MPNP overview
The MPNP is an economic program with three streams. Manitoba issues provincial nominations, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes the final admissibility and permanent residence decision. The right route depends on your Manitoba employment, connection, education or business plan, not only on your points.
Skilled Worker Stream
For skilled workers already in Manitoba, or overseas with a qualifying Manitoba connection.
International Education Stream
For graduates of eligible Manitoba institutions through the Career Employment, Graduate Internship and International Student Entrepreneur pathways.
Business Investor Stream
For qualified entrepreneurs (Entrepreneur Pathway) and experienced farm operators (Farm Investor Pathway) who will establish and operate in Manitoba.
Two federal routes
Some nominations connect to Express Entry and others use the non-Express Entry process. Manitoba tells the candidate which route applies.
Before you start, note who cannot apply to the Skilled Worker and Career Employment pathways under the official eligibility pages. These groups are excluded:
- Refugee claimants, and people in a federal appeal or removal process.
- Live-in caregivers currently living in Canada.
- Temporary foreign workers who work and live outside Manitoba.
- Spouses of Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- People refused by the MPNP in the last six months who cannot address the reasons for refusal.
- People with an active application under another provincial or federal immigration program. An Express Entry profile does not count as an application.
- Anyone whose spouse or partner already has an active MPNP application in another stream or pathway: only one MPNP application per couple may be active.
Choose a stream
Start with the source of your Manitoba connection.
| Stream or pathway | Best fit | Job offer or business requirement | Where NOC matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker in Manitoba | Temporary worker or graduate already working for a Manitoba employer | Ongoing eligible employment and a full-time, long-term offer from the same employer; the required work period depends on the applicant's category | Job duties, occupation, TEER, licensing and offer eligibility |
| Skilled Worker Overseas | Skilled worker outside Manitoba with a qualifying Manitoba connection or a strategic invitation | A job offer is not always required, but a Manitoba connection and at least 60 eligibility points are | Work history, language and regulated-occupation evidence |
| Career Employment Pathway | Recent graduate of a designated Manitoba institution | Full-time offer of at least one year in an occupation on Manitoba's In-Demand Occupations List | Central: the offer's five-digit NOC, duties and in-demand status |
| Graduate Internship Pathway | Recent Manitoba master's or doctoral graduate with a qualifying internship | A job offer is not required at application | Usually not a job-offer gate, but occupation details still matter if employed |
| International Student Entrepreneur Pilot | Eligible Manitoba graduate who will own and operate a business | Business plan, Business Performance Agreement and majority ownership | Business activity is assessed; a worker NOC is not the main test |
| Entrepreneur and Farm Investor Pathways | Experienced business owner, senior manager or farm operator | Investment, verified net worth and active management or farm operation | Business sector matters, but a worker NOC score is not used like a skilled-worker stream |
Skilled workers
Skilled Worker in Manitoba
For people with a valid work permit who have worked full-time for a Manitoba employer for at least six months with that employer and have been offered a full-time, long-term job. Graduates of a post-secondary program in another Canadian province or territory need at least one year of continuous full-time employment with the employer.
Skilled Worker Overseas
Requires a Manitoba connection and at least 60 points on a separate eligibility grid (language, age, work experience, education and adaptability). Sixty points allows an assessment; it is not an invitation score.
What counts as ongoing employment
Self-employment, unauthorized work and periods of full-time study (such as co-op permit work) do not count. Self-employed people, business owners, owner-operators, independent contractors serving the supporting business and people exempt from needing a work permit cannot apply on the basis of their work.
Employer and offer
The employer must be established, incorporated or registered under federal or provincial law, with a production capability, plant or place of business in Manitoba, and able to offer full-time, long-term employment. Regulated occupations require the provincial authorization needed to practise.
Language and settlement
You need enough official-language ability to do the job and establish economically in Manitoba. Your ties to Manitoba through employment must be stronger than your ties to any other province, and you show your intention to live and work in Manitoba in a Settlement Plan.
Express Entry option
An EOI is not an Express Entry profile. Candidates with a valid federal profile can list their profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code in the EOI, and some LAAs go to candidates who did so.
Manitoba connection for Skilled Worker Overseas
The EOI grid recognizes these connections: a close relative in Manitoba, previous work in Manitoba (six months or more), completed post-secondary study in Manitoba, a close friend or distant relative in Manitoba, or an invitation under a strategic recruitment initiative. Manitoba's official pages set the exact conditions for each, including how long the supporter has lived in Manitoba and whether they already support another applicant.
Do not use the 1,000-point EOI calculator to decide whether you reach the 60-point Skilled Worker Overseas minimum. They are different grids used at different stages. Use the Skilled Worker Overseas 60-point eligibility calculator for that test.
Manitoba graduates
| Pathway | Core requirements | Job offer |
|---|---|---|
| Career Employment | Graduated in the past three years from a designated post-secondary institution in Manitoba, from a full-time program of at least one year (two semesters). CLB/NCLC 7 in English or French. Live in Manitoba when you apply. Show liquid funds that meet the LICO independent financial resources requirement for six months, or be in full-time, long-term employment in Manitoba. Submit a Career Employment Plan. | Full-time offer of at least one year from an eligible Manitoba employer in an in-demand occupation that matches your studies. Graduates with a bachelor's degree or higher may accept any TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation on the In-Demand Occupations List, even if it does not match their studies. You must be working full-time in Manitoba on a valid work permit when the application is assessed. |
| Graduate Internship | Completed a Manitoba master's or doctorate in the past three years and a Mitacs Accelerate or Elevate internship with an eligible Manitoba industry or research enterprise; minimum CLB/NCLC 7. Live in Manitoba when you apply, show liquid funds at the LICO level for six months (or be in full-time, long-term employment in Manitoba), and submit a Career Employment Plan. | Not required at the time of application |
| International Student Entrepreneur Pilot | Age 21 to 35; a full-time Manitoba post-secondary program of at least two years; minimum CLB/NCLC 7; continuous residence in Manitoba since graduation and a valid open work permit; a business plan; at least 51% ownership; a Business Performance Agreement signed before the approval-in-principle letter; and day-to-day operation of the business as a senior manager for at least six months before nomination. No deposit and no minimum net worth, but liquid funds at the LICO level for 12 months, and a third-party net-worth verification submitted within 120 days of the LAA. | Not a worker pathway: the applicant establishes and operates the business |
Business and farm pathways
Business pathways assess ownership, funds and implementation, not only an idea. The figures below were checked on October 19, 2026 against Manitoba's current Entrepreneur Pathway and Farm Investor Pathway eligibility pages, the Entrepreneur Pathway program guide (version 1.0, effective December 18, 2019, posted July 2024) and the Farm Investor Pathway guidelines kit (revised June 2023, posted July 2024). Manitoba changes these criteria without notice, so confirm every amount on the official page before relying on it.
Entrepreneur Pathway
The eligibility page requires at least three years of full-time business-owner (at least 33 1/3% ownership) or senior-manager experience in the past five years, a minimum net worth of $500,000 verified by an MPNP-approved third-party supplier (the report and the application are due within 120 days of the LAA), minimum CLB/NCLC 5, Canadian high school equivalency and a business plan. There is no age limit, but ranking points go to candidates aged 25 to 49. The program guide adds that the applicant must hold at least 33.33% of the business equity (otherwise an equity investment of at least $1,000,000), that an in-person exploratory visit is essential (the eligibility page calls it recommended, within one year before the EOI), and that a non-refundable $2,500 processing fee is paid with the application.
Minimum investment
The eligibility page sets a minimum investment of $250,000 in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region or $150,000 outside it, in an MPNP-eligible business that creates or maintains at least one job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Manitoba (owners and their close relatives do not count). The Self-Assessment Form scores investment above the minimum, a business research visit of 5 or 10 consecutive days, export-oriented or rural businesses, and adaptability factors.
Farm Investor Pathway
For experienced farm owners and operators who will establish a primary-production farm in rural Manitoba. The eligibility page requires at least three years of farm ownership and operation experience, $500,000 net worth (third-party verification due within 120 days of the invitation), $300,000 in eligible tangible assets in Manitoba, a farm business plan and a farm business research visit. The guidelines kit adds that the experience must be full-time within the past five years, that the visit must last at least five business days within a year before submitting the interest guidelines, a non-refundable $2,500 application fee and a $75,000 deposit held for two years from landing, refundable without interest once the deposit agreement is met. The nominee must live on the farm, manage it day to day without a third-party manager and not lease out the farmland.
No generic calculator
Business assessment includes documents, net-worth verification, an interview, the business concept and performance conditions. A simple arithmetic widget cannot reliably decide eligibility, so this site does not offer one as an official result.
The Business Investor Stream uses a separate process from the worker streams. Do not use the Skilled Worker EOI points grid for it.
NOC and TEER
Choose the five-digit NOC 2021 code by matching the lead statement and most main duties, not by job title alone. Then confirm the TEER, the language rule, licensing, in-demand status and whether the offer or experience is accepted under the pathway.
Skilled workers
Use the NOC for each claimed job and for the Manitoba offer. Duties and dates must be consistent across letters, permits and the EOI.
Career Employment
The job-offer NOC is essential because the occupation must be on the In-Demand Occupations List and, for most graduates, relate to the completed studies.
Regulated work
A matching NOC does not grant permission to practise. Check the Manitoba regulator and obtain the required recognition or licence.
Business applicants
Describe the business sector and management experience accurately. Do not force a worker NOC into a pathway that assesses a business proposal.
Manitoba may also limit or exclude certain occupations from its draws, for example those with high application volumes or a limited employment outlook. Use the NOC finder to find your NOC and TEER, then check Manitoba's in-demand occupations.
EOI points and calculator
An EOI is an online profile, not an application. You answer questions and are scored on six factors; your profile then joins a pool and the highest-scoring candidates are periodically invited to apply. The EOI is valid for one year from submission, you may have only one active EOI at a time, and you must keep your information accurate. Every candidate must have at least one connection to Manitoba.
| Factor | Maximum | How points are earned |
|---|---|---|
| Language | 125 | First official language: 25 points per ability at CLB 8 or higher (22 at CLB 7, 20 at CLB 6, 17 at CLB 5, 12 at CLB 4, 0 at CLB 3 or lower). Second official language at CLB 5 or higher overall: 25 points. |
| Age | 75 | 75 points for ages 21 to 45. Ages 18, 19 and 20 earn 20, 30 and 40. Ages 46, 47, 48 and 49 earn 40, 30, 20 and 10. Age 50 or older earns 0. |
| Work experience | 175 | Under 1 year: 0. One, two, three and four or more years: 40, 50, 60 and 75. Another 100 points if the work is fully recognized by a provincial licensing body. |
| Education | 125 | Master's or doctorate: 125. Two post-secondary programs of two years or more each: 115. One program of three years or more: 110. One two-year program: 100. One-year program or trade certificate: 70. No formal post-secondary education: 0. |
| Adaptability | 500 | Connection: close relative in Manitoba 200; previous work in Manitoba (six months or more) 100; completed post-secondary study in Manitoba of two years or more 100 (one year 50); close friend or distant relative in Manitoba 50. Manitoba demand: ongoing Manitoba employment (six months or more) with a long-term offer from the same employer 500; invitation under a strategic initiative 500. Regional development: destination outside Winnipeg 50. |
| Risk assessment | -200 | Work experience in another Canadian province: -100. Study in another Canadian province: -100. A close relative in another province and none in Manitoba, or a previous immigration application to another province: 0. |
The overall maximum is 1,000 points. Estimate your score with the MPNP Skilled Worker EOI calculator. The score is not a nomination, and draw thresholds change.
How draws work
- Manitoba regularly invites the highest-scoring candidates. The number of LAAs in a draw depends on annual processing targets and capacity.
- Draws can be occupation-specific, for example for health occupations or for candidates who already work in Manitoba in high-need NOC codes.
- Some LAAs go to candidates directly invited under strategic recruitment initiatives (such as employer services, Francophone communities, ethnocultural communities and regional communities). These candidates receive 500 adaptability points for the invitation.
- Some LAAs go to candidates who listed a valid Express Entry profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code.
- A past minimum score is not a cut-off. See the official MPNP draws page for the latest round.
Application process
- Choose the exact pathwayConfirm the Manitoba connection, employment, education or business route, and read the current official eligibility page.
- Match the NOC where requiredUse duties to select the NOC 2021 code and TEER, and check the language, licensing and in-demand rules.
- Create an EOI if the pathway uses oneEnter accurate facts, with language results from a test MPNP accepts. An EOI is not an application and does not guarantee an invitation.
- Receive a Letter of Advice to ApplySelection happens through MPNP draws or pathway-specific processes. Recheck every claimed factor before you accept, because Manitoba verifies it.
- Submit the complete MPNP application within 60 daysYou have 60 days from the date of the LAA. Use the same login as your EOI, upload every required document from the checklist in the Online Application Tool and pay the $500 application fee, which is non-refundable, by Visa or Mastercard credit card at the final step. Business pathways pay a separate $2,500 fee.
- Apply to IRCC after nominationUse the Express Entry or non-Express Entry route stated in the nomination, and keep meeting your status and nomination conditions. See the non-Express Entry process.
Documents and evidence
The Online Application Tool contains the checklist for your pathway. Plan for these categories:
- Identity and status: passport, valid work or study permit, and the immigration history of the applicant and family.
- Language: results from an MPNP-accepted test, valid when you apply.
- Education: credentials, with an educational credential assessment where required, and any licence or registration.
- Work: employer letters with duties, dates and hours that match your NOC and EOI; pay records.
- Skilled Worker in Manitoba: proof of continuous full-time employment with the supporting employer and the signed long-term job offer.
- Skilled Worker Overseas: proof of the Manitoba connection and of the factors claimed on the 60-point grid. If a Manitoba supporter is named, a Settlement Plan endorsed by the supporter and their documents.
- Career Employment: the job offer, proof of graduation, funds or employment evidence, and the Career Employment Plan.
- Business pathways: business plan, net-worth and source-of-funds documents, and the business or farm documents the pathway page lists.
Work permits while you wait: Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge
On July 6, 2026 IRCC issued the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy. It lets the province keep workers it identified under the earlier Temporary Public Policy for prospective PNP candidates who are still working in Manitoba, by offering open work permits to up to 2,700 temporary workers while their permanent residence applications are assessed.
Who it is for
Temporary workers in Manitoba who were screened and placed in the MPNP EOI pool on or before December 31, 2025, and who received an open work permit support letter from Manitoba on or before that date. It is not for people who were already nominated.
What is needed
The Manitoba support letter, a letter of employment from the current employer, and a work permit application with a status extension (or restoration, where the policy allows). Recent work permit holders and those with pending renewals fall into separate pathways.
Length and dates
The permit lets you work in Manitoba for up to two years. The policy expires on December 31, 2027 and may be revoked at any time without notice.
If you were not in the pool by December 31, 2025
You cannot use this policy, which requires both pool placement and the support letter by that date. Keep valid status through your own permit and ask about your options.
Common refusal reasons and mistakes
- Insufficient official-language ability for the job or for economic establishment.
- Documents that do not support the EOI, or documents found to be fraudulent. Manitoba may refer concerns to an integrity review and can withdraw a nomination before landing if new information appears.
- Weak long-term establishment: ties to another province stronger than ties to Manitoba, a poor labour-market fit, or licensing barriers.
- A supporter who already backs another applicant, when the connection is a friend or distant relative.
- Using the wrong NOC. A mismatch between duties, offer, work permit and EOI undermines the file.
- Treating the 60-point or EOI score as an invitation. Neither is a guarantee.
- Applying again too soon after a refusal. After a refusal you generally cannot apply for six months unless you can address the reasons.
- Relying on an old article. Manitoba changes pathways, occupation lists, points, fees and intake without notice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a job offer to apply to the MPNP?
For Skilled Worker in Manitoba and Career Employment, yes. Skilled Worker Overseas does not always need one, but it needs a Manitoba connection and at least 60 eligibility points. Graduate Internship does not need an offer at the time of application.
How long is an EOI valid?
One year from submission. You can hold only one active EOI and may submit a new one after it expires.
Can I have an Express Entry profile and an MPNP EOI at the same time?
Yes. An Express Entry profile does not count as an active application, and candidates can list their profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code in the EOI.
Can my spouse and I both apply?
No. If you or your spouse already has an active MPNP application in any stream or pathway, neither of you can apply under another one.
What does an MPNP application cost, and how long do I have after the LAA?
The Skilled Worker and International Education application fee is $500, non-refundable, paid when you submit. You have 60 days from the date of the LAA to submit the full application. The Entrepreneur and Farm Investor pathways charge a $2,500 fee instead.
Does a nomination make me a permanent resident?
No. It allows you to apply to IRCC, which decides on admissibility and permanent residence.
Official sources
- Immigrate Manitoba: Immigrate to Manitoba (MPNP streams)
- Immigrate Manitoba: Skilled Worker in Manitoba, eligibility
- Immigrate Manitoba: Skilled Worker Overseas, eligibility and 60 points
- Immigrate Manitoba: International Education Stream
- Immigrate Manitoba: Career Employment Pathway, eligibility
- Immigrate Manitoba: Graduate Internship Pathway, eligibility
- Immigrate Manitoba: International Student Entrepreneur Pilot, eligibility
- Immigrate Manitoba: Entrepreneur Pathway, eligibility
- Immigrate Manitoba: Farm Investor Pathway, eligibility
- Immigrate Manitoba: Expression of Interest
- Immigrate Manitoba: Letter of Advice to Apply (60-day deadline and $500 fee)
- Immigrate Manitoba: EOI ranking points grid (PDF)
- Immigrate Manitoba: EOI draws
- Immigrate Manitoba: In-demand occupations
- IRCC: Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy
- IRCC: Open work permit for prospective PNP candidates with a support letter from Manitoba
- IRCC: Provincial nominees through Express Entry
- IRCC: Provincial nominees outside Express Entry
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.