Manitoba issued 191 invitations in its latest draw for immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence.

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) invited skilled workers and international graduates through three immigration streams:

• Skilled Workers in Manitoba,
• International Education Stream,
• Skilled Workers Overseas.

The invitations, also known as Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs), were distributed as follows along with their respective Expression of Interest (EOI) score requirement:

• Skilled Workers in Manitoba— 152 LAAs with a minimum score of at least 528;
• Skilled Workers Overseas— 14 LAAs with a minimum score of at least 611; and
• International Education Stream— 25 LAAs, no EOI score requirement.

The October 8 draw brings the total number of LAAs issued so far this year up to 3,671.

This is Manitoba’s 100th draw since the program began in 2014.

1. Give The ‘Why’

No one likes just being told what to do (OK, maybe some people enjoy that, but most employees don’t). Instead of bossing around, try giving the full picture. Explain why the change ahead is important. Explain what exactly the new technology will help with. How will it impact your overall efficiency? How will technology changes affect other parts of the processes?

2. Be Transparent Open communication is everything.

Give your employees an overview of the process and what specific changes will be made. Have a meeting that provides a clear outline of what they can expect. If employees are already feeling anxious or overwhelmed, surprises or unexpected changes will only add to their stress. Be as transparent as possible with your team members throughout the change process.

3. Provide A Timeline

If you have a timeline or road map for the technology changes you’re making, share that with your team. There’s going to be a learning curve for everyone, and it will be steeper for some than for others. As a leader, you can’t expect everyone to learn this new skill or new technology at the same pace. If you are able to, provide time for the new process to be implemented in a transition phase where the old process can still be used if they get stuck.