Canada will provide open work permits to up to 2,700 temporary foreign workers in Manitoba under a new temporary public policy.

The measure can help some Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) candidates who have lost their work status or could otherwise lose their ability to work in Canada.

The open work permits will be issued under the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy (MWTB). The policy applies to certain provincial nominee candidates who hold a support letter from Manitoba.

The federal government published the policy on August 5, 2026. However, it came into effect on July 6, 2026.

The new measure gives eligible foreign nationals another way to keep working while they wait for their provincial nomination pathway to move forward.

Who Can Qualify For The New Work Permit?

Foreign nationals must meet several conditions to qualify under the MWTB.

Applicants must provide a letter of employment from their current employer. They must also have a support letter from the Manitoba government that:

  • was issued on or before December 31, 2025; and
  • confirms that the foreign national was screened by Manitoba and placed in the MPNP Expression of Interest (EOI) pool on or before December 31, 2025.

Applicants must also fall under one of three situations:

  • Situation 1 – Valid work permit: The foreign national holds a valid work permit.
  • Situation 2 – Expired work permit: The foreign national held a valid work permit on May 7, 2024, which has since expired.
  • Situation 3 – Maintained status: The foreign national applied to renew a work permit on or before May 7, 2024, and has maintained status.

Foreign nationals who meet the requirements can apply for an open work permit. They can also apply to extend their stay in Canada as temporary residents.

Those who qualify under the expired work permit situation may also apply to restore their temporary resident status.

Special Rules Apply To Eligible Applicants

The MWTB gives qualifying applicants exemptions from some of the usual rules for applying for a work permit from inside Canada.

Normally, candidates need to meet specific conditions before they can apply for a work permit from within the country. Under this temporary policy, eligible MPNP candidates might apply even if they do not hold a current work/ study permit.

The policy can also help some applicants who previously worked or studied without proper authorization.

Eligible applicants may receive a work permit even if they:

  • Have engaged in unauthorized work or study
  • Have violated conditions associated with their previous permit or work authorization

The policy also provides special rules for restoring status. Eligible applicants may qualify even if they:

  • Have missed the usual 90-day window to apply
  • Have failed to comply with one or more mandatory conditions on their work authorization, specifically including conditions that are not waived in a typical restoration of status application

These measures are intended to help eligible Manitoba nominee candidates remain in the workforce while continuing their immigration plans.

How Long Will The Policy Remain In Place?

The Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge policy will remain in effect until December 31, 2027.

However, the federal government can cancel a temporary public policy at any time without giving advance notice.

The policy is based on a letter of intent signed by the Manitoba government and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The federal government also updated its webpage on August 6 with basic information for people seeking an open work permit through the Manitoba support letter program.

The updated guidance is aimed at prospective Provincial Nominee Program candidates who have a qualifying support letter from Manitoba.

Manitoba Work Permit Policy Has Earlier Roots

The new MWTB policy follows an earlier work permit measure for provincial nominee candidates.

The earlier policy applied to Manitoba, Alberta, and Yukon and operated from August to December 2024. It was later extended, although the extension was not widely announced at the time.

The earlier measure was introduced after many temporary foreign workers faced the risk of losing their legal status while waiting for a chance to move through a provincial immigration program.

The issue became more serious after large numbers of international students entered Canada’s immigration system. Many post-graduation work permit holders were looking for ways to move from temporary status to permanent residence.

At the same time, provincial EOI pools received a large number of candidates, while the federal government reduced its targets for permanent residence admissions through provincial programs.

Before the earlier policy was introduced, there was no specific federal option designed to give work authorization to foreign nationals who were only candidates in a provincial nominee EOI pool.

Why The EOI Stage Can Be Difficult?

A foreign national cannot normally choose when to apply for a provincial nomination.

Candidates generally need to create an EOI profile and wait for the province to invite them to submit a nomination application.

This waiting period can create problems when a candidate’s work permit is close to expiry.

A person who has already submitted a provincial nomination application may have more options to maintain work authorization. A person who has submitted a permanent residence application may also qualify for a bridging open work permit in certain cases.

However, someone who is still waiting in a provincial EOI pool may have fewer options.

The new Manitoba policy aims to address this gap for a specific group of candidates who meet its requirements.

More Support For Provincial Nominees

The federal government introduced another measure in June 2026 to help provincial nominees who could lose their status while waiting for an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) for their permanent residence application.

Before that change, an AOR was generally required before a provincial nominee could apply for a bridging open work permit.

This created problems for some applicants because they could face long waits for an AOR after submitting their permanent residence application.

The June measure expanded access to work authorization for some provincial nominees during this waiting period.

The new Manitoba policy addresses an earlier stage of the provincial nomination pathway. It focuses on certain candidates who are still being considered through Manitoba’s EOI system and have the required provincial support letter.

What Do Eligible Manitoba Candidates Need?

Eligible candidates must make sure that both their employment documents and Manitoba support letter meet the policy requirements.

The support letter must have been issued by the required date. It must confirm that Manitoba had screened the candidate & placed them in the MPNP EOI pool by December 31, 2025.

Candidates whose Manitoba support letter has expired may need to request a new letter before applying.

The Manitoba government has provided separate instructions for foreign nationals who need an expired support letter re-issued.

The new policy helps Manitoba nominee candidates keep work authorization. It supports their path to nomination and permanent residence. However, only candidates who meet all of the policy requirements can benefit from the measure.

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