Dear future neighbour,
On July 2, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) rolled out its 13th selection round of 2026, sending out 77 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) through its Skilled Worker Stream. These invitations went to candidates the province had directly recruited under its strategic outreach initiatives, rather than through a general pool draw.
Who got picked, and why
Manitoba pulled candidates from both of its Skilled Worker pathways:
- Skilled Worker in Manitoba
- Skilled Worker Overseas.
But there was a catch. To even be considered, applicants needed to show in their Expression of Interest profile that they had been invited through a recruitment mission, or through the now-expired Temporary Public Policy that once made it easier for prospective nominees to get open work permits.
See below how those 77 invitations broke down by recruitment channel:
| Strategic recruitment initiative | Invitations |
|---|---|
| Employer Services | 36 |
| Temporary Public Policy (TPP) | 31 |
| Francophone Community | 8 |
| Regional Communities | 2 |
TPP refers to the Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Work Permits for Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates.
Employer Services led the pack, making up close to half of all invitations, with the TPP close behind. Interestingly, 15 of the 77 candidates also held a valid Express Entry profile, meaning they could eventually see their Manitoba nomination boost their federal ranking too.
Why some applicants got left out
Not everyone who seemed to fit the bill made the cut. Manitoba flagged two common reasons candidates missed out despite appearing eligible: language test numbers that were missing, invalid, or tied to expired results, and invitation numbers that were left out or incorrect for those claiming a strategic recruitment invite. Small paperwork slips, big consequences.
A bigger pattern taking shape
Back on May 1, Manitoba announced it would start running targeted draws for people holding Support Letters under the TPP, starting with those approved between April 22 and June 30, 2025. Since then, the province has issued 579 invitations to this group, with the bulk of them (74%) going out in the very first draw that followed in May.
Manitoba has now issued 1,910 invitations to apply for provincial nomination so far in 2026. The province was allocated 6,239 nomination spots this year by the federal government, and by May 30 had already nominated 2,165 skilled workers.
A closer look at Manitoba’s 2026 numbers
The MPNP publishes monthly stats for its Skilled Worker Stream, and the latest figures run from January through May.
EOIs drawn (candidates issued an LAA):
| Month | EOIs Drawn |
|---|---|
| January | 102 |
| February | 101 |
| March | 60 |
| April | 340 |
| May | 1,002 |
| Total | 1,605 |
Nominations issued:
| Month | Nominations |
|---|---|
| January | 484 |
| February | 425 |
| March | 389 |
| April | 445 |
| May | 422 |
| Total | 2,165 |
Of these, 696 were enhanced nominations, spread fairly evenly across the five months.
Nomination applications received:
| Month | Applications |
|---|---|
| January | 292 |
| February | 237 |
| March | 104 |
| April | 109 |
| May | 554 |
| Total | 1,296 |
Applications in assessment or pending assessment:
| Month | Applications |
|---|---|
| January | 2,605 |
| February | 2,355 |
| March | 2,030 |
| April | 1,575 |
| May | 1,634 |
| Total | 10,199 |
Application refusals:
| Month | Refusals |
|---|---|
| January | 95 |
| February | 38 |
| March | 35 |
| April | 95 |
| May | 55 |
| Total | 318 |
That last table is worth sitting with for a second. Refusals happened every single month, and they weren’t small numbers. Whether it’s a missing document, an expired test result, or a technicality in how an invitation was claimed, small errors are clearly costing real candidates their shot at nomination.
What this means if you’re considering Manitoba
Manitoba’s draws are becoming increasingly targeted rather than open to everyone in the pool. If you’ve been invited through an employer, a recruitment mission, or previously held a Support Letter under the TPP, your chances are notably better right now. But the fine print matters just as much as eligibility. Getting a language test number wrong, or forgetting to include a valid invitation reference, can knock an otherwise qualified applicant out of the running entirely.
Ready to make your move? Let’s discuss!
Provincial nomination programs like Manitoba’s reward candidates who get the details exactly right, and that’s where a lot of applications quietly fall apart. Whether you’ve already been contacted through a recruitment initiative, hold an Express Entry profile, or are just starting to explore your options for provincial nomination, Express Entry, work permits, postgraduate work permits, spousal sponsorship, visitor visas, super visas, citizenship applications, or school admissions, getting professional guidance early can save you from the small mistakes that lead to refusals. Book a one-on-one consultation with Ese Umoh Immigration today and let’s put together a plan that actually works for your situation: https://euiacademy.selar.com/60minutes