Manitoba PNP: New Work Permit Extension Option

On April 22, 2025, Manitoba introduced a new work permit extension for skilled workers participating in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). This extension applies to workers whose permits either expired in 2024 or are about to expire this year in 2025 or in the next 30 days, allowing them to extend their work permits upwards of two years.

Deadline to Apply

This is a temporary measure set to remain in effect until December 31, 2025. Now, skilled workers have the opportunity to stay in Manitoba while waiting for their permanent residency applications to be processed, rather than leaving the province and risk losing their status.

Application and Documents

If you meet the criteria listed below, eligible workers can apply for a support letter through the online portal, which opened on April 22, 2025, and will remain open until December 31, 2025.

To complete the application, applicants must additionally submit a letter of employment, proof of work authorization status or restoration request, and a valid MPNP Expression of Interest profile. It is critical that you ensur all documentation is complete and accurate, as incomplete applications will not be processed. To qualify for this extension, skilled workers must:

1. Be currently living and working in Manitoba.
2. Have lived in Manitoba before January 15, 2025, and plan to settle permanently in the province.
3. Have a work permit that expires in 2025; or
4. Have a work permit that expired after May 7, 2024, and have already applied for a new work permit or requested restoration of temporary resident status; or
5. Have held a work permit on May 7, 2024, that expired and applied for an extension to stay in Canada as a temporary resident.
6. Have been authorized to work on May 7, 2024, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) paragraph 186 (u), and have applied for a work permit extension or a new work permit; or
7. Have been authorized to work on May 7, 2024, and have applied to extend temporary resident status.
8. Have an employment letter from their employer in Manitoba confirming their current employment.
9. Have an active Expression of Interest (EOI) profile in the MPNP system that has been valid since January 15, 2025, and is valid at the time of applying.

Submitting a complete application greatly improves your chances of approval. However, it’s important to understand that while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will accept applications until the specified end date of December 31, 2025, Manitoba still has the authority to limit the number of Support Letters issued under this policy at any time, as indicated on their  government website. Therefore, it is highly recommended to apply for your work permit extension as early as possible.

This temporary extension is not only beneficial to skilled workers, but it also helps Manitoba retain skilled workers who can continue to contribute to its economy. Evidently, since Manitoba has the power to limit the number of Support Letters issued at any time, only complete applications that meet all the requirements will be considered for extensions.

Contact us at Canadim to assess your eligibility and help you successfully apply for your work permit extension as soon as possible ensuring uninterrupted employment so that you could continue your path to Canadian permanent residency.