Manitoba issued 793 Letters of Advice to Apply on September 10, 2026, including 508 to Manitoba-educated graduates at a record cutoff of 825 and 233 to health occupations.
On September 10, 2026, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued 793 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) in Expression of Interest Draw #279 — its largest round since late July. Buried in that number is a record: the selection for candidates who studied in Manitoba cut off at 825 points, the highest minimum score the province has published in any 2026 round.
Draw #279 combined four separate selections across two MPNP streams:
| Selection | LAAs issued | Minimum ranking score |
|---|
| Skilled Worker in Manitoba — completed post-secondary study in Manitoba | 508 | 825 |
| Skilled Worker in Manitoba — health occupations | 233 | Not published |
| Skilled Worker Stream — strategic recruitment initiatives | 41 | Not published |
| Skilled Worker in Manitoba — Francophone selection | 11 | Not published |
| Total | 793 | |
Of the 793 candidates invited, 272 — roughly a third — declared a valid Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code, meaning a Manitoba nomination adds 600 points to their federal CRS score and effectively guarantees an invitation in a subsequent Express Entry round. This was the 18th MPNP selection round of 2026, bringing the province's yearly total to 6,409 LAAs.
The largest selection — 508 LAAs — went to candidates who declared that they, or their spouse, completed a post-secondary program in Manitoba. Its minimum ranking score of 825 is well above anything Manitoba has published this year:
| Draw | Date | Graduate/top-scoring cutoff |
|---|
| #276 | July 30, 2026 | 632 |
| #278 | August 27, 2026 | 731 |
| #279 | September 10, 2026 | 825 |
The jump doesn't mean Manitoba suddenly tightened its rules for everyone — it means this particular selection reached only the very top of an already narrow pool of Manitoba graduates. Candidates invited under this selection must be able to produce a diploma and transcript proving they, or their spouse, actually completed the program. Manitoba's guidance is blunt: if you declared Manitoba study but can't document it, you may be better off declining the LAA than risking a refused application.
A second selection issued 233 LAAs to candidates currently employed in Manitoba in Broad Occupational Category 3 — health occupations, with no minimum score published; every qualifying profile in the category was invited. That's a notably wide net — Broad Category 3 spans physicians, dentists, and veterinarians through nursing and allied health professionals, technical health occupations, and support roles like nurse aides and orderlies. The previous round, Draw #278, had instead named two specific health-adjacent occupations rather than an entire broad category.
If you completed post-secondary study in Manitoba (or your spouse did) and have a strong ranking score: 825 is now the number to beat if you're relying on this selection path. A Manitoba credential still helps, but a borderline score is a much riskier bet than it was in July, when the same selection cleared at 632. Check that your EOI profile accurately reflects your (or your spouse's) Manitoba education credential, and have your diploma and transcript ready to submit if invited.
If you work in a health occupation in Manitoba: this was one of the broadest health-sector selections of the year, with no published score cutoff. If your EOI profile correctly lists your current Manitoba employment under a health occupation and you weren't invited, double-check that your occupation and employment details are entered correctly — see our NOC codes explained guide.
If you have an Express Entry profile: a Manitoba nomination adds 600 CRS points, all but guaranteeing your next federal ITA. Check where you'd land with our CRS Calculator.
Tip
Manitoba has settled into a two-week Thursday rhythm, alternating between large occupation- or credential-specific rounds (600+ LAAs) and narrow strategic-recruitment rounds (under 100). If a recent round didn't match your profile, the next one — roughly two weeks out — may target a completely different group. Keep your EOI current rather than reading too much into any single draw.
Manitoba flags two common reasons eligible candidates get passed over: declaring an approved third-party language test without providing a valid test number (or letting the result lapse), or declaring a strategic-recruitment invitation without a valid invitation number. Both are fixable — update your EOI with the correct information and you're eligible for the next round. Candidates in regulated occupations should also confirm they're actually working in — and fully licensed for — the regulated role they declared, since Manitoba can refuse full applications where that isn't the case.
Draw #278 on August 27 (741 LAAs) leaned heavily on trades and transportation occupations; Draw #279 shifted the weight to Manitoba graduates and health occupations, together accounting for 741 of the 793 invitations. That alternation — large, targeted rounds built around a different occupation or credential group each time — has been the pattern all summer, so don't assume the next round will look like this one. Manitoba's Business Investor Stream draws remain suspended; EOIs submitted under that stream are reviewed individually within four weeks instead.
See where you stand: PNP Guide — All Provinces | CRS Calculator | NOC Codes Explained | Manitoba Draw August 27 (#278)
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration advice. Always verify information with official IRCC sources and consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your situation.