New Manitoba MPNP Important Changes Effective February 4, 2026

Last Updated On 5 February 2026, 7:11 PM EST (Toronto Time)

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The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program – MPNP has announced significant changes to the Temporary Resident Retention Pilot that will affect thousands of temporary residents and employers across the province.

Effective February 4, 2026, the Hospitality and Food Services sector has been completely removed from the list of eligible sectors under the TRRP, while 16 new skilled trades occupations have been added to the program’s eligibility list.

These changes represent a major shift in Manitoba’s immigration priorities, moving the province’s employer-driven immigration pathway away from the hospitality industry and toward the skilled trades sector, which has been experiencing acute labour shortages across the province.

For temporary residents currently working in hospitality and food services in Manitoba, this is a deeply concerning development that could directly impact their pathway to permanent residency.

For skilled trades workers and the employers who rely on them, however, the expanded eligibility opens up new and valuable opportunities.

Here is a complete breakdown of what has changed, who is affected, what the new eligible occupations are, and what options remain for workers in the hospitality sector who were counting on the TRRP as their route to staying in Canada permanently.

Hospitality and Food Services Sector Removed From TRRP

The most impactful change in this update is the removal of the Hospitality and Food Services sector from the TRRP-eligible sector list.

This means that as of February 4, 2026, employers in the hospitality and food services industry can no longer submit new applications under the Temporary Resident Retention Pilot to sponsor their temporary resident employees for permanent residency through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.

The change is not just prospective — it is immediate and retroactive in its application window.

Any TRRP applications in the hospitality and food services sector that were received after February 4, 2026, will not be accepted or processed.

Similarly, any candidate referrals submitted for previously approved TRRP applications in this sector that arrive after the cutoff date will also be rejected.

This is a significant blow for the thousands of temporary foreign workers employed in Manitoba’s restaurants, hotels, catering companies, and food service establishments.

Many of these workers had been relying on the TRRP as their primary pathway to permanent residence in Canada, and the sudden removal of their sector from eligibility leaves them needing to find alternative immigration routes.

The government’s rationale for the change is straightforward: the TRRP is designed to align with Manitoba’s evolving economic and immigration priorities, and those priorities are shifting.

While the hospitality sector was included when the pilot launched in September 2025, Manitoba’s labour market needs have evidently evolved, and the province has determined that its immigration resources are better directed toward sectors experiencing more critical and persistent labour shortages — particularly the skilled trades.

16 New Skilled Trades Occupations Added to TRRP

On the other side of this equation, the Manitoba government has significantly expanded the TRRP by adding 16 skilled trades occupations to the eligibility list.

This is a clear signal that Manitoba views skilled tradespeople as essential to the province’s economic growth and is willing to use its immigration tools to attract and retain them.

The newly eligible occupations span a wide range of trades, from automotive and heavy equipment technicians to specialized roles in aviation, water treatment, and instrumentation.

Here is the complete list of the 16 skilled trades that have been added, along with their corresponding National Occupational Classification codes.

Occupation	NOC Code
Agricultural Equipment Technician	72401
Auto Body and Collision Technician	73202
Automotive Refinishing Technician	73202
Automotive Service Technician	72410
Boilermaker	72304
Heavy Duty Equipment Technician	72401
Instrumentation and Control Technician	72201
Landscape Horticulturalist	22114
Parts Technician	72410
Recreation Vehicle Service Technician	72410
Transport Trailer Technician	72410
Truck and Transport Mechanic	72410
Aircraft Maintenance Journeyperson	72404
Diesel Engine Mechanic	72410
Railway Car Technician	72403
Water and Wastewater Technician	22101

The concentration of additions in the automotive, heavy equipment, and transportation maintenance sectors is notable.

It reflects the reality that Manitoba’s economy depends heavily on agriculture, transportation, and resource industries — all of which require large numbers of skilled mechanics, technicians, and maintenance professionals to keep operating.

Latest MPNP Draws in 2026

Initiative	Draw #262 (Jan 15)	Draw #263 (Jan 29)
Employer Services	21	24
Francophone Community	7	3
Regional Communities	15	4
Ethnocultural Communities	9	2
Temporary Public Policy	3	14
Total LAAs Issued	55	47
Express Entry Linked	10	6

Alongside the TRRP changes, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program has continued issuing regular Expression of Interest draws in 2026.

These MPNP draws are important context for understanding Manitoba’s current immigration selection patterns and how many candidates are being invited to apply.

The most recent draw, Expression of Interest Draw number 263, took place on January 29, 2026, under the Skilled Worker Stream.

This draw targeted profiles submitted under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba pathway and the Skilled Worker Overseas pathway that declared being directly invited by the MPNP under a strategic recruitment initiative.

A total of 47 Letters of Advice to Apply were issued in this draw.

The breakdown of the 47 invitations by strategic recruitment initiative was as follows:

24 were issued through Employer Services,
3 through the Francophone Community initiative,
4 through Regional Communities,
2 through Ethnocultural Communities, and
14 through the Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Work Permits for Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates.

Of the 47 total invitations, 6 were issued to candidates who declared a valid Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code.

The previous draw, Expression of Interest Draw number 262, took place on January 15, 2026, also under the Skilled Worker Stream with the same targeting criteria.

That draw was larger, issuing 55 Letters of Advice to Apply. The breakdown was:

21 through Employer Services,
7 through the Francophone Community initiative,
15 through Regional Communities,
9 through Ethnocultural Communities, and
3 through the Temporary Public Policy.

Of those 55 invitations, 10 were issued to candidates with valid Express Entry profiles.

Comparing the two draws reveals some notable trends.

The overall volume dropped from 55 to 47 between draws, and the distribution shifted significantly. Employer Services invitations increased from 21 to 24, while the Temporary Public Policy category surged from just 3 invitations to 14.

Meanwhile, Regional Communities dropped sharply from 15 to 4, and Ethnocultural Communities fell from 9 to 2.

This volatility is typical of the MPNP, which adjusts its selection priorities from draw to draw based on the pool of available candidates and the province’s current economic needs.

The Express Entry-linked numbers also shifted, with 6 Express Entry candidates selected in Draw 263 compared to 10 in Draw 262.

While these numbers are small in absolute terms, they represent a valuable pathway for candidates who want the security of a federal Express Entry invitation backed by a provincial nomination.

What to Expect Next From the Manitoba PNP in 2026

The February 4 changes to the TRRP are likely not the last adjustments Manitoba will make to its immigration programs this year.

The province has been clear that the pilot is designed to be responsive and adaptive, and further changes to eligible sectors, occupations, or program criteria could come at any time.

Based on the current trajectory, several developments are worth watching. First, additional skilled trades or technical occupations could be added to the TRRP as Manitoba identifies further gaps in its labour market.

The 16 additions in this round were concentrated in automotive, heavy equipment, and transportation — but there are other sectors like electrical, plumbing, and HVAC that face similar shortages and could be included in future updates.

Second, the Expression of Interest draw patterns in early 2026 suggest that Manitoba is placing increased emphasis on Employer Services and the Temporary Public Policy pathways.

Candidates who have strong employer support or who are navigating work permit transitions should pay close attention to these initiatives, as they appear to be receiving priority in the province’s selection strategy.

Third, the broader federal immigration landscape will continue to shape Manitoba’s programs.

As the Government of Canada tightens temporary worker pathways and reduces immigration targets in certain categories, provincial nominee programs like the MPNP become even more valuable as a route to permanent residence.

This could lead to increased competition for MPNP spots, making early preparation and strong applications more important than ever.

For both employers and temporary residents in Manitoba, the key message is to stay informed, act quickly when eligible, and be prepared for further changes.

The TRRP is a pilot program by design, meaning it is inherently subject to ongoing adjustments.

Monitoring the official Manitoba immigration website and working with qualified immigration professionals are the best ways to ensure you are positioned to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

MPNP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can a hospitality worker switch to a different employer in an eligible TRRP sector to regain eligibility?

In theory, yes — if a hospitality worker finds employment with a qualifying employer in one of the remaining TRRP-eligible sectors such as construction, manufacturing, or skilled trades, they could potentially become eligible again. However, the TRRP requires the candidate to have been employed full-time with their current employer for at least 18 months. This means switching employers would restart the clock, and the worker would need to accumulate 18 months of full-time employment with the new employer before being eligible. The worker would also need a valid work permit that permits them to work for the new employer, which may require obtaining a new Labour Market Impact Assessment or employer-specific work permit.

Do the TRRP changes affect the Employer Direct Initiative or other MPNP streams?

No, the February 4, 2026 changes are specific to the Temporary Resident Retention Pilot only. The Employer Direct Initiative, which allows Manitoba employers to recruit foreign workers from overseas, operates under its own separate eligibility criteria and sector list. Similarly, other MPNP streams such as the Skilled Worker in Manitoba pathway, the Skilled Worker Overseas pathway, the International Education Stream, and the Business Investor Stream are not affected by the TRRP sector changes. Workers in the hospitality sector who are not eligible for the TRRP may still qualify under these other pathways depending on their individual circumstances.

How long does it take for a TRRP application to be processed from submission to provincial nomination?

Manitoba’s Employer Services division has acknowledged that processing times vary depending on the complexity and completeness of each application. The division has also noted that it experienced a significantly higher volume of applications throughout 2025, which has resulted in longer processing times. While no specific timeline has been published, applicants should expect the process to take several months from the initial employer application through to the candidate assessment and eventual provincial nomination. Submitting a complete application with all required documentation is the best way to avoid unnecessary delays.

Can a TRRP candidate also apply for Express Entry at the federal level simultaneously?

Yes, there is no restriction preventing a TRRP candidate from also maintaining a federal Express Entry profile. In fact, having an active Express Entry profile can be advantageous. In recent MPNP draws, a portion of Letters of Advice to Apply have been issued to candidates who declared a valid Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code. If a TRRP candidate receives a provincial nomination through the MPNP and has an Express Entry profile, the nomination adds 600 points to their Comprehensive Ranking System score, which is virtually certain to result in a federal invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Sidak Singh Dhanoa

I am a born Canadian citizen and growing daily with my content on INC – Immigration News Canada, developing into an empathetic person and knowing the other side of the story. Born in Toronto, exploring Canada from coast to coast, embracing the nomadic lifestyle.