Temporary workers in Manitoba who were previously identified for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program may be able to apply for a new open work permit under the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says the permit can allow eligible applicants to work in Manitoba for up to two years.
This is a narrowly defined measure, not an open application for everyone who currently works in Manitoba. A key requirement is an open work permit support letter issued by the Government of Manitoba on or before December 31, 2025, confirming that the person was placed in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Expression of Interest pool by that date.
Permit Details and Eligibility Summary
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Policy | Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy |
| Federal signing date | July 6, 2026 |
| IRCC public information released | August 2026 |
| Potential cohort | Up to 2,700 temporary workers |
| Permit type | Open work permit under the temporary public policy |
| Maximum permit duration | Up to 2 years |
| Policy status | Open until December 31, 2027, unless revoked earlier |
| Critical support-letter date | Must have been issued by Manitoba on or before December 31, 2025 |
| Current employment | A letter of employment from the current employer is required |
What is the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge?
The public policy was created to retain a defined group of temporary workers who are already contributing to Manitoba and who had previously been screened by the province as potential candidates for permanent residence under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
IRCC says the measure can support a cohort of up to 2,700 temporary workers. The goal is to give eligible workers more time to remain employed while they are assessed for permanent residence.
That context is important. This is not a new general Manitoba immigration intake where anyone can request a support letter today. The federal eligibility rules depend on actions that had to happen by December 31, 2025.
Basic eligibility requirements
IRCC’s simplified eligibility page says applicants must meet all of the following core conditions:
- be a temporary worker in Manitoba;
- have been placed in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Expression of Interest pool on or before December 31, 2025;
- have an open work permit support letter issued by Manitoba on or before December 31, 2025; and
- have a letter of employment from their current employer.
The federal public policy then provides additional status-related conditions depending on the applicant’s immigration situation.
Which work-permit situations can qualify?
IRCC identifies three main situations.
1. You currently hold a valid work permit
A worker who currently has a valid work permit may be eligible if the other requirements are met, including the Manitoba support letter and current employment letter.
2. You held a valid work permit on May 7, 2024, but it later expired
IRCC says this group can still be eligible. The public policy provides a special restoration exemption for qualifying applicants, including an exemption from the normal requirement to apply for restoration within 90 days after losing status.
That does not mean every person with an expired permit can restore status under this policy. The person still needs to fit the defined Manitoba cohort and meet the other conditions.
3. You were authorized to keep working while a renewal was being decided
A person who was authorized to work under maintained-status rules on May 7, 2024 after applying to renew a work permit on or before that date may also fit the policy, provided they have not received a negative decision and meet the other requirements.
Who cannot use this open work permit?
IRCC says this work permit is not for applicants who have already been nominated by a province or territory under the Provincial Nominee Program.
It is also not a general route for people who moved to Manitoba after the 2025 support-letter deadline or who were never placed in the Manitoba PNP Expression of Interest pool by the required date.
People seeking broader provincial immigration information can follow Canadanship’s Immigration section. This article belongs primarily in Work because the immediate benefit is temporary work authorization.
How long is the open work permit valid?
IRCC says the open work permit allows an eligible person to work in Manitoba for up to two years. The exact permit issued to an individual can still be affected by factors such as passport validity and the officer’s decision.
The public policy itself is open until December 31, 2027 unless the government revokes it earlier. The policy expiry date should not be confused with the expiry date of an individual work permit.
How to apply
IRCC requires applicants to apply online through the IRCC secure account.
Step 1: Review the instruction guide
Applicants should read the current IRCC work-permit instructions and confirm which status scenario applies to them.
Step 2: Complete the work permit application
When completing the application, IRCC instructs eligible applicants to select Open Work Permit as the type of permit.
For the “Details of intended work in Canada” section, IRCC gives a specific code: MBEOI2024. The department says to enter this code in both the job title and brief description of duties boxes for this application.
Step 3: Upload the required documents
IRCC’s special instructions list documents including:
- a copy of a valid passport;
- a digital photo;
- the open work permit support letter issued by Manitoba on or before December 31, 2025;
- a copy of the current work permit, where applicable; and
- a letter of employment from the current employer.
IRCC notes that Manitoba may issue an updated letter of continued support in 2026, but the applicant must still submit the support letter that was issued on or before December 31, 2025.
Fees
IRCC’s application instructions list the standard CAN$155 work permit fee and CAN$100 open work permit holder fee. A restoration fee may also apply where the person’s status has expired.
Applicants should check IRCC’s current fee list at the time of payment because government fees can change and some official pages dynamically load the amount.
What if your status has expired?
The public policy includes an important accommodation for some people who held a valid work permit on May 7, 2024 and later lost status. Eligible applicants may be exempt from the usual 90-day restoration limit.
When applying, IRCC instructs people who need restoration to select the option to restore status as a worker on form IMM 5710 and to provide an explanation of why they remained in Canada beyond the period originally authorized.
This exemption is specific to people who satisfy the public policy conditions. Someone outside the defined Manitoba cohort should not assume the normal restoration rules no longer apply to them.
Can you work while IRCC processes the application?
The answer depends on the applicant’s status.
If you applied while maintaining valid work authorization
IRCC says a person who applies for the open work permit only and has maintained status can keep working under the same conditions as the original work permit while waiting for a decision.
If you also applied for restoration
IRCC says a person applying for restoration can stay in Canada while the application is being processed, but cannot work until the new work permit has been issued.
This distinction is critical for workers and employers. An application receipt by itself does not always mean the person is authorized to continue working.
Does the open work permit guarantee permanent residence?
No. The policy is designed for people Manitoba previously identified as strong potential MPNP candidates, but an open work permit is not the same as a provincial nomination or permanent residence approval.
The federal policy says candidates remain subject to applicable eligibility and admissibility requirements that are not specifically exempted. Permanent residence remains a separate immigration process.
Why Manitoba and IRCC created the measure
The federal government says the policy is intended to help Manitoba address critical workforce needs while retaining workers who are already established in the province. It also aligns with the wider federal goal of transitioning selected temporary residents toward permanent residence instead of relying only on new temporary arrivals.
For employers, the measure may provide more continuity for workers who fit the cohort. For the workers themselves, it can provide additional time to continue contributing in Manitoba while their permanent-residence prospects are assessed.
What applicants should do before submitting
- Confirm that the Manitoba support letter was issued on or before December 31, 2025.
- Confirm that the letter says you were placed in the MPNP Expression of Interest pool by December 31, 2025.
- Get a current employment letter from your employer.
- Identify which IRCC status scenario applies to you.
- Check whether restoration is required.
- Review the exact document checklist generated in your IRCC account.
- Use the MBEOI2024 code exactly as instructed by IRCC.
Workers looking for actual vacancies can separately use Canadanship’s Jobs section. A job listing should not be confused with eligibility for this public policy.
What has not changed
- The policy is not open to every temporary worker in Manitoba.
- A new support letter issued for the first time after December 31, 2025 does not satisfy the published core condition.
- The work permit does not itself grant permanent residence.
- People applying with restoration are not authorized to work merely because the application is pending.
- Applicants already nominated under a Provincial Nominee Program are not the target group for this permit.
Official sources
| Source | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| IRCC: Open work permit for prospective PNP candidates with a Manitoba support letter | Core eligibility, two-year duration, status and program overview. |
| IRCC: Who can apply | Detailed status scenarios and required Manitoba support and employment letters. |
| IRCC: How to apply | Online application process, fees, MBEOI2024 code and required documents. |
| IRCC: Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy | Legal public-policy conditions, cohort of up to 2,700 workers and December 31, 2027 expiry. |
Information checked against official IRCC sources on August 25, 2026. Immigration status is fact-specific, so applicants should use the current IRCC instructions for their own case.