New Open Work Permits for Eligible Manitoba PNP Candidates

Manitoba Introduces New Work Permit Option for Temporary Foreign Workers

The Canadian government has introduced a new temporary measure to help certain temporary foreign workers in Manitoba continue working while they wait for their pathway to permanent residence.

Under this new policy, up to 2,700 foreign workers may receive open work permits. Importantly, the measure can also help some workers who have already lost their status or are at risk of losing their authorization to work in Canada.

What Is the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge?

The new measure is called the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge (MWTB) public policy.

Under this policy, eligible foreign nationals can apply for an open work permit if they have a support letter from the Manitoba government and meet specific requirements.

The policy was published by the federal government on August 5, 2026, and came into effect on July 6, 2026.

In simple terms, the policy gives eligible Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) candidates more time to continue working while they are being considered for permanent residence.

Who Can Benefit From This Policy?

The MWTB is mainly designed for foreign workers who are already in Manitoba and are waiting for their provincial nomination process to move forward.

However, applicants must meet certain conditions.

First, they must have:

• A letter of employment from their current employer; and
• A support letter from Manitoba.

The Manitoba support letter must:

• Have been issued on or before December 31, 2025; and
• Confirm that the applicant was screened by Manitoba and placed in the MPNP Expression of Interest (EOI) pool on or before December 31, 2025.

Therefore, simply being a temporary foreign worker in Manitoba is not enough to qualify.

Three Situations That Can Make Someone Eligible

In addition to the Manitoba support letter requirements, the applicant must fall under one of three situations.

Situation 1: Valid Work Permit

The person currently has a valid work permit.

In this case, they may be able to apply for an open work permit under the MWTB if they meet all the other requirements.

Situation 2: Expired Work Permit

The person had a valid work permit on May 7, 2024, but that work permit has since expired.

This category is particularly important because some workers may have lost their authorization to work while waiting for their immigration pathway to progress.

Situation 3: Maintained Status

The person applied to renew their work permit on or before May 7, 2024, and has maintained status in Canada.

Maintained status generally means that a person applied to extend their temporary status before it expired and can remain in Canada while waiting for a decision, subject to the applicable conditions.

What Can Eligible Applicants Apply For?

If a person qualifies under the MWTB, they can apply for an open work permit.

They can also apply to extend their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident.

Furthermore, applicants who fall under the expired work permit category may also have the option to apply for restoration of their temporary resident status.

This is significant because losing status can otherwise create additional immigration complications.

Special Flexibility Under the New Policy

One of the most important parts of the MWTB is that it provides exemptions from certain normal requirements.

Usually, people applying for a work permit from inside Canada must meet specific eligibility conditions. However, qualifying MWTB applicants can be exempt from some of these requirements.

For example, they may be able to apply even if they do not currently hold an eligible work permit or study permit.

Unauthorized Work or Study

In addition, some applicants may still be eligible even if they previously:

• Worked without authorization; or
• Studied without authorization.

They may also receive consideration if they previously violated conditions attached to their work permit or other work authorization.

This makes the policy particularly helpful for certain workers who would normally face difficulties because of previous non-compliance.

Restoration of Status May Also Be Available

The policy also provides flexibility for some applicants seeking restoration of status.

Normally, a person who loses their temporary resident status has to apply for restoration within a specific period, generally 90 days.

However, under the MWTB, eligible applicants may receive restoration even if they:

• Missed the normal 90-day restoration period; or
• Failed to comply with certain mandatory conditions of their previous work authorization.

Therefore, the policy can provide an additional opportunity for some workers who would otherwise have limited options.

How Long Will the Policy Remain in Effect?

The Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge is currently scheduled to remain in effect until December 31, 2027.

After that date, the policy will expire unless the government extends or replaces it.

However, because it is a temporary public policy, the government can also revoke it at any time without prior notice.

Why Was This Policy Introduced?

To understand why this measure matters, it is important to look at the situation faced by many temporary foreign workers.

A person interested in immigrating through a Provincial Nominee Program cannot always apply for nomination whenever they want. Instead, they may first need to create a profile in a province’s Expression of Interest (EOI) pool and wait for an invitation.

During this waiting period, their work permit may expire.

Previously, this created a difficult situation because simply being a provincial nominee candidate did not necessarily give someone a way to obtain another work permit.

As a result, some workers could be left waiting without work authorization while their immigration process continued.

How Is This Different From a Bridging Open Work Permit?

It is important to understand that the MWTB is not the same as a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).

Generally, a BOWP is connected to a person who has already submitted their permanent residence application and meets the requirements for that type of work permit.

On the other hand, the MWTB is designed for certain people who are still at the provincial nominee candidate stage.

In other words:

MWTB → Helps certain eligible MPNP candidates while waiting for provincial nomination.

BOWP → Generally helps eligible permanent residence applicants continue working while their PR application is being processed.

Why Is This Important for Manitoba Workers?

The new policy can provide greater stability for eligible foreign workers who are already contributing to Manitoba’s workforce.

Without work authorization, workers may have to stop working even though they are waiting for their provincial immigration process to progress.

Therefore, the MWTB can help eligible candidates remain in Canada, continue working and maintain their pathway toward permanent residence.

However, it is important to remember that the policy does not automatically guarantee a work permit or permanent residence. Applicants must meet the specific eligibility requirements and submit the required documents.

What Happened Before This Policy?

This is not the first time Canada has introduced a temporary measure to help provincial nominee candidates.

A similar policy was introduced in 2024 for certain PNP candidates in Manitoba, Alberta and Yukon. That policy later expired, although it may have been extended through the end of 2025.

The latest Manitoba policy essentially provides a new mechanism for certain workers who could otherwise face difficulties maintaining their work authorization while waiting for their provincial immigration process.

The Bigger Picture

The policy also comes after changes to Canada’s immigration system in recent years.

Following several years of very high international student numbers, many temporary residents, including Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders, were looking for ways to transition to permanent residence.

At the same time, the federal government reduced its Provincial Nominee Program permanent residence admissions targets.

Consequently, provincial EOI pools became increasingly competitive, while some temporary residents had to wait longer for their immigration opportunities.

What This Means in Simple Words

In short, Canada is giving certain Manitoba PNP candidates another opportunity to keep working while waiting for their provincial nomination process.

The new MWTB policy can be especially helpful for eligible workers whose permits have expired, who have maintained status, or who could otherwise face difficulties continuing to work in Canada.

However, not every Manitoba temporary foreign worker qualifies. The applicant must meet the specific MWTB requirements, including having the required Manitoba support letter and meeting one of the three qualifying situations.

Key Takeaway

Up to 2,700 eligible temporary foreign workers in Manitoba may receive open work permits under the new Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge policy, helping them maintain their ability to work while pursuing their provincial nomination pathway toward permanent residence.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive advice on any of your questions regarding immigration. Get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Global. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).