Expiring federal work permits for thousands of Manitoba newcomers to be extended

More than 6,700 newcomers in Manitoba whose federal work permits were set to expire this year will be able to stay in the province for at least another two years, Manitoba's labour and immigration minister said Tuesday.

Malaya Marcelino says she got a letter from federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller Tuesday, confirming the federal government has approved the province's request to extend the expiring post-graduate work permits.

"This is really great news for our province," Marcelino told reporters at the Manitoba Legislature.

"This is really great news for about 6,700 … workers, their families and for employers across the province, who have been put into this desperate situation."

Ottawa had announced in December it was no longer offering 18-month extensions to post-graduate work permits, after previously offering those extensions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For months, temporary foreign workers have protested the change, along with another policy change in the Manitoba provincial nominee program's selection process that prioritizes newcomers who have family connections in the province.

Thousands of newcomers with expiring permits have applied to the nominee program — which accepts a limited number of applicants each year — and faced months-long waits.

In a letter posted to social media Tuesday, Miller said he was prepared to offer open work permits to newcomers whose permits are expiring in 2024, if they are employed in Manitoba and are eligible under Manitoba's nominee program.

"Within two years, it is expected that eligible foreign nationals will receive an official nomination from Manitoba and eventually become permanent residents through the [provincial nominee program]," Miller wrote in the letter.

Marcelino expects the federal government's extension will allow Manitoba's nominee program to accept nearly all of its applicants. 

"Manitoba needs immigration," Marcelino said.

"We will work very hard to make sure that they can be included as part of the nominations for the Manitoba provincial nominee program, and at the same time, we are still going to be able to use a lot of our spots for other types of newcomers as well."

The province can issue up to 9,500 nominations in 2024. Manitoba was allotted the same number last year but fell short by about 2,000 applications.

Extension gives newcomer father 'a chance'

Tianyu Xie, whose post-graduate work permit expires at the end of May, says it's a positive development.

Xie has been living in Winnipeg and working in the social services sector over the past two years, hopeful his wife and three-year-old child can join him in Manitoba. That now feels more realistic, he said.

"My emotion is more stable than before, because this policy … gave me a chance," Xie said in a phone interview. 

"I'm very thankful to governments."

He's anxious, though, to hear more details, including conditions and additional eligibility requirements Miller made reference to in his letter. Those will be made public soon, Miller said.

Marcelino said those details are still being ironed out, but they may concern labour market needs.

Had Ottawa not agreed to the work permit extension, Xie said he would have been forced to return to China.

"Today, that plan is changed," Xie said. "I love Manitoba. I want to stay in Manitoba."

It was also good news for Yatin Joshi, the chair of the International Students and Skilled Workers Union in Manitoba.

"Some of the candidates I personally know were in depression, but when this news came, and I saw the post on X by Mr. Miller, I was so thrilled to see that post."

Minister optimistic permit holders will stay in Manitoba

Tuesday's announcement comes after Marcelino was accused last month of threatening people who protested changes to Manitoba's provincial nominee program.

The province periodically selects people from expressions of interest who are invited to apply to the nominee program — which matches foreign workers with specific labour needs in Manitoba. A certain number of those applicants are then approved to come to the province.

The draws are not random, but determined using a ranking scale, with points awarded for a range of factors. The NDP government's recent draws have prioritized skilled workers who already have family in the province — a move the province believes will help Manitoba retain more newcomers, but which has also drawn criticism.

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives, who called for Marcelino's resignation, presented a heavily redacted letter during question period in April, which claimed Marcelino had threatened to deliberately delay certain draws for the nominee program if people continued to protest the changes.

Marcelino strongly denied the allegation last month. 

"That is completely false," she said. "I have never threatened folks."

Marcelino has previously said the province changed its nominee program selection policy in favour of newcomers with family ties to the province to help retain newcomers, many of whom leave Manitoba after getting their permanent residency.

On Tuesday, Marcelino said she has next steps in mind to make sure the 6,700 work permit holders do stay in Manitoba once they are drawn through the nominee program — but she didn't elaborate on those plans.

"In general, I'm quite confident and optimistic that these folks are going to be staying in Manitoba, because they've told me that they would," she said.

"We have many of these folks here already, and it makes perfect sense to have them included as part of our nominations that we draw, so this is … really good news for Manitoba."