Manitoba Invited Skilled Workers and International Graduates
On January 25, 2024, Manitoba held a new invitation round in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). In round #208, the MPNP invited 156 applicants under the Completed post-secondary study in Manitoba selection with a minimum score of 772. In the Skilled Workers Overseas stream, MPNP issued 41 LAAs to candidates invited under the Strategic Recruitment Initiative. The lowest score in the SWO category was 713 points, 74 points more than in the previous draw. In addition, 78 invitations were issued in the International Education Stream. In this round, Manitoba has issued LAAs to 275 candidates, including 29 express-entry candidates. In 2024, MPNP invited 698 candidates, and 102 of them received invitations in the Express Entry.
IRCC Published an Update for Francophone Candidates Applying Through the
On January 25, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a clarification for French-speaking candidates applying through the International Mobility Program (IMP). The updated instructions emphasize that the exception for primary agriculture occupations strictly applies to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) under Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) 4 and 5. Applicants engaged in NOC TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupations within primary agriculture continue to be eligible to apply under the Francophone mobility administrative code C16.
Immigration Through Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program has More than Doubled
In November, a 32.5% drop was observed in Start-Up Visa (SUV) entrepreneur immigration, following a rebound in October, as per data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The IRCC has set goals to welcome 5,000, 6,000, and 6,000 new residents via the SUV in 2024, 2025, and 2026 respectively. Despite a slowdown in November, the program is expected to achieve record permanent resident admissions by the end of 2023. Until November, the SUV had facilitated the arrival of 1,145 new residents, marking a 104.5% increase from the previous year. Most SUV immigrants choose Ontario and British Columbia as their destinations, with Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia also seeing some arrivals.
Within the last three years, 355,000 international students transitioned to Canadian permanent residency
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), over 355,000 international students became permanent residents in Canada between 2021 and 2023. Over 627,000 temporary residents gained permanent residency (PR) in the same period. In 2020, Canada admitted less than half the current number of immigrants, at 184,370. However, immigration quotas for 2024 and 2025 are set at 485,000 and 500,000, respectively, despite housing concerns among Canadians. Many are questioning the feasibility of accommodating half a million immigrants yearly amidst a housing crisis.
