Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) held its first draw of the month on February 12, 2026 and issued 29 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) under its Skilled Worker stream. The official draw notice is here: https://immigratemanitoba.com/2026/02/expression-of-interest-draw-264/.
This matters if you are already in Manitoba’s Expression of Interest (EOI) system. An EOI is not a full application—it’s a profile used for ranking and selection: https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate/apply/eoi/.
Draw breakdown (29 LAAs)
Manitoba says these LAAs were issued under the following strategic recruitment initiative categories:
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Employer Services: 8
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Francophone Community: 14
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Regional Communities: 3
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Ethnocultural Communities: 1
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Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Work Permits for Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates (TPP): 3
Manitoba also noted that 6 of the 29 LAAs went to candidates who declared a valid Express Entry profile number (and job seeker validation code).
What “strategic recruitment initiatives” usually means (important)
This type of draw is not a general “open” invitation. It targets candidates who were directly invited by Manitoba under a strategic recruitment initiative (for example, through Employer Services or another targeted channel). Manitoba explains, for Skilled Worker Overseas, that one possible Manitoba connection is receiving an Invitation to Apply directly from MPNP as part of a Strategic Recruitment Initiative: https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate/skilled-worker/swo/.
If you are outside Canada, also review Skilled Worker Overseas eligibility rules (including the need for a Manitoba connection): https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate/skilled-worker/swo/eligibility/.
If you have Express Entry: why nomination matters
If you later receive a provincial nomination that is linked to Express Entry, IRCC explains it can add 600 CRS points, which can strongly improve your chance of receiving an ITA in Express Entry rounds:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/provincial-nominees.html.
FAQ
Is an LAA the same as an IRCC ITA?
No. An LAA is from Manitoba (MPNP) and is about applying to the province. An ITA is from IRCC in Express Entry. (EOI/LAA process overview: https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate/apply/eoi/.)
How do I know if I’m part of a strategic recruitment initiative?
Usually, you would have been directly contacted/invited through an MPNP pathway (example: Skilled Worker Overseas mentions this as a type of Manitoba connection): https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate/skilled-worker/swo/.
What does it mean that 6 candidates had Express Entry profiles?
It means some invited candidates declared a valid Express Entry profile number in their EOI, which can matter later if they receive an Express Entry-linked nomination. Draw notice: https://immigratemanitoba.com/2026/02/expression-of-interest-draw-264/.
Reality check
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This was a small, targeted draw (29 LAAs), so it should not be read as a “wide opening” for all Manitoba applicants.
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If you are not already connected to Manitoba (or not directly invited through a recruitment initiative), your path may be different—start by understanding the EOI system and Skilled Worker Overseas connection rules: https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate/apply/eoi/ and https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate/skilled-worker/swo/.
