Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas: A Detailed Guide

The Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas stream provides an exciting opportunity for skilled foreign workers to gain Canadian permanent residence by leveraging their established connections. Through the Skilled Worker Overseas pathway, the MPNP aims to attract and retain skilled immigrants who have a genuine interest in making Manitoba their permanent home. In the following sections, we will get deeper into the eligibility criteria, application process, and points assessment of the MPNP Skilled Worker Overseas stream.

Table of Contents

• Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas: Eligibility Criteria
• Ineligibility for Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas
• Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas- Points Assessment
• Steps to Apply for Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas
• FAQs for the Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas Stream

Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas: Eligibility Criteria

The MPNP Skilled Worker Overseas stream is for individuals who can showcase their Manitoba connections through one or more of the following avenues:

• Support: Applicants with close family members or friends residing in Manitoba can leverage this personal network to demonstrate their strong social ties and potential for successful integration into the local community.
• Experience: Those who have previously studied or worked in Manitoba can capitalize on their familiarity with the province’s culture, institutions, and job market, further strengthening their case for nomination.
• Invitation: The MPNP also extends Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to select candidates as part of its Strategic Recruitment Initiatives, recognizing their specific skills and qualifications as valuable assets for Manitoba’s labour force.

Beyond demonstrating a connection to Manitoba, you must also meet a minimum points threshold of 60. It has five key factors: language proficiency, age, work experience, education, and adaptability. Notably, having a connection to Manitoba is a mandatory requirement for eligibility under the Skilled Worker Overseas stream. Even if you score 60 points or higher, you need to have a valid connection to the province to be eligible.

Manitoba Support

A Manitoba Supporter is an established resident of the province who is a friend or relative of the applicant and is willing to review and endorse the applicant’s plan for settling and securing employment in their chosen community. A Manitoba Supporter must:

• Be a close relative, a friend or a distant relative of the applicant.
• Provide documents proving they reside and are established in Manitoba and have lived in the province continuously for at least one year (e.g., copy of Manitoba Health Card).
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• Show close ties to the applicant and Manitoba.
• Show that any applications they previously supported resulted in successful, permanent economic establishment in Manitoba.
• Support the applicant’s Settlement Plan.

Both the applicant and the Supporter must produce documents that show their relationship. Close relatives may support the application of more than one skilled worker at a time if they can satisfactorily demonstrate their ability to do so. Close relatives include:

• Sister or brother
• Niece or nephew (child of your sister or brother)
• Aunt or uncle (brother or sister of your mother or father)
• First-degree cousin (child of your aunt or uncle)
• Mother or father
• Grandmother or grandfather

For friends and distant relatives, their household must not currently support another MPNP applicant, provincial nominee, or a person under another Canadian immigration program.

A Manitoba Supporter cannot be, and the MPNP will not accept a Settlement Plan Part 2 signed by:

• A paid immigration representative
• Anyone who cannot produce the documents that will prove that they are a relative or friend of the applicant or the applicant’s spouse
• A Canadian elected official or their staff

Manitoba Experience

You have lived in Manitoba before either as a temporary foreign worker or as an international student.

• If you have previously lived in Manitoba as a temporary foreign worker, you must show that you have worked full-time for an employer for at least six continuous months. 
• If you have previously lived in Manitoba as an international student, you must show that you have attended and completed an authorized education at a public post-secondary institution in Manitoba. It can also be a training program at a registered private vocational post-secondary institution in Manitoba (excluding language studies). 

Manitoba Invitation

The MPNP regularly issues Invitations to Apply to qualified candidates identified through Strategic Recruitment Initiatives in Manitoba and overseas. Issuance of an Invitation to Apply is at the sole discretion of the MPNP, and applicants cannot self-select for eligibility with this connection to the province.

Recruitment Missions: The MPNP frequently travels overseas on recruitment missions, often in partnership with Manitoba employers. Keep an eye on this page for updates on upcoming MPNP initiatives.

Exploratory Visits: An exploratory visit is a pre-arranged trip that potential MPNP applicants can make to Manitoba to research communities and employment opportunities. This helps them decide if they have the intention and ability to settle in Manitoba as permanent residents. After the MPNP interview during a pre-approved exploratory visit, you may be invited to submit an MPNP Online application.

Eligibility criteria to participate in visits and missions generally include:

• Age between 21 to 45.
• No stronger connection to another province.
• Demonstrated employability and adaptability required of all MPNP applicants.
• Completed at least a one-year post-secondary education or training program, receiving a diploma, degree, or certificate.
• Worked at least two years full-time in the last five years.
• Show that you can find a job in Manitoba in the same occupation as before ( this muyst include plans to achieve certification for regulated occupations).
• Genuine intention and ability to economically establish and settle in Manitoba as a permanent resident demonstrated through a Settlement Plan.
• Provide official results of an approved language test taken within the past two years, showing scores equivalent to at least CLB 5 in each category and overall.

Ineligibility for Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas

The following individuals are not eligible to apply for the Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas stream.

• Refugee claimants or a person engaged 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 cannot address the reasons for refusal
• Those with an active immigration application with any other provincial or federal immigration program in Canada.
• Individuals with an active MPNP application, including their spouse, are ineligible to submit another application to any other MPNP stream or pathway.

Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas- Points Assessment

The MPNP evaluates each application it receives and assigns a score to the applicant based on the supporting documentation provided at the time of submission. This assessment adheres to the current criteria and information on eligibility, policy, and procedure published on the MPNP website.

Factor 1: Language Proficiency

To be valid, the test must have been taken no more than two years prior to the submission date of your MPNP Online application. CLB refers to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens [NCLC] in French).

Applicants whose occupation is classified at TEER 4 or 5 (previously NOC C or D) must have at least CLB/NCLC 4 to be eligible to apply.

Factor 2: Age

Age points are calculated based on the date your full application is received by the MPNP.

Factor 3: Work Experience

Work experience points are given if you have documented proof of full-time employment in the last five years. Only full-time jobs of a minimum of six months or longer are taken into account.

Factor 4: Education

Education points are given if you have documented proof of completed education and/or training programs at recognized educational institutions. The MPNP reserves the right to require a third-party assessment to ensure trade education and training are comparable to Canadian standards.

Factor 5: Adaptability

If you have an established connection to Manitoba and employability in your current occupation, and you can prove so, you might get points. This demonstrates that you have the genuine intention and ability to successfully settle and economically establish in Manitoba as a permanent resident.

In addition to adaptability points, you may also score points for regional immigration if you have a connection to and plan to settle in a region of Manitoba outside the city of Winnipeg. Regional points are supplemental and cannot replace another connection to the province.

Steps to Apply for Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas

To apply for the Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas Stream, follow these steps:

1. Make an Expression of Interest (EOI) Profile with MPNP:

Begin by creating an EOI profile with the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. This profile will include information about your skills, work experience, education, and connection to Manitoba. The EOI profile helps the MPNP assess your potential to contribute to the province’s economy and community.

2. Get the Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA) from MPNP:

You will get a Letter of Advice to Apply if your EOI profile is selected. This letter invites you to submit a full application to the MPNP. The LAA is based on your ranking within the EOI pool, which considers factors such as your work experience, education, and ties to Manitoba.

3. Submit the Application to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program:

Upon receiving the LAA, complete and submit a detailed application to the MPNP. This application will require supporting documents and evidence to verify the information provided in your EOI profile.

4. Application Assessment:

An MPNP officer will thoroughly review your application. This assessment includes verifying your qualifications, work experience, and connection to Manitoba.

5. Nomination by the MPNP:

If your application is successful, you will receive a nomination from the MPNP. This nomination supports your application for permanent residence and indicates that Manitoba has endorsed you.

6. Apply for Permanent Residence:

Within 180 days from the date of your nomination, submit a separate application for permanent residence to the Government of Canada. This application includes you and your family members and is processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

The Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas program offers a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for skilled workers outside of Canada who have a connection to the province of Manitoba. By prioritizing applicants with established connections, the program increases the likelihood of successful settlement, retention, and long-term economic and social contributions to the province. Skilled professionals who have established a strong connection to the province through employment and proven expertise can also go for Skilled Worker in Manitoba Pathway.

FAQs for the Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas Stream

1. What is the SWO pathway Manitoba?
A. The Manitoba SWO pathway nominates skilled foreign workers with a strong connection to the province, based on family ties, work/study experience, or a direct invitation, to apply for permanent residence.

2. Who is eligible for Manitoba Skilled Worker overseas? 
A. The Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas requires skilled workers to have a strong connection to Manitoba through family ties, work/study experience, or a direct invitation from the MPNP. Eligible candidates must score at least 60 points on factors like language proficiency, age, work experience, education, and adaptability.

3. Is a job offer required to apply under the Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas stream?
A. No, a job offer is not required for the Skilled Worker Overseas stream. However, applicants must demonstrate their ability to become economically established in Manitoba through factors like work experience, education, language skills, and their connection to the province.

4. How are points calculated for the Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas stream?
A. Points are awarded across factors like age, language, education, work experience, and adaptability factors showing connections to Manitoba. The maximum score is 100 points based on the MPNP’s points assessment grid.

5. Can my entire family apply together through the Manitoba Skilled Worker Overseas stream?
A. While the principal Skilled Worker Overseas applicant applies first, they can include their spouse or common-law partner and dependent children in their subsequent application for permanent residence once nominated by Manitoba.

Also read

• PEI PNP Skilled Worker in Canada Stream
• OINP Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
• New Brunswick PNP Skilled Worker Stream
• MPNP Career Employment Pathway: Get Details Here