Manitoba Invites 421 Skilled Workers in Final 2025 Draw
Manitoba Wraps Up 2025 With Strong Healthcare-Focused Draw
Manitoba ended the year on a high note, inviting 421 skilled workers through its Provincial Nominee Program on December 31, 2025. The final draw showed the province doubling down on what it does best, prioritizing candidates already working in Manitoba and especially those filling critical healthcare roles.
Expression of Interest Draw 261 demonstrated how Manitoba aligns its immigration strategy with actual labour market needs while staying coordinated with federal programs.
Breaking Down the December 31 Invitations
The province focused exclusively on skilled workers with existing Manitoba connections through employment or targeted recruitment.
Category breakdown:
| Category | Invitations |
|---|---|
| Occupation-specific selection | 353 |
| Skilled Worker pathway | 68 |
| Total invitations | 421 |
Among those invited, 118 candidates held valid Express Entry profiles and job seeker validation codes, giving them a faster track to permanent residence.
Healthcare Takes Centre Stage
Manitoba concentrated heavily on health occupations for this draw. Candidates needed to be actively working in Manitoba and employed in eligible roles.
The province targeted these NOC 2021 unit groups:
- 00013 – Senior managers in health and social services
- 12111 – Health information management occupations
- 13112 – Medical administrative assistants
- 21110 – Biologists and related scientists
- 21120 – Public and environmental health professionals
- 41301 – Counselling therapists
- 41404 – Health policy researchers
- 44101 – Home support workers and caregivers
Every selected occupation fell under Broad Occupational Category 3, which covers health occupations. Manitoba clearly wants to shore up its healthcare system.
Strategic Recruitment Gets Dedicated Spots
The 68 Skilled Worker pathway invitations went exclusively to candidates directly invited through provincial initiatives. Manitoba runs several targeted recruitment streams for this purpose.
Strategic recruitment channels included:
- Employer Services
- Francophone Community
- Regional Communities
- Ethnocultural Communities
- Temporary Public Policy for Prospective PNP Candidates
Candidates without valid invitation numbers or language test details got passed over, even if their occupation matched the criteria.
Express Entry Integration Continues Growing
Manitoba keeps strengthening its connection to the federal Express Entry system to speed up permanent residence processing. The 2025 numbers tell an interesting story.
Throughout 2025, Manitoba invited 7,765 candidates under MPNP. Of those, 1,469 had active Express Entry profiles.
Candidates who receive a Manitoba provincial nomination earn additional CRS points in the Express Entry system, significantly boosting their chances in federal draws.
Common Pitfalls That Block Invitations
Manitoba reminded candidates about frequent issues that prevent invitations, even when candidates otherwise qualify.
Watch out for these problems:
- Missing or expired language test numbers
- Invalid strategic recruitment invitation codes
- Incomplete licensing for regulated occupations
Anyone facing these issues should update their Expression of Interest profiles before the next draw happens.
What This Tells Us About Manitoba’s Direction
This draw shows Manitoba staying consistent with its priorities. The province continues favouring candidates with Manitoba work experience, healthcare professionals, and workers backed by employers.
Having an Express Entry profile linked to your application also helps. Preparing accurate EOIs and keeping all documentation current remains essential for anyone targeting Manitoba.
The province clearly views immigration through the lens of immediate labour market needs rather than abstract selection criteria. If you’re already contributing to Manitoba’s economy, especially in healthcare, you’re exactly who they want.
