Manitoba Graduate Internship Pathway: PNP for Master's and PhD Graduates

Manitoba's International Education Stream was created to keep international graduates in the province. After June 11, 2026, when Manitoba closed the Career Employment Pathway, the Graduate Internship Pathway became the main graduate-specific route left in that stream for people seeking jobs rather than starting businesses.

It targets a narrow group: people who earn a master's or doctoral degree at a Manitoba institution and complete a Mitacs internship as part of their graduate studies. Manitoba values these graduates because their internships connect them with Manitoba employers and research partners.

If Manitoba nominates you, you then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR). IRCC makes the final decision after medical, security, and criminality checks. See our PNP overview and our Manitoba guide for context.

The MPNP sets the exact rules and can change them. The core requirements are:

• A completed master's or doctoral degree from an eligible Manitoba post-secondary institution.
• A completed Mitacs internship during your graduate program.
• An approved language test at the level the MPNP sets for this pathway. See language tests for Canada.
• A plan to live and work in Manitoba, backed by your ties to the province.
• Legal status in Canada if you are applying from inside Canada, for example a Post-Graduation Work Permit.

Historically, this pathway has not required a job offer, because your Mitacs internship shows your link to Manitoba's economy. Confirm the current rule, the language minimum, and any time limits after graduation on immigratemanitoba.com before you create a profile.

A bachelor's degree does not qualify for this pathway. Bachelor's graduates now usually need six months of work in Manitoba and then apply under Skilled Worker in Manitoba.

Mitacs is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that funds research internships. It pairs graduate students with companies, non-profits, and other partner organizations so the student can work on a real research problem while completing their degree.

For the MPNP, a Mitacs internship is proof that you have already done applied work tied to Manitoba's economy. That is why it replaces the job offer or the long period of Manitoba work that other pathways demand.

If you are still in your program, talk to your supervisor and your graduate studies office about whether a Mitacs internship is possible. Plan it early. An internship finished after you graduate, or one that is not a Mitacs internship, may not count.

Like other MPNP streams, the Graduate Internship Pathway uses an Expression of Interest (EOI) system.

1. You create an EOI profile on the MPNP portal and select the International Education Stream.
2. The MPNP includes eligible candidates in its EOI draws. International Education Stream candidates are often invited in dedicated rounds.
3. If you are selected, you receive a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA). This is an invitation to send a full application by a set deadline. It is not a nomination.
4. You submit your application with proof of your degree, your Mitacs internship, your language test, and your identity and status documents, and you pay the MPNP fee.

The MPNP posts the results of each draw on its website. Manitoba ended email enquiries on March 2, 2026, so use the online webforms if you have questions.

Many graduates with a year of skilled Canadian work also qualify for the Canadian Experience Class. If you are in the Express Entry pool, an enhanced nomination usually gives you enough points to be invited. See Express Entry and the CRS calculator.

If you qualify for more than one route, compare timing. The route that gets you to PR before your PGWP ends is usually the best one.

Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children can be included in your MPNP application and your later PR application. List every family member, even those who will not come with you, because leaving someone off can cause problems later.

While you wait, family members may be able to hold their own work or study permits. Open work permits for spouses are now limited to certain cases, such as spouses of master's and doctoral students and of workers in some higher-skilled jobs. See the spousal open work permit page for the current rules.

Manitoba's settlement agencies offer free help to newcomers, including language classes and job search support. Once you are nominated, register for provincial health coverage as soon as you are eligible, and read our Manitoba guide for housing, health care, and cost of living.

• Do not wait until your permit is ending. Build in time for a draw, an application, nomination, and the federal PR process.
• Keep your status valid. Apply for a PGWP on time after graduation if you are eligible. See the PGWP guide and maintained status.
• Keep your language test current. Results expire, and an expired test at application time can sink your file.
• Declare every connection. Your Manitoba studies and internship count, and hiding ties to another province can be treated as misrepresentation.

If you have a refusal, a status gap, or another complication, talk to a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC). See how to verify a lawyer or consultant.