Manitoba has issued 298 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) in a draw that took place on Thursday, September 29, 2016. This province, located in central Canada, issues LAAs through two sub-categories of the Skilled Workers category of the MPNP. A total of 258 LAAs were issued to candidates through the Skilled Workers in Manitoba sub-category, while 40 LAAs were issued through the Skilled Workers Overseas sub-category.
Under the MPNP’s EOI points system, the province selects candidates under a ranking system. In this draw, Skilled Workers in Manitoba required 435 points in order to be issued an LAA, and Skilled Workers Overseas candidates required 620 points.
This latest draw for Skilled Worker Overseas category included only those candidates who were directly invited by the MPNP under a Strategic Recruitment Initiative. These initiatives include:
- Recruitment missions. These overseas employment/immigration fairs involve MPNP representatives interviewing foreign skilled workers and subsequently inviting them to apply after they have made a formal Expression of Interest (EOI) to the MPNP.
- Exploratory visits. The MPNP may invite people who have undertaken a pre-approved Exploratory Visit and passed an interview with a program official.
The MPNP for Skilled Workers is based on the needs of employers in Manitoba. The province selects experienced workers who have the skills needed across the local labour market, and nominate them to receive a provincial nomination certificate from the MPNP. With this, the applicant may then apply to the federal government for permanent resident status.
These immigration options may be particularly attractive to individuals who may not be eligible to immigrate to Canada through the federal Express Entry immigration selection system, as the eligibility requirements are different. For example, the MPNP awards points for language proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 to candidates in certain occupations, a much lower threshold than what is required under the Federal Skilled Worker Class.
MPNP Skilled Workers in Manitoba
Under this sub-category of the MPNP, applications are accepted from qualified foreign workers and international student graduates who are currently working in Manitoba and have been offered a permanent job by their employer in Manitoba. Skilled Workers in Manitoba are not subject to a points-based assessment to determine their eligibility.
To learn more about eligibility for the MPNP Skilled Workers in Manitoba sub-category, click here.
MPNP Skilled Workers Overseas
This MPNP sub-category is for qualified skilled workers who may be outside Canada but who can demonstrate a strong connection to the province and its labour market. A points-based system is used to assess candidates according to factors such as age, language proficiency, work experience, education and adaptability. While candidates may be awarded a significant number of points as a result of having a connection to Manitoba, they may also be deducted points under certain ‘risk assessment’ factors that derive from having connections to other Canadian provinces.
To learn more about eligibility for the MPNP Skilled Workers Overseas sub-category and the points assessment system, click here.
