Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I know if I should apply for the Manitoba
Provincial Nominee Program?
A. Please consult the section entitled, “Who May Apply?” If you meet these
conditions, complete the Self-Assessment Guide to see if you have a good chance
of being approved under one of the MPNP Assessment Streams. If your
self-assessment shows that you have a good chance to be considered, and you want
to live and work in Manitoba, you should submit your complete application and
necessary supporting documents to Manitoba Labour and Immigration.
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Q. What criteria are used to assess Provincial Nominee applications?
A. The criteria, as defined by Manitoba Labour and Immigration, include but
are not limited to age, education, employment experience, employability,
language ability and adaptability indicating the applicants overall potential to
establish successfully in Manitoba.
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Q. Do I need to engage the services of a representative (i.e. lawyer or
consultant) to help me complete my forms or advise me on my application?
A. No, you are not required to have a representative. The application forms
are designed to make them easy for applicants to understand and complete on
their own. Some people do choose to have a representative; however, if you hire
someone, your application will not receive special attention, or be handled
differently from other applications. The MPNP will not release information to
any immigration representative who is not a member in good standing of the
Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) or of a law society within
Canada.
Manitoba reserves the right to deal directly with the applicant at any time
this is considered in the best interests of program integrity.
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Q. What is the Code of Conduct for Immigration Representatives?
A. The Code of Conduct establishes minimum standards of professional conduct
for immigration representatives acting on behalf of MPNP applicants. You must
sign and return the Code whether you have a representative or not. If you have a
representative, that person must also sign the Code of Conduct.
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Q. Who do I include in my application?
A. Your spouse and all your dependent children must be included in your
application. (See Important Terms for a definition of dependent children.)
Your
spouse and other dependent family members 18 years of age or over must complete
the IMM 0008-Generic, IMM 0008-Schedule 1, IMM 0008-Schedule 4, IMM 5406 forms.
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Q. What about my dependents who are not accompanying me to Canada?
A. All your dependents, whether they accompany you to Canada or not, must be
included on page 2 of your IMM 0008-Generic application form. If they are 18
years of age or over, they must complete their own IMM 0008-Generic, IMM
0008-Schedule 1 and IMM 5406 application forms whether they are accompanying you
to Canada or not. Accompanying dependents must also complete IMM 0008-Schedule
4.
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Q. Can my child who is not considered a dependent according to CIC apply to
come with my family to Manitoba?
A. Manitoba Labour and Immigration may issue Provincial Nominee Certificates
of Nomination for accompanying adult dependents in order to facilitate the
settlement and retention of the family unit in Manitoba. Certain conditions must
be met for your adult dependent to be considered an accompanying family member
under MPNP. Consult Who may apply? for details.
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Q. Can I claim my fiancé(e) as a dependent?
A. A fiancé(e) is not a dependent for purposes of immigration. If your
fiancé(e) intends to accompany you to Manitoba, and you are not getting married
before you apply for MPNP, he/she would need to fill out their own application
and qualify on their own as a principal applicant.
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Q. Can I claim my common-law partner as a dependent?
A. Yes, a common-law partner is a person who has been living in a conjugal
relationship with the principal applicant for at least one year. The term refers
to both opposite-sex and same sex relationships.
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Q. Does it help if I have relatives in Manitoba?
A. Yes, the MPNP is not a family reunification program; however, if you or
your spouse have a daughter, son, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, uncle,
aunt, niece, nephew or cousin in Manitoba, you will have a better chance of
qualifying for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. Your relative must
reside in Manitoba, be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen who is 18 years
of age or older, and may be required to sign an affidavit of support. Proof of
the relationship will be required.
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Q. What if I have no relatives in Manitoba but other Manitoba residents have
offered to assist me in settling in Manitoba?
A. Under the family-like support provisions, a group of two or more adults
who are your distant relatives or friends in Manitoba may be eligible to sign
Affidavits of Support in support of your application to the MPNP. The purpose of
these affidavits is to demonstrate that the applicant has genuine settlement
supports available in Manitoba that will contribute to the likelihood of the
applicant establishing successfully in this province. Supporters must include a
personal letter of reference on behalf of the applicant and an MPNP Program
Officer must be convinced that the support being offered is both genuine and
sufficient. The applicant must still demonstrate that he/she has sufficient
settlement funds in the applicant’s name in order to be considered under the
MPNP.
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Q. If my intended occupation requires licensing or registration in Manitoba,
do I need to have all my documentation proving that I am licensed before
applying to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program?
A. You are required to prove your credentials for the countries in which you
have trained and/or been working. The need to prove that your credentials will
allow you to work in your occupation in the Manitoba labour market will depend
on your occupation. Depending on your occupation, the Manitoba Provincial
Nominee Program may refuse to consider your application without proof that you
are also licensed to work in Manitoba. Each province in Canada has different
accreditation requirements. Please research your individual case carefully.
Consult our Restricted Occupations List and our website at www.immigratemanitoba.com for links to sites that can give you more information.
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Q. Do my documents have to be translated by a certified translator?
A. All documents must be accurately translated into English or French for the
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program and some must be certified translations.
Copies of the original language documents must always be included. Consult the
MPNP Documents Checklist for more information. If nominated, the CIC visa office
may require your documents to be translated by a certified translator.
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Q. Am I eligible to apply if I have a guaranteed job offer that has not been
pre-approved by the MPNP?
A. All guaranteed job offers submitted with an application to the MPNP must
have been pre-approved in order to be considered unless you are already working
full-time in Manitoba on a Temporary Work Permit. If not, your employer must
first submit an application (available at www.immigratemanitoba.com) for
pre-approval of a job offer to the MPNP. After the MPNP has approved the
application by the employer, the employer will be provided with a Guaranteed
Offer of Employment form to be sent to the applicant. An applicant must include
this form with his/her application in order to be considered eligible under the
employer direct priority assessment stream. If your job offer has not been
pre-approved, your application will only be considered if it meets the
eligibility requirements of another Assessment Stream.
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Q. Am I eligible to apply if I am an international student in Canada but I do
not meet the eligibility requirements of the International student priority
assessment stream?
A. You are only eligible to apply if you meet the eligibility requirements
of another MPNP Assessment Stream.
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Q. Am I eligible to apply if I do not meet the eligibility requirements of
the family support priority assessment stream but I have a close relative in
Manitoba?
A. You are eligible to apply if you meet the eligibility requirements of the
MPNP general stream.
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Q. Is it helpful to include my personal resume in the application?
A. Yes, a resume is a useful summary that will assist the program officer who
is reviewing your application to understand how your documents relate to each
other.
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Q. How do I qualify for points under Regional Development?
A. If there is a demonstrated connection to your destination, which is
outside of Greater Winnipeg, you may qualify for points under Regional
Development under the general stream. You need to demonstrate this connection
and prove to Manitoba Labour and Immigration that you truly intend to settle and
work there. Proof may include, but is not limited to:
-
relatives or friends in the
area
-
other unique ties to the
community
-
experience living and/or
working in a rural area
-
any other documentation to
help establish this connection
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Q. What fees will I have to pay?
A. There is no fee for applying to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
If you are approved as a provincial nominee, you will have to pay all federal
processing fees and Right of Landing fees that apply to each member of your
family. You will also have to pay costs associated with medical examinations and
police and security checks.
Do NOT include fees with your Provincial Nominee application for skilled
workers. The federal fees are paid to the CIC visa office and should ONLY be
paid if, and when, you are instructed to do so, by Manitoba Labour and
Immigration.
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Q. How much money must I bring with me to settle in Manitoba?
A. Provincial nominees are expected to be financially self-sufficient when
they arrive in Manitoba. The amount of available money that you need will depend
on a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to whether you have a
job in Manitoba or close relatives who have provided a signed affidavit of
support and documentation their ability and intention to assist you. All
applicants to the MPNP must provide evidence of financial resources in the name
of the Principal Applicant or Spouse. We will ask for further information about
your financial resources when necessary. It is your responsibility to provide
evidence to Manitoba Labour and Immigration that you have sufficient support. As
a general guide, it is recommended that you have at least $10,000 (Canadian)
plus additional funds according to the number of accompanying dependents.
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Q. Is there a deadline for applying to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee
Program?
A. No. However, the program criteria may change without notice. The
occupations that are included on the Restricted Occupations list may also
change. Your application will be assessed according to the criteria in place at
the time we receive your complete application.
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Q. Who assesses the applications for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program?
A. Immigration program officers at Manitoba Labour and Immigration assess all
applications. Each assessment decision is reviewed by a second program officer.
Once a decision has been finalized you will be contacted in writing. The program
officer may request other documents to complete the assessment of your
application. You will be told of the assessment decision in writing. Final
decisions will not be given over the telephone or by email.
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Q. If I am approved for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program for skilled
workers, what is my next step?
A. If you are approved as a Manitoba provincial nominee, you will receive a
Letter of Approval and a Nomination Package that explains the next steps.
Successful applicants will be asked to submit a complete application to a CIC
visa office as soon as possible, and not longer than the expiry date indicated
on the Letter of Approval.
NOTE: This is a two-step application process. The first step is to submit
your Manitoba Provincial Nominee application to Manitoba Labour and Immigration
(address indicated in this package). Those nominated by the Manitoba Provincial
Nominee Program will be instructed on how to apply for their permanent resident
visa through CIC, which has the final authority for issuing immigration visas.
PROVINCIAL NOMINEE APPLICANTS SHOULD NOT SUBMIT ANY APPLICATIONS OR DOCUMENTS
TO A CIC VISA OFFICE UNTIL THEY ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO BY MANITOBA LABOUR AND
IMMIGRATION.
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Q. Will I require a medical examination or criminal and security clearance?
A. Although a medical examination, and criminal and security checks are not
required to be approved as a Manitoba Provincial Nominee, they will be required
before you can receive a permanent resident visa for Canada. A person who is
approved as a Manitoba Provincial Nominee, his or her spouse and dependent
children, whether accompanying or not, will each need to have a medical
examination. All adults will also require a criminal and security check. Any
related costs are the responsibility of the applicant. The medical examination
and background checks are requirements of CIC. Successful applicants will
receive further instructions regarding how and when to complete these tasks. A
Manitoba Certificate of Nomination may be withdrawn depending on the outcome of
the medical examination and background checks.
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Q. How long will it take for me to receive a Canadian Permanent Resident
Visa?
A. Applying for a permanent resident visa under the Provincial Nominee
Program is a two-step process. The first step is the assessment and decision
made on your application by Manitoba Labour and Immigration. Applications which
are eligible for consideration under a priority assessment stream will be
processed more quickly than applications submitted under the MPNP general
stream. Applications eligible for consideration under the general stream can
take six months or more to process depending on the volume of applications
received and the time required for verifications of documents included with the
application.
If approved as a Manitoba provincial nominee, the second step begins when you
apply to a CIC visa office for a permanent resident visa. CIC attempts to
process Manitoba provincial nominees as quickly as possible. While processing
times can vary from post to post, processing times on average are significantly
less for provincial nominees than for applications through the federal streams.
A significant difference is that if all documents are complete, an interview by
the CIC visa office may not be required for Manitoba provincial nominees,
although there is no guarantee that an interview will be waived. Processing
times at CIC visa offices range from 6 to 18 months or more depending on the
office and the application.
The following can delay processing of your application: incomplete or
unsigned application forms; missing documents; insufficient postage; missing
fees; unclear photocopies; documents not accompanied by a certified English or
French translation; a medical condition that may require additional tests;
involvement in criminal activity; family situations such as divorce, custody or
maintenance issues; or failure to notify of a change of address.
YOUR APPLICATION HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING PROCESSED FASTER IF ALL OF THE
ABOVE ARE AVOIDED.
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Q. What if I already have an application in process to the Government of
Canada as a Skilled Worker Immigrant?
A. If you have an active application as a Skilled Worker with Citizenship and
Immigration Canada, you may be considered ineligible to apply to the Manitoba
Provincial Nominee Program because CIC may be unable to transfer your file to
the separate Provincial Nominee process. You must inform Manitoba at the time of
submitting your application if you already have an active application to the CIC
Skilled Worker program and include the name of the visa office and the date your
application was submitted to CIC.
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Q. Can I apply again if my application to the MPNP is refused?
A. If your eligible application is refused, you may only apply again after a
waiting period of six months from the date of your refusal letter.
NOTE: DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB, OR SELL OR DISPOSE OF YOUR POSSESSIONS IN
ANTICIPATION OF IMMIGRATING TO MANITOBA UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED A PERMANENT
RESIDENT VISA FROM CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA.
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