Skilled trade workers hold protest regarding work permit holders in Manitoba

Skilled trade workers in Winnipeg staged a protest at the legislature, to voice their grievances against perceived injustices endured by skilled workers and post-graduate work permit holders in Manitoba.

Protesters say since the new government assumed office, there has been a cessation of the draws specific to National Occupational Classification, saying it has resulted in processing times doubling from 6 to 12 months, leaving many skilled workers and permit holders in a state of uncertainty and distress.

“We haven’t had any general draw for skilled workers or NOC specific draws since this government came into power,” said Syadin Joshi, protest organizer.

“Those who have close relatives here, this government was trying all of those people, and it’s not appropriate to judge someone’s intention to live in Manitoba just on the basis that they have relatives here.”

Protesters have four demands. They include resuming the NOC-specific draws, prioritizing in-demand jobs and other streams, reducing processing times for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program applications to three to four months, and to implement special draws for individuals awaiting their draws for over two years.

“We are trying to set up an intermediary to the minister so we can communicate efficiently and effectively, and we can convey all the demands and requests to the minister,” said Joshi.

Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux attended the protest and says there are actions that the federal and provincial governments could take to get this fixed.

“The federal government needs to look at ways of how they can help the province in preventing people who have working visas that are expiring, that are going to be receiving a nomination certificate so that the working visas can be extended or new pilot project working visas can be given so they don’t have to leave the country,” explained Lamoureux.

The Minister of Labour and Immigration Malaya Marcelino says in a statement, “Budget 2024 will significantly increase the number of staff in the immigration division who can process Manitoba Provincial Nominee applications. Our government is exploring every available option to ensure that people who hold post-graduate work permits have every opportunity to stay in Manitoba after the recent announcement by the federal government that their permits would not be extended any further.”