the same time you apply to the MPNP if your work permit is valid for six months or less.

Manitoba Employment Standards

Neither a recruiter nor an employer can ever charge or collect a fee (directly or indirectly) from you for your job in Manitoba.

Manitoba Employment Standards administers laws on minimum wages, hours of work, holidays and other workplace entitlements and responsibilities. The program enforces The Employment Standards Code, The Construction Industry Wages Act, The Remembrance Day Act, The Worker Recruitment and Protection Act and The Retail Businesses Holiday Closing Act. It also investigates complaints about violations of these laws.

If you have any questions or concerns about the terms of your employment, contact Employment Standards for further information.

If I have dependants, relatives, or friends living somewhere else in Canada, will that cause my application to be automatically refused?

In the Declaration of Intent submitted as part of the application, you declare that you understand that Manitoba only nominates individuals who intend to reside in Manitoba along with your dependent family members. The MPNP strongly encourages you to demonstrate to the MPNP that you will meet this requirement whether you have or do not have relatives, dependants, or friends in another province. If, for example, a dependant is studying in another province, you might consider moving this dependant to an educational facility in Manitoba to demonstrate a commitment to the province.

Having friends or relatives in another province does not automatically cause an application to be refused. However, the MPNP must be convinced that the applicant will not come to Canada and reside in the province where those friends or relatives currently reside. It is up to you to convince the MPNP of your sincerity to relocate to Manitoba.

Should I start to dispose of my assets after I receive a nomination certificate by Manitoba?

Do not quit your job or dispose of any assets until IRCC has provided you with a permanent resident visa.

Can children support their parents' MPNP application?

No. Children living in Manitoba cannot serve as Manitoba Supporter for their parents' MPNP application.

Instead, you may be able to sponsor your parent or grandparent to become a permanent resident under the federal immigration Family Class. Visit the IRCC's web page on sponsoring your parents and grandparents to learn more.

Do I need to submit any additional documents if I am an Express Entry applicant?

Applicants who provide an Express Entry profile and verification code in their Expression of Interest and/or application must also provide the following with their MPNP application:

  • An educational credential assessment for your education obtained outside of Canada;
  • A copy of your application/profile details from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); and
  • Financial documents demonstrating that you have sufficient funds to meet LICO requirements.

I could not find an answer to my question. Where can I get more information about the MPNP?

For more information about applying to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program's Skilled Worker Stream, please contact the MPNP by email at immigratemanitoba@gov.mb.ca.