February 14, 2023
Manitoba Government Continues Program, Policy Enhancements through Immigration Advisory Council Report as Influx of Skilled Immigrants Reaches Record High
– – –Provincial Nominee Program Plays Key Role in Enhancing Economic Prosperity, Enriching Communities: Reyes
Results from the 2022 Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) have exceeded expectations in attracting record numbers of skilled immigrants, while the Manitoba government has received the report of the Immigration Advisory Council (IAC) to help build on this momentum, Labour and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes announced today.
“Our government is taking action to help Manitoba better attract and retain newcomers to enhance economic prosperity and enrich communities,” said Reyes. “Thousands of skilled workers immigrate to Manitoba each year, strengthening the workforce, and contributing to the further growth and expansion of the economy.”
Nominations issued by the MPNP reached 6,367 in 2022, the highest number since the program was established in 1998, Reyes noted, adding that more than 184,000 nominees and their families have immigrated to Manitoba from all over the world since the program began.
To further enhance the program, the IAC was formed in February 2022, co-chaired by Reyes and Lloyd Axworthy, to serve as an expert panel and recommend improvements to Manitoba immigration policies and programs. The council’s report is now complete and includes input from every corner of the province.
“The Manitoba government would like to thank Dr. Axworthy and the IAC for its hard work and dedication reviewing the entire continuum of immigration and for providing recommendations to improve our immigration programs and policies,” said Reyes. “The report will be invaluable as our government works to advance Manitoba’s economic prosperity and the province’s legacy as a leader in immigration.”
Both the MPNP and the IAC will help inform ongoing efforts to enhance provincial immigration programs and policies to meet labour market shortages and strengthen Manitoba’s present and future economic development prospects, the minister noted.
MPNP highlights for 2022 include:
- Manitoba’s top regional immigration destinations for provincial nominees were Neepawa, Brandon, Steinbach, Morden, Winkler and Thompson.
- The top occupations for nominees included transport truck drivers, food-service supervisors, food-counter attendants, cooks, and industrial butchers and meat cutters.
In 2022, immigrant landings were the highest since the MPNP’s establishment in 1998. Up to November 2022, over 21,000 immigrants had declared Manitoba as their intended destination in Canada, with nearly 14,000 arriving through the MPNP.
The Manitoba government has also formally requested the federal Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada approve a significantly larger MPNP nomination allocation for 2023 to better address labour market needs and skill shortages. A response is expected to be received by the end of March, the minister noted.
The IAC’s report provides 70 practical recommendations and concrete actions based on stakeholder feedback. The recommendations are grouped around the three goals of the IAC’s mandate:
- to improve recruitment in terms of efficiency and breadth of efforts to attract applicants by collaborating with community and business in Manitoba;
- to streamline the MPNP through collaboration with the federal government and aligning the program to Manitoba’s evolving labour market, economic development and community needs; and
- to enhance Manitoba’s settlement, integration and foreign credential recognition programs and services, so more immigrants choose to stay in Manitoba, to the benefit of businesses, the economy and communities.
The minister noted the Manitoba government will consider the report’s recommendations as it works collaboratively with stakeholders to further enhance the province’s ability to offer new opportunities for immigrants with a variety of skills and experiences from all over the world.
The minister highlighted the upcoming recruitment mission to the Philippines, to pave the way for hundreds of qualified internationally educated nurses to move and work here, aligns with one of the report’s recommendations to be proactive and competitive in recruiting skilled workers with the strong professional credentials needed to support Manitoba’s economy.
To read the IAC report, visit: https://immigratemanitoba.com/iac/.
For more information on the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, visit: https://immigratemanitoba.com/.
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