Canada offers open work permits to 2,700 foreign workers in Manitoba, aiding those at risk of losing status

Canada will provide open work permits to up to 2,700 temporary foreign workers in Manitoba, including some who have lost their status or are at risk of losing their authorization to work, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The measure is aimed at foreign nationals being considered for permanent residence through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).

The permits will be issued under the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy (MWTB), which came into effect on July 6, 2026 and was published on the federal government’s website on August 5.


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To qualify, applicants must have a Manitoba support letter issued on or before December 31, 2025. The letter must confirm that they were screened by the province and placed in the MPNP’s Expression of Interest pool by that date. Applicants must also provide a letter of employment from their current employer.

The policy covers workers in three situations: those with a valid work permit; those whose permit was valid on May 7, 2024 but has since expired; and those who applied to renew their permit on or before May 7, 2024 and have maintained their status.

Work permit and status relief

Eligible workers can apply for an open work permit and an extension of their temporary resident status. Those with expired permits can also apply for restoration of status.

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The policy also waives certain requirements that would normally prevent applicants from getting a work permit from inside Canada. Eligible workers may qualify even if they previously worked or studied without authorization or breached conditions of an earlier permit.

Those applying for restoration may also qualify despite missing the usual 90-day deadline or failing to meet certain conditions attached to their previous work authorization.

Policy valid until December 2027

The MWTB will remain in force until December 31, 2027, but the federal government can revoke the temporary policy without prior notice.

The measure addresses a gap faced by provincial nominee candidates whose work permits expired while they waited in Manitoba's Expression of Interest pool. Unlike candidates who had already received a nomination or filed for permanent residence, those in the EOI pool generally had limited options to maintain work authorization.

The policy follows a similar temporary measure introduced in 2024 for Manitoba, Alberta and Yukon after a surge in international graduates seeking permanent residence put pressure on provincial nomination systems.