Canada has introduced a temporary public policy intended to help a defined group of foreign workers in Manitoba maintain employment while being assessed for provincial nomination and permanent residence.
Under the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge, the provincial government may support a cohort of up to 2,700 existing workers. Qualifying applicants may receive access to an open work permit after meeting the federal and provincial requirements.
The programme is not a general pathway for every temporary worker in Manitoba or for new applicants living overseas. It principally covers workers who had already been identified through earlier Manitoba measures, entered the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Expression of Interest pool by the prescribed deadline and obtained the required provincial support letter.
Applicants must also provide proof of current employment. Depending on their circumstances, they must hold or previously have held qualifying work authorization and submit the required work-permit, status-extension or restoration application. Normal admissibility requirements continue to apply.
An open work permit generally allows its holder to work for most eligible employers, but receiving a permit under this policy does not automatically guarantee provincial nomination or permanent residence.
The federal policy was signed on July 6, 2026, published online on August 5 and is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2027. The government retains the authority to revoke it earlier without advance notice.
Indian nationals already working in Manitoba may benefit if they satisfy every eligibility condition. Workers should consult the official policy rather than assume that temporary status or Manitoba employment alone makes them eligible.
