Published at dawn on July 20, provincial data confirm that Manitoba’s Expression of Interest (EOI) draw #275—held July 16 but released publicly today—generated 2,146 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs), the largest single intake in the program’s 26-year history. Invitations spanned the Skilled Worker in Manitoba, Skilled Worker Overseas and International Education streams, with a notable 78 LAAs awarded under the Graduate Internship Pathway and 84 under the Francophone selection. The province set a lowest-ranked score of 825, well above its 2025 average of 611, reflecting heightened competition since Ottawa introduced regional community prioritisation. HR leaders with operations in Winnipeg, Brandon and Steinbach say the bumper round is welcome relief: job-offer holders in health care, agri-tech and advanced manufacturing have faced labour shortages amplified by the province’s 2.8 % unemployment rate. International assignees should note key document requirements. Manitoba now mandates proof of settlement funds at the time of EOI, not application, and is piloting a digital credentialing portal that links directly to WES and ICAS to cut credential-verification time by two weeks. The province also continues to reserve 10 % of invitations for candidates who declare French as their primary language, aligning with the federal target of 6 % francophone admissions outside Quebec by 2030. For corporations, the draw signals Manitoba’s intent to meet its 2026 nomination allocation (11,000 spots) despite staffing constraints at the MPNP. Employers should move quickly: LAAs expire after 60 days, and supporting documents such as employer reference letters must conform to new anti-fraud formatting rules introduced May 1. Companies sponsoring workers under the Employer Services track should prepare settlement plans early, as refusal rates climb when plans are generic or unsigned by supervisors. Immigration practitioners expect Manitoba’s next draw to land before the August civic holiday. Candidates are urged to maintain accurate EOI profiles—errors in declared work experience remain the top reason for refusal under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Source: CIC Times
