Immigration is a hallmark of a thriving society. It strengthens our social fabric and supports economic growth and prosperity. As a government, we have undertaken a number of initiatives to increase economic immigration, including forming the Manitoba Immigration Advisory Council (IAC), securing more nominations for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) and supporting the extension of work permits by the federal government for former international student graduates and skilled workers.

We formed the IAC to serve as an expert panel to recommend improvements to Manitoba’s immigration policies and programs. The IAC met with Manitobans to hear their experiences and held 14 town hall meetings with residents and business owners across the province. It also gathered valuable feedback through a public survey, which emphasized the MPNP should prioritize candidates with skills most in demand in the provincial economy.

As co-chair of the IAC, along with Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, we worked with 20 experts to develop recommendations to help attract more immigrants and business investors to Manitoba, align programs with regional labour market and community economic needs, and improve settlement, integration and foreign credential recognition services for newcomers.

The IAC report contains a number of valuable recommendations. These include increasing the number of immigrants nominated by the MPNP, conducting targeted outreach to specific labour markets, establishing regional hubs to address community labour market needs, recruiting skilled immigrants from other countries, and increasing Manitoba’s capacity to process applications from French-speaking countries.

The recommendations are instrumental to our efforts to advance Manitoba’s economic prosperity and improve our immigration programs and policies.

I am pleased to note, as a result of our government’s advocacy, Manitoba has been successful in securing more MPNP nominations than ever before. In 2023, the province plans to issue up to 9,500 nominations – a 50 per cent increase over 2022, and I expect nomination numbers to increase again in years to come. My team continues to work constructively with our federal partners to ensure Manitoba receives the nomination allocation it requires to support businesses, regional economic needs and the growing labour market.

We also support the federal government’s measures to extend work permits for former international student graduates and skilled workers who are invaluable to Manitoba’s growing labour market needs. I meet regularly with my federal counterpart to advocate for international student graduates working in Manitoba on a temporary status. Through my advocacy, they now have the opportunity for an 18 months extension on Post Graduate Work Permits, should they decide to remain in Canada beyond the expiration of their initial post-graduate work permit.

Thousands of newcomers settle in Manitoba every year from around the world and the diverse array of knowledge, skills and experiences they bring with them advances our province’s economic prosperity and enriches the vibrancy of our communities. The Manitoba government is providing a total of $7.1 million – $2 million more than last year – in funding for this important Newcomer Community Integration Support (NCIS) program. These services are critical for helping newcomers transition into their new communities and build a sense of security and stability.

Manitoba needs skilled workers and I will continue to be a strong advocate for the growth of the MPNP. We have a proud history in Manitoba of welcoming newcomers from around the world and as minister, I am proud to champion this great province as a wonderful place to live, work, build a business and raise a family.

Jon Reyes is Minister of Labour and Immigration, and member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly for the constituency of Waverley.