October 27, 2025
The Honourable Lena Diab
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Delivered electronically
Minister Diab,
Open Letter Re: Work permit for Provincial Nominees
We are writing to you to express growing concerns regarding the significant challenges for permanent resident applicants under the Provincial Nominee Program in renewing expiring work permits.
These challenges are creating significant hardships for skilled workers and their families, undermining their ability to contribute fully to the Canadian economy and society, as well as impacting multiple local employers including small businesses, non-profit organizations and government departments.
To illustrate the negative impacts, many of MP Gazan’s constituents in Winnipeg Centre have reached out for help, as they have submitted a permanent residence application to IRCC in late 2024 or early 2025 and have not yet even received an acknowledgement of receipt. Some have been waiting for the AoR for as long as 11 months.
The Acknowledgement of Receipt is a requirement in order to submit an application for a bridging open work permit, the type of work permit intended to allow PR applicants to continue working while their permanency residency applications are processed.
Some of MP Gazan’s constituents have been able to apply for employer-specific work permits with an LMIA exemption as provincial nominees (T13 exemption). However we are concerned that provincial nominees are increasingly being forced towards closed work permits, which leave them more vulnerable to exploitation by employers.
In addition, many employers – even those that have highly skilled and valued employees – will not support applicants in applying for this type of permit through registering on the employer compliance portal and paying fees. This leaves many applicants with no way of renewing their work permit while their PR is processed.
We have seen many constituents who face long interruptions to their ability to work, leading to financial, housing and food insecurity as well as significant stress and uncertainty. We note that other essential services including health care coverage and education are often tied to work permits, leaving many individuals, including children, who are on a path to permanent residency without access to necessary care and supports. This will have a long-term impact on the individuals and families that will eventually become our new permanent residents.
Such delays not only affect individual applicants but also impact local businesses and industries that depend on the skills and experience of their provincial nominee employees. The economic vitality of Winnipeg Centre and the broader Canadian economy alike depend on the efficient processing of these permits to ensure workforce stability and community integration.
MP Kwan has already brought some of these concerns to your attention in the pre-levels consultation. The impacts on workers who are Provincial Nominees, on our communities, and on our regional economies is clear and it is imperative that decisive action be taken to ensure that those who are eligible to apply for permanent residency as provincial nominees are able to maintain their ability to work while their PR applications are processed.
We were pleased to see the recent increase in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program allocation. We call on you to restore the Provincial Nominee Program levels plan numbers for all provinces and territories by at a minimum reversing the cuts made in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan; to work quickly to process the applications so that PNP applicants and their families are landed, and ensure that PNP applicants and their family members retain their work authorization through open work permits while their PR applications await processing.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We look forward to your prompt and considered response.
Leah Gazan
MP for Winnipeg Centre
[email protected]
Jenny Kwan
MP for Vancouver East
[email protected]