Manitoba expands work permit access for rural employers and workers under TFWP measures
Manitoba has become the third province, following Nova Scotia and Quebec, to opt into temporary federal measures, giving eligible rural employers more flexibility to hire and retain temporary foreign workers.
The measures, which impact the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), took effect on April 14, 2026, and will remain in place until March 31, 2027.
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What changed
Starting April 14, eligible employers in rural Manitoba can:
- Retain their current proportion of low-wage positions filled by temporary foreign workers at a given worksite, even if it exceeds the usual 10% cap; and
- Hire up to 15% of their workforce through low-wage TFWP positions, up from the standard 10% cap.
Both measures apply across all sectors in all regions of Manitoba, except for the Winnipeg Census Metropolitan Area (CMA).
In the context of these measures, "rural" means any location outside the Winnipeg CMA, as defined by Statistics Canada. The term “low-wage” is taken directly from the TFWP designation and refers to any worker making below the median wage in a given province or territory.
Note that these measures only apply to new LMIA applications submitted on or after April 14, 2026. Low-wage positions under the permanent resident dual-intent stream are also excluded.
The impact on foreign workers in Manitoba
Under these measures, rural employers who were approaching or already at the 10% cap now have room to keep their current workers and hire new ones.
If you're a low-wage TFWP worker in rural Manitoba, this means your employer is less likely to face pressure to reduce foreign worker positions at your worksite.
For foreign workers looking for new opportunities, the higher cap could open more positions with rural employers in Manitoba, who previously couldn't hire because they'd reached the 10% limit.
Note, however, that these measures don't change the core TFWP requirements. Employers must still:
- Obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for each position;
- Show they tried to recruit Canadian citizens and permanent residents first; and
- Meet all other TFWP conditions, including wages and working conditions.
Background
In March 2026, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) announced these temporary measures to help rural employers address labour shortages. Provinces and territories must opt in for the measures to take effect in their jurisdiction.
Manitoba is the third province to opt in, joining Nova Scotia and Quebec. The Manitoba government cited ongoing labour market shortages — especially in rural and northern regions — as the reason for participating.
The measures will remain in effect until March 31, 2027. For more details on how the measures apply, visit the government's official webpage.
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