International graduates of Manitoba institutions will benefit from changes to the Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), which is being renewed between now and the end of 2018.

A new addition to the MPNP is a new stream called the International Education Stream (IES), expected to open in April 2018, targets Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) international graduates from Manitoba post-secondary institutions. This timeframe is provisional and subject to change.

Through this stream, eligible STEM graduates — especially those registered in internship programs that provide work experience in STEM fields — are expected to enjoy fast-tracked nominations under the MPNP.

For graduates who secure a job offer in an occupation that is among the newly introduced in-demand list, the requirement to work for six months prior to application to the MPNP will be eliminated.

“The new IES stream will make it easer for international students with a Manitoba education to build careers and settle here in the province,” said Education and Training Minster, Ian Wishart.

Even though the IES stream’s Career Employment Pathway will mainly target international graduates who have attended a Manitoba post-secondary institution, there may be other immigration options available to international students interested in making Manitoba their permanent home.

The renewed Skilled Worker in Manitoba Stream will offer a Manitoba Work Experience Pathway through which international students who graduated in another Canadian province may be considered eligible.

These efforts by Manitoba demonstrate the way in which Canadian provinces are creating more opportunities for newcomers, including international students and graduates, to settle and establish connections in their local communities.

The table below highlights MPNP’s renewal and the potential advantages to international students:

Seeking talent from within

Manitoba hosts some of Canada’s top universities, including the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg, two of which appear in international and national rankings this year. The University of Manitoba ranked in Maclean’s top 15 Medical/Doctoral schools in 2018.

Universities that appear in that ranking offer a variety of graduate programs, including doctoral degrees, and are predominantly research-based institutions.

Manitoba is also home to a French-speaking university, Université de Saint-Boniface , as well as some well-known technical colleges. Obtaining a diploma or certificate in a specialized trade can be advantageous to students looking to enter the Canadian workforce.

For example, one of Manitoba’s largest Applied Learning institutes is Red River College, with eight campuses across the province. Red River College offers its students more than 100 full-time programs and boasts a 96.1 percent graduate employment rate.

Among other reasons why prospective students may be interested in studying in Manitoba’s post-secondary institutions is the affordable tuition and cost of living enjoyed by international students in the province.

According to 2015 data, the average university tuition fees for full-time international students from is 26 to 40 per cent lower in Manitoba than in neighbouring prairie provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and nearly 50 per cent lower than in Ontario.

Manitoba’s renewed immigration strategy is designed to ease the process of immigration for international students and graduates who may have already acquired the necessary skill sets and have developed attachment to the labour market and the local community.

Learn more about studying in Manitoba.

To find out if you are eligible to immigrate to through a Canadian immigration program, please fill out a free online assessment.

International students and post-graduate workers in Canada can join the CanadaVisa Study Hub to access a range of tools and resources to assist in studying, working, and settling in Canada permanently. Study Hub members have the exclusive access to win $500 as part of  the CanadaVisa Study Hub Scholarship Contest!

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