Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program – International Education Stream: International Student Entrepreneur Pilot (ISEP)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa/Program Name	International Student Entrepreneur Pilot (ISEP)
Stay	Leads to Permanent Resident nomination
Cost	CAD $2,500 non-refundable application fee
Eligibility Timing	Ages 21 to 35 years old
Work Rights	Requires valid open work permit
Study	2-year full-time Manitoba post-secondary
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel Facility	Not stated in the source
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family Sponsorship	Not stated in the source
Visa Record	Certificate of Nomination from MPNP
Language Minimum	CLB/NCLC 7 minimum
Business Ownership	Minimum 51% equity ownership
Operating Requirement	6 months minimum before nomination
Financial Requirement	12 months LICO settlement funds

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Purpose

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) International Student Entrepreneur Pilot (ISEP) provides international student graduates from Manitoba post-secondary institutions an immigration pathway to establish and operate a commercial business in Manitoba and receive a provincial nomination for permanent residence.

Eligibility Criteria

Criterion	Requirement
Age	21 to 35 years old.
Education	Completed a full-time post-secondary program in Manitoba of at least 2 years in duration. Studies or work outside Canada are beneficial but not mandatory.
Language	Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) / NCLC level 7.
Business Experience & Ownership	Submit a detailed business plan; hold at least 51% ownership of the business equity; and actively manage day-to-day operations in Manitoba as a senior manager for at least 6 months prior to nomination.
Adaptability & Residence	Hold a valid open work permit at application; continuously reside in Manitoba since graduation; and intend to reside in Manitoba post-nomination.
Settlement Funds & Net Worth	No minimum net worth threshold or deposit required. Must demonstrate liquid funds meeting 12-month Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) requirements. Net worth and source of funds are evaluated for execution capability.
Business Agreement	Sign an ISEP Business Performance Agreement (ISEP-BPA) before receiving approval-in-principle.

Ineligible Applicants

You cannot apply to the MPNP if you are:

• A refugee claimant or involved in a federal appeal or removal process.
• A live-in caregiver currently living in Canada.
• A temporary foreign worker working and living in another Canadian province.
• A spouse of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• Refused by the MPNP within the last 6 months without resolving the refusal reasons.
• A holder of an active immigration application with any other Canadian provincial or federal immigration program (an Express Entry profile is not considered an application).
• An individual (or spouse of an individual) with an active MPNP application in another stream or pathway.

Application Process

Step 1: Self-Assessment ➔ Step 2: Research & Info Session ➔ Step 3: Expression of Interest ➔ Step 4: Full Application ➔ Step 5: Application Assessment ➔ Step 6: Operate Business ➔ Step 7: Nomination

1. Self-Assessment: Complete the Interest Guideline Form. You may submit a concept before graduation if you have completed at least 1 year of a 2-year program, but approval-in-principle requires graduation.
2. Explore and Research: Research the Manitoba market and attend a mandatory ISEP information session (register via immigratemanitoba@gov.mb.ca or MPNP-BusinessStream@gov.mb.ca).
3. Submit Expression of Interest (EOI): Email the Business Concept Form, Interest Guideline Form, and Representative Code of Conduct (if applicable).
   • If screened successfully, attend a mandatory in-person interview. If approved, receive a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA) and a Business Concept Code (BCC).
   • If rejected, you must wait at least 2 months from the feedback email before submitting a new Business Concept.
4. Submit Full Application: Submit the complete application within the timeframe specified in the LAA (90 to 120 days depending on verification instructions).
   • Pay the CAD $2,500 non-refundable application fee.
   • Submit provincial and federal forms electronically by email. Hard copies of supporting documents may be submitted by mail or in person.
5. Application Assessment: MPNP assesses the file (may include another interview). Address any Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) by the stated deadline. If approved, sign the ISEP-BPA to receive an Approval in Principle letter.
6. Operate the Business: Fulfill all terms of the ISEP-BPA and actively manage the business for a minimum of 6 months. Provide regular progress reports to MPNP officers.
7. Nomination: Upon verification of ISEP-BPA compliance, MPNP issues a Certificate of Nomination and instructions to apply for Permanent Residence with IRCC.

Required Documents and Business Plan

General Document Checklist

• MPNP Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA).
• Completed provincial and federal forms.
• Evidence of 12-month LICO settlement funds and Schedule 4A supporting records (2 years of bank statements, credit reports, fixed deposits, property titles/valuations, pension/insurance surrender certificates, stock statements, loan statements).
• Third-party net worth verification report issued by an MPNP-designated provider (if requested in the LAA).

Business Plan Requirements

The business plan must include:

• Executive Summary & Business Profile: Name, mission, products/services, legal structure, org chart, management profiles, role of applicant (active, daily senior management), business processes, and local economic impact over 3 years.
• Market Profile: Market conditions, marketing strategy, major competitors, and 3-year sales/market forecasts supported by independent source data.
• Resource Requirements: Premises/location, equipment/tools, suppliers, distribution channels, professional advisors, human resources, and employee continuity plan.
• Risk & Timeline: Critical regulatory/environmental/zoning risks, mitigation strategies, and chronological implementation milestones.
• Mandatory Appendices:
  • Appendix A: Breakdown of initial business investment and startup costs.
  • Appendix B: Breakeven analysis.
  • Appendix C: 3-year Pro Forma financial forecasts with notes of assumptions.
  • Appendix D (Existing/Franchise Acquisitions only): 2 years of CPA-signed financial statements, 2 years of business Notices of Assessment (NOA), or franchise agreements.

Program Warnings and Conditions

• Incomplete Applications: Returned incomplete applications are cancelled, requiring the applicant to restart from Step 1.
• BPA Breach: Failing to meet the terms, conditions, or reporting timelines in the ISEP-BPA will result in cancellation of the agreement and refusal of the provincial nomination application.