Manitoba Targets Skilled Foreign Workers in Latest Invitation Draw

April 7, 2025

Ishita Soni

Manitoba Invites More Skilled Foreign Workers

This week, Manitoba invited skilled workers from other countries to apply for provincial nominations. This is part of an effort to bring in workers with specific skills needed in Manitoba’s job market.

A New Draw Under the Skilled Worker Program

On April 3, Manitoba held a special draw for foreign workers under its Skilled Worker Overseas program. This program targets people with the right skills to fill job shortages in the province. 4 candidates were invited to apply, with the lowest-ranked candidate having a score of 721.

What Makes This Invitation Special?

The interesting part is that these 4 candidates weren’t just picked randomly. They were invited through a strategic recruitment initiative, which is a way for Manitoba to find skilled workers for specific jobs that local workers can’t fill.

Moreover, none of the candidates had an Express Entry profile or a job seeker validation code, which is unusual in most immigration cases.

Strategic Recruitment Initiatives

It’s a tool used by Manitoba to help employers find workers for jobs that are in high demand but can’t be filled locally. This program helps employers who can prove that they need qualified workers from abroad.

But how does this process work? First, employers must prove they are eligible and complete a recruitment process, similar to applying for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Once approved, employers can identify candidates who fit the needs of the Manitoba program.

Who Can Participate?

Candidates must meet certain requirements to be invited to apply. Here’s what they need:

1. Age: They must be between 21 and 45 years old (exceptions are made if the employer requests them).
2. Education: They must have completed post-secondary education unless the employer allows on-the-job training instead.
3. Work Experience: They must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience within the past 5 years.
4. Language Skills:
   • CLB 5 (Canadian Language Benchmark) in all areas for candidates in highly skilled jobs (TEER 0–3 occupations).
   • CLB 4 for candidates in other skilled jobs (TEER 4–5 occupations).
5. Job Offer: They must already have a full-time, permanent job offer in Manitoba.

Special Considerations

Additionally, candidates who want to live outside the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region are given priority. However, people with strong ties to other provinces might not be invited, as they could be considered a risk for leaving Manitoba in the future.

What is TEER?

The TEER scale (Training, Education, Experience, Responsibility) measures how skilled a job is. It ranges from:

• TEER 0: Managerial roles, the most skilled.
• TEER 1 to TEER 5: Skilled jobs, with TEER 1 needing a university degree and TEER 5 needing minimal training.

Conclusion

Manitoba’s latest draw is part of a targeted effort to address the province’s labour shortages by bringing in skilled international workers. It’s all about finding the right fit for the province’s needs, and giving priority to those who want to settle outside the busy city of Winnipeg.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive professional advice on any of your questions regarding Canadian immigration. get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Canada. 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).

Get In Touch