Manitoba PNP: Canada’s Most Used PNP Program | 近半PNP移民前往緬省

Manitoba is located in the prairies. Its population is the fifth largest in Canada, at 1,232,654.  It’s capital city is Winnipeg, where 60% of Manitoba’s population live, and is where four of the province’s five universities are located.  It also has Canada’s most successful provincial nominee program.

There are numerous streams to Manitoba’s PNP.

Under the MPNP General stream, a skilled worker can immigrate if he/she can accumulate enough points and demonstrate an intention to live in Manitoba. To be eligible, the individual must either have a close relative in Manitoba, have an affidavit of support from either a close friend or a distant relative in Manitoba, have worked full-time in Manitoba for at least six months, or have completed an educational program in Manitoba.  If eligible, the skilled worker has to meet a points threshold that is similar to that of the Federal Skilled Worker Program, but requires only 55 points instead of 67.

Under the Family Support stream, an individual can immigrate if he/she has a close relative that can support them.  The program is broader than the federal family stream, in that a close relative is defined as a mother/father, son/daughter, sister/brother, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, grandparent or first cousin.

Under the International Students stream, an individual can apply if he/she has graduated from a post-secondary educational program, obtained a post-graduation work permit, received from a Manitoba employer a formal offer of a full-time, long-term job, and be working for that employer for at least six months.  Beginning in 2011, that last requirement will be dropped.

The Employer Direct stream basically allows a temporary foreign worker to become a permanent resident.

Finally, under the Business Immigrant stream, an individual can immigrate if they have a minimum verifiable personal net worth of $350,000, and have demonstrated business or farm ownership experience or a minimum of 3 years of experience in a senior management role of a successful company. As well, the individual must invest at least $150,000 into the province, and provide a $75,000 deposit with the government of Manitoba.

So why has Manitoba’s PNP known as the most successful PNP? Well, as affirmed by a recent study by the Institute of Research and Public Policy, the MPNP has been the most successful at both attracting immigrants and retaining them.

First, as shown in the table below, Manitoba’s PNP in both absolute terms and as a percentage of total immigration is very high:

What is astonishing is not so much that Manitoba’s PNP has the highest percentage of any province, but also that in absolute numbers it is almost half. In other words, nearly half of the applications for a permanent resident visa as a provincial nominee were issued to people going to Manitoba.

(As an aside, it should be noted that while 76,463 people using PNP from 1999-2008 may seem small, PNP is rapidly growing. In 2012, it is estimated that over 40,000 people will immigrate to Canada under a Provincial Nominee Program, eclipsing the Federal Skilled Worker Program as the largest immigration program.)

Another indication of the program’s success has been how MPNP immigrants do not all settle in Winnipeg. According to the study, from 2000-2008, 88% of people who immigrated to Manitoba using the federal program settled in Winnipeg.  For immigrants under the MPNP, it was only 68%. As well, the retention rate (i.e., the number of immigrants who stay in Manitoba) is 20% higher under the MPNP than it is for immigrants under the federal class.

The survey also showed that 85% of nominees were working after three months.   83% were working in their fields or in a related field.  Finally, 76% of nominees became homeowners within 3 to 5 years.

And now in Ming Pao:

移民律師辛湉王(Steven Meurrens)表示，把緬省的PNP與其他省份的同類計劃作比較，可見在1999-2008年(見表)期間，經由PNP計劃移民加國的人士中，近半是到緬省的，可說成績斐然。

他指出，值得注意的是，緬省PNP不單吸引新移民前往省會溫尼辟，還有近三成新移民是去該省其他地方定居，顯示PNP移民在省內其他地區都能找到工作機會。

辛湉王根據報告內容作出分析，85%的PNP移民在抵3個月就可找到工作，且當中83%能找到自己老本行或相關的工種。此外，76%的PNP移民在3至5年內就會買房子。以上種種數字，均顯示緬省的PNP計劃非常成功，「實可說是加拿大最成功的省推薦移民計劃