What the bridge would do
If Manitoba accepts it, the bridge would continue work authorization for eligible workers already living and working in the province, help employers retain experienced staff during the nomination process, and give Manitoba additional time — through December 31, 2027 — to complete its nominations. The government also frames the measure as a way to keep families and communities intact by allowing workers to remain in Manitoba while they pursue permanent residence, while staying within Canada's existing immigration levels and supporting Ottawa's goal of reducing the temporary resident share of the population to below 5 per cent by the end of 2027.
The affected cohort breaks down as follows:
| Category | People |
|---|---|
| Already became permanent residents under the 2024 federal policy | More than 1,600 |
| Still awaiting a Manitoba provincial nomination | About 2,700 |
| Total in the affected work-permit group | About 4,300 |
Where the policy comes from: an extension of a 2024 temporary public policy
The proposal did not appear out of nowhere. In August 2024, then–Immigration Minister Marc Miller used section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) to create a "temporary public policy to facilitate work permits for prospective Provincial Nominee Program candidates," letting candidates who had not yet received a nomination apply for an open work permit of up to two years on the strength of a provincial support letter. The policy was designed to close a real gap: PNP applicants often wait two to three years between entering provincial processing and obtaining permanent residence, and their work permits — especially the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which is generally a once-in-a-lifetime, non-renewable permit — frequently expire in the meantime, leaving applicants at risk of losing their right to work. Manitoba was one of the main participating jurisdictions and, in 2025, rolled out a two-year, province-specific extension of the arrangement.
Manitoba's bind under allocation cuts
Manitoba's difficulty in clearing these nominations on schedule is tied directly to Ottawa's tightening of immigration volumes. Since 2025, the federal government has sharply cut provincial nomination allocations; Manitoba's annual nomination capacity fell from roughly 9,500 — briefly halved before being partially restored — to around 6,400. At the same time, the province is home to about 80,000 temporary residents, far more than its limited allocation can absorb, pushing Manitoba to direct more of its spots toward temporary residents already in the province. A large existing pool set against a shrinking allocation is the core reason Manitoba says it cannot finish the nominations before the end of 2026.
Yukon offers a close precedent: it, too, used the federal section 25.2 mechanism to issue bridging work permits to prospective nominees. A separate, national measure Ottawa introduced in June 2026 mainly helps nominees who have already submitted a permanent-residence application and are waiting for acknowledgement — which does not reach Manitoba's workers, most of whom do not yet hold a nomination and therefore cannot yet apply for PR. That gap is precisely why a Manitoba-specific bridge is needed.
The bigger picture: shrinking the temporary resident share
The measure sits within Ottawa's broader effort to reduce the temporary resident population. The government has committed to bringing temporary residents below 5 per cent of the total population by the end of 2027, from roughly 7 per cent today — a target that implies the temporary resident pool must shrink by hundreds of thousands over the next two years. Federal officials stress that the bridge is "targeted, time-limited, and practical," extending the status only of workers who are already in the country and already contributing, without exceeding existing immigration levels.
Reactions and open questions
Manitoba's Minister of Immigration, Malaya Marcelino, said the proposed extension is the result of requests her office has been making since last fall, aimed at ensuring the province can continue to strengthen its workforce. Business groups welcomed the news as well: Bram Strain, President and CEO of the Business Council of Manitoba, called it "a good first step," saying that extending the permits means continuity for both employers and permit holders. The employers involved are concentrated in manufacturing, agriculture, and food processing — sectors that rely heavily on international labour.
Whether the measure actually takes effect remains uncertain. As of now, Ottawa has not released how to apply, the eligibility criteria, or an effective date, and the measure cannot proceed unless Manitoba formally accepts it; even with status extended, clearing all of the roughly 2,700 nominations within two years will still depend on Manitoba's future nomination capacity.
"These workers followed the rules, built their lives in Manitoba, and are helping businesses in our communities stay open," said the Hon. Kevin Lamoureux, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg North. "They should not be pushed out of status while their nominations are being finalized. Manitobans asked for action, and we worked to deliver a common-sense bridge that protects workers and keeps families rooted in our province."
"Our government is restoring order to Canada's immigration system while making sure it works for provinces, workers, and employers," said the Hon. Terry Duguid, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South. "This proposed bridge is targeted, time-limited, and practical. It protects workers who are already here and already contributing, while giving Manitoba the time it needs to finalize nominations within existing immigration levels."
