'They are in stress, panic': International students, foreign workers protest for changes in Manitoba
A group of international students are calling for changes in how Manitoba decides who can stay in the province with permanent residency.
Dozens of people gathered on the front steps of the Manitoba Legislature Monday, calling for changes to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The program offers three streams for people to immigrate to Manitoba, including skilled workers, international education and business investors.
Among the crowd, international students and skilled workers who are in Manitoba on temporary work permits chanted for change in the program. The protest organizers say the requirement to receive the status is impossible to achieve for those transferring to Manitoba after graduation.
"Their temporary statuses are expiring soon. They are in stress, panic," said protest organizer Inderjit Gill, a former international student who has been through the provincial nominee program.
He said students who have been working in the province for the past two years have been waiting for an invitation to apply for the program. He said since 2022, to be invited to the program applicants must collect around 700 points awarded based on education, experience, age, and language ability.
It's a requirement the protesters say those who previously studied or worked outside the province cannot achieve due to deductions.
"They should lower the points and we can meet the requirements so everybody can be on the same page and can get their permanent residence," said Mandeep Rohilla, an international student applying for the program.
In addition to lowering the score cut-off, the group wants the province to give an extension to work permits set to expire.
"These are the frontline workers who move here from other provinces to make Manitoba better," Gill said during the protest. "We want steady growth for Manitoba and they are the ones contributing to that growth."
In a prepared statement to CTV News, Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes said he anticipates changes will be coming to the provincial nominee program.
He said the Manitoba Immigration Advisory Council has been exploring ways to improve current policies and programs, including the provincial nominee points system.
"I've spoken with many postgraduates who have created lives for themselves here in Manitoba, and I’m always open to suggestions if it helps the settlement of newcomers who can contribute to our province’s economy," Reyes said in the statement.
He said a report from the advisory council, which will include recommendations, is expected to be released soon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.