Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway

Licensed RCIC guidance on the Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway in 2026: current status, thresholds, and the staged work-permit-first process.

Written and reviewed by Usman Khalil, RCIC (R709592), a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Last reviewed: August 28, 2026.

The Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway, part of the Business Investor Stream, is for experienced owners and senior managers who want to establish or buy a business in Manitoba. This page explains the current status, the thresholds, and the staged process, reviewed by a licensed RCIC.

Current status: Manitoba still accepts and reviews expressions of interest, but the province has stated that expression of interest draws are not currently being conducted, and it is running an interim paper based process. Eligible candidates can submit an EOI by email under Manitoba’s current interim process. MPNP reviews the EOI and may issue a Letter of Advice to Apply if it meets program requirements, or a feedback letter if it is unsatisfactory.

1. What the Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway is

The Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway, part of the Business Investor Stream, is for experienced owners and senior managers who want to establish or buy a business in Manitoba and eventually be considered for a provincial nomination. Manitoba currently uses a paper-based interim process for the Entrepreneur Pathway while technical changes to MPNP Online are completed. EOI draws for the Business Investor Stream are not currently being conducted. Under the interim process, eligible candidates can submit an EOI by email with the required Manitoba forms, and MPNP then determines whether to issue a Letter of Advice to Apply or a feedback letter.

2. Eligibility at a glance

The eligibility factors remain defined. The province looks for a minimum personal net worth of $500,000, verified by a designated accounting firm, and a minimum investment of $250,000 for a business in the Winnipeg metropolitan area, or $150,000 outside it, with at least one job created or maintained. Applicants generally need three years of full-time business experience in the last five years as an active owner with at least a one-third stake or as a senior manager, language ability of at least CLB 5, and Manitoba education equivalency. An exploratory visit is recommended rather than mandatory.

3. The staged process: work permit first

The current process starts with self-assessment and business research, followed by submission of the EOI under Manitoba’s interim process. If MPNP issues a Letter of Advice to Apply, the candidate can submit the complete application. If the application is approved, a Business Performance Agreement is signed before Manitoba issues a work-permit support letter. The applicant then establishes and operates the business in Manitoba and must satisfy the agreement before a nomination can be considered.

EOI documents to prepare: Under Manitoba’s current interim process, an applicant submits the Business Concept Form, Self-Assessment Form and MPNP Code of Conduct with the emailed EOI. These are separate from the later complete application, for which Manitoba states the CAD $2,500 processing fee applies after a Letter of Advice to Apply. Always confirm the current documents and instructions on Manitoba’s official application page before filing.

4. Source of funds and net worth verification

Source-of-funds documentation, net-worth verification and the business concept are material parts of the Entrepreneur Pathway process. They should be prepared against Manitoba’s current eligibility, EOI and application requirements. For MAK’s evidence framework, see our source-of-funds guide and business-plan guide.

5. How MAK helps

We can review whether the profile fits the current Entrepreneur Pathway requirements and help organize the financial and business documentation required for the current interim process.

For a broader overview of MAK’s Canadian entrepreneur and business immigration service, see our Canadian business immigration overview.

Professional fees, in two stages. Stage 1 is a flat $4,000 CAD: we assess your eligibility, build the professional business plan, open your secure client intake at secure.makimmigration.ca and prepare and submit your EOI under the current paper-based process. Stage 2 is $25,000 CAD, payable only after your Letter of Advice to Apply, and covers the full application through the work permit and nomination stages. See the professional fees table.

Frequently Asked Questions