International workers urge Manitoba to negotiate work permit extension again

International students rallied at the Manitoba legislature, calling for the province to once again negotiate work permit extensions.

Dozens of international students and workers gathered outside the Manitoba Legislature Tuesday, pressing the province to negotiate a renewal of a temporary federal policy that extended expiring work permits.

Last April, it was announced that candidates under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program whose work permits expired in 2024 or 2025 could apply for a two-year, Manitoba-specific extension. The policy targeted workers already employed in the province who are pursuing permanent residency.

At the time, Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino—who advocated for the federal extension—said the move would help workers and families continue to build their lives in Manitoba, adding that it was “good news for our economy, businesses and communities.”

Demonstrators claim roughly 6,000 permits are set to lapse this year and are urging the province to negotiate a renewal of the policy, saying they’re growing increasingly anxious as they await a response.

“We just wanted (people) to know we are suffering,” said Harpreet Sandhu, who said he’s worked in the country for four years. “We need the extension as soon as possible.”

Sandhu said being forced to leave would mean starting over from scratch—financially and professionally.

“I spend my peak years in Canada. I work so hard. I start from zero,” he said. “And now our work permits are expiring, and that’s why we are here.”

He added that he worries a failure to renew the policy could fracture families across the province, but said he remains cautiously hopeful.

“We are a bit positive… because Manitoba always supports immigrants,” Sandhu said.

Lei Chin, another demonstrator, described the situation as both frustrating and psychologically draining.

“We’re working every day. But on top of that, we have to consider our status here in the country—that gives a lot of psychological burden as well,” he said. “Worst-case scenario is that if it doesn’t get extended and if we are not getting any provincial nominations before our work permits expire, we may have to leave the country and stop working.”

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, workers whose permits lapse without a prior extension application have 90 days to apply to restore their status. If workers miss that window—or have the request denied—then they will be required to leave the country.

When asked whether the temporary policy would be renewed, a spokesperson for Marcelino said the minister is currently in Ottawa advocating for workers that Manitoba businesses need.

“Immigration has always made Manitoba a stronger and more prosperous community. People with temporary work permits are vital to growing our economy, supporting our small businesses and helps our economy,” the statement read.

However, the decision to extend the policy is at the hands of the federal government, the spokesperson said.

According to the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics, as of April 1, 2025, roughly 45,500 people in the province held only a work permit—just over 55 per cent of all non-permanent residents.

“If this policy can be extended and granted, we will continue working and contributing to the local communities and to the province,” Chin said.