Around 2,700 temporary foreign workers in Manitoba may soon receive an extension to their work permits, according to recent announcements made by two Members of Parliament (MPs) from Winnipeg.
The proposed extension is aimed at workers who are waiting to become permanent residents through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).
Kevin Lamoureux, the federal MP for Winnipeg North, shared the announcement in a Facebook post on July 6, 2026. According to the update, the measure is intended to help eligible workers continue living and working in Manitoba while their permanent residence applications move forward.
Work Permit Extensions Expected Until The End Of 2027
Terry Duguid, the federal MP for Winnipeg South, also confirmed the proposal in a post on X on July 7.
According to Duguid, the work permit extensions would remain valid until the end of 2027. The goal is to allow eligible workers to keep working legally while provincial authorities continue processing their nomination applications.
At the time of writing, the federal government has not released details about how eligible workers can apply for the extensions.
Officials have also not announced:
- When the new measure will officially begin;
- Which workers will qualify; or
- What documents applicants will need to provide.
More information is expected once the government releases official program guidelines.
New Measure May Be Called Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge
An image shared by Lamoureux appears to show a draft federal government news release.
According to the document, the proposed initiative will be called the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge (MWTB).
The draft explains that the MWTB is expected to continue the support previously offered under a temporary public policy introduced in 2024.
That earlier policy, called the Temporary Public Policy To Facilitate Work Permits For Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates, allowed eligible provincial nominee candidates to receive open work permits valid for up to two years.
The draft release also states that more than 1,600 workers who received work permits under the 2024 policy have already become permanent residents.
However, around 2,700 workers are still waiting for provincial nominations. According to the province, it may not be able to issue nominations to all eligible workers before the December 31, 2026 deadline.
Previous Work Permit Policy
The 2024 public policy came into effect on August 11, 2024, and was originally scheduled to end on December 31, 2024.
The policy expired at the end of that year without an official extension or replacement being announced.
However, it appears that similar support may have continued.
In January 2025, the federal government updated its information page titled ‘Open Work Permit For Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates With A Support Letter From Manitoba Or Yukon.’
The page states that applications remain open until December 31, 2025, even though the page itself shows a last updated date of March 5, 2026.
Manitoba Must Approve The Proposal
The draft government document shared by Lamoureux also notes that the proposal still requires approval from the Province of Manitoba.
It states:
‘The proposal is currently before the Province of Manitoba for consideration. The measure could only be implemented following provincial acceptance.’
This means the work permit extension cannot move forward until the provincial government agrees to the proposal.
Provincial Nomination Spaces Have Declined
The proposed MWTB comes after Manitoba experienced reductions in its annual provincial nomination allocation over the past two years.
The province received 9,500 nomination spaces in both 2023 and 2024.
That number later dropped to:
- 6,400 in 2025; and
- 6,239 in 2026.
With fewer nomination spaces available, more workers have had to wait longer before receiving a provincial nomination.
Why Do These Extensions Matter?
To become a permanent resident through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), applicants must first receive a provincial nomination. They can then submit their permanent residence application to the federal government.
This process can take two to three years from beginning to end.
During this waiting period, many foreign workers risk losing their legal authorization to work. This can happen if their work permits expire before they receive permanent residence.
International graduates often rely on a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which is generally issued only once and can be valid for up to three years. In most situations, this permit cannot be extended unless special public policies apply.
In June 2026, the federal government also introduced another measure that expanded work permit eligibility for certain provincial nominee applicants. The change helps candidates who have already applied for permanent residence but are still waiting to receive an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
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