On Friday, November 15, the Manitoba government announced a three-year pilot to address labour market shortages in the rural west-central region.

The West Central Immigration Initiative pilot will see the province collaborate with seven rural municipalities and Gambler First Nation.

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The West-Central Immigration Initiative partners are

• Municipality of Russell-Binscarth;
• Rural Municipality of Yellowhead;
• Municipality of Roblin;
• Rural Municipality of Ellice-Archie;
• Rural Municipality of Riding Mountain West;
• Rossburn Municipality;
• Prairie View Municipality; and
• Gambler First Nation.

According to a survey of 85 employers in the region, approximately 240-300 people will be needed over the next three years to meet labour needs due to new jobs, replacements, retirements, and general growth.

According to Manitoba Minister of Labour and Immigration, Malaya Marcelino, this pilot will help address labour market and success planning needs, and enable economic and community growth.

As Marcelino states, the new initiative helps in “responding to local needs for skilled workers in rural Manitoba and ensuring Manitoba continues to be a welcoming province.”

The pilot builds on Manitoba’s current regional immigration initiatives in Winkler-Stanley, Morden, and the Parkland region.

As per the minister, the province will continue to work with other regional and rural municipalities to develop similar initiatives.

What is an immigration pilot?

Canada launches immigration pilots from time to time to address specific regional or sectoral labour shortages and support growth in certain areas or sectors.

Immigration pilot programs are usually introduced through collaboration between different levels of government, such as the federal government, provincial government, and local communities.

Eligibility criteria depend on the pilot. Some may require a job offer, while others look at human capital factors such as work experience, language proficiency, and educational qualifications.

An example of an ongoing immigration pilot is the Agri-Food Pilot, which addresses labour needs of the Canadian agri-food sector.

Pilots usually run for a limited time, up until their end date. Successful pilots can become permanent immigration programs. For example, the Atlantic Immigration Program succeeded the Atlantic Immigration Pilot in 2022.

Provincial Nominee Programs in Canada

Although they share some similarities, pilots differ from Provincial Nominee Programs.

Provincial Nominee Programs allow Canada’s provinces and territories to nominate individuals for permanent residency based on their economic needs.

PNPs are not limited in time. They are usually larger in scope than immigration pilots and are based on the needs of the entire province as opposed to specific industries or local communities.

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