Maple News reports a busy week in Canadian provincial immigration, as British Columbia issued new invitations under its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) while Manitoba announced the end of a key open work permit policy.
On December 10, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) held two separate invitation rounds targeting skilled workers and semi-skilled applicants. These draws are part of the province’s ongoing effort to attract talent aligned with its economic and labor market needs.
The first was a general draw that included candidates from the Skilled Worker stream—both directly and via the Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) option—as well as entrants from the Entry Level & Semi-Skilled category. A total of six Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued. Minimum scores varied by stream: 148 for both Skilled Worker and Skilled Worker EEBC, and 121 for Entry Level & Semi-Skilled applicants.
The second draw was more targeted and focused on candidates employed in high-priority occupations within the province. Although the exact breakdown wasn’t disclosed, at least four ITAs were issued, with cut-off scores determined by sector-specific considerations.
The Skilled Worker EEBC option is linked to Canada’s federal Express Entry system. Candidates selected through this enhanced stream benefit from Canada’s faster permanent residence processing times and streamlined immigration pathways.
Meanwhile, Manitoba is making a key policy shift. The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) revealed this week that it will discontinue the provision of open work permits for certain MPNP candidates. While Manitoba has not provided an exact end date, the policy will be phased out in the coming days. This change may impact the work mobility of provincial nominees awaiting permanent residence.
Open work permits have allowed many provincial nominees to begin working in Canada without requiring employer-specific authorization. With this policy ending, affected candidates may need employer sponsorship or other forms of authorization to remain eligible for employment while waiting for their immigration status to be finalized.
Maple News will continue to monitor developments and policy changes from Canadian provinces as they adapt their immigration strategies to evolving labor market conditions.