The Program Director for Eastman Immigrant Services says last week's announcement by the Manitoba government will be a real boost to our economy.

Freddy Muganza is referring to the increase in allocation for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). Manitoba will receive 3,175 additional nomination spaces from 2022, which represents a 50 per cent year-over-year increase. This means for 2023, Manitoba's allocation will be 9,500 nominations. 

The announcement by Labour and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes did not specify what part of the province will see the additional spaces. However, Muganza says certainly some will be coming to Steinbach and he anticipates the province will provide the necessary resources to make this happen. 

Muganza says this will help our economy here because we need more people.

"Once you have a group of people that are working, we know that there will be taxes paid, there will be shops that will get some buyers and the landlords for houses will get some tenants," he explains.

And he says because they are skilled workers, they will bring even more value, helping grow the Canadian economy as well. 

"The Manitoba government advocated strongly for this increase, which will enable us to further leverage immigration to grow Manitoba's economy and meet labour market needs in critical sectors, including health care," says Reyes. "The Provincial Nominee Program plays an important role in Canada's overall immigration system, and this first multi-year allocation plan will help create more predictability in the program and ensure we are well-positioned to plan for the coming years."

Reyes says provincial nominees remain vital to Manitoba's labour market, economy and growth prospects. In fact, Manitoba continues to receive the majority of its immigrants through the MPNP.

The program began in 1998. Since then, more than 185,000 nominees and their families have immigrated to Manitoba from across the world. In 2022, more than 21,000 immigrants declared Manitoba their intended destination in Canada. Provincial nominees accounted for 64 per cent of all immigrants who landed in Manitoba last year. 

 

With files from Adi Loewen