The Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway is one stream of the Manitoba Business Investor Stream of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of Manitoba. The Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway targets experienced business owners or senior managers with the intention to establish a new business in Manitoba.
After successfully operating a business in Manitoba for a period of time, candidates applying through the Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway will be invited to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence. Please note that this stream is replacing the MPNP-B pathway which previously enabled business owners and entrepreneurs to apply for immigration to Manitoba.
Please note that this program uses the MPNP Entrepreneur Ranking System to assess eligibility and select applicants. Simply meeting the minimum eligibility requirements may not be sufficient to receive a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA).
Below are the minimum eligibility requirements for the program:
All candidates for this program must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French consistent with Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5. Language tests must have been taken within the two years prior to applying to the program.
Candidates for this stream must have completed a minimum of Canadian high school education, or a foreign equivalent.
In order to qualify to submit an Expression of Interest for the Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway, a candidate must be able to prove they have the interest, ability, and financial resources to own and actively manage a Manitoba business. For this reason, the program requires a high level of business management experience as well as a significant financial net worth.
The applicant must have at least three (3) years of work experience as a business owner or senior business manager. This experience must have been obtained within the previous 5 years. The applicant will also have to maintain an active role with their proposed business.
This stream requires a significant net worth and investment on the part of the applicant. The applicant must have a minimum net worth of at least $500,000 CAD. The minimum investment amount varies depending on the location of the proposed business:
Candidates will be required to sign a Business Performance Agreement (BPA) explaining how they will establish and invest in the Manitoba business. The proposed business must meet certain criteria, including creating at least one employment opportunity for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
The Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway first requires interested candidates to submit an Expression of Interest to MPNP by emailing a self-assessment form along with a business concept form. It is encouraged for candidates to complete extensive research into their proposed Manitoba business, including through an in-person exploratory visit to Manitoba.
Eligible candidates are ranked against one another using the MPNP Entrepreneur Ranking System, and those with the most competitive profiles receive a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA), inviting them to submit an official application to MPNP. After receiving an LAA, candidates must submit a complete PNP application to Manitoba.
If the application is approved, Manitoba will email an approval letter, enabling the applicant to apply for a Canadian work permit and travel to Canada to launch their business. At this stage, the applicant must sign a Business Performance Agreement, outlining the terms of their business in Manitoba.
After successfully completing the terms of their Business Performance Agreement, an applicant will officially be nominated by the province of Manitoba, and will be invited to submit a federal application for permanent residence.
Candidates who submit Expressions of Interest to the MPNP Entrepreneur Pathway will be ranked against one another using the points-based MPNP Entrepreneur Ranking System. Only those candidates with the most competitive profiles will be selected. The ranking system is as follows: