Manitoba to further strengthen relationship with Philippines

Earlier this week, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger and Rosalinda Baldoz, Secretary of the Philippines Department of Labour and Employment, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to extend an existing partnership that connects Filipino workers with employment opportunities in Manitoba. This partnership also makes the immigration process more efficient and helps prepare Filipino workers for a new life in Manitoba.

"Our governments have worked together over the past two and a half years to make it easier and safer for skilled Filipino workers to find jobs and settle in Manitoba and we look forward to continuing this important partnership," said Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger. "We also want to find opportunities and activities to give back to the Philippines including in the areas of health and education."

The partnership provides a framework consistent with labour laws in the Philippines and Manitoba's Worker Recruitment and Protection Act for the ethical and effective recruitment and migration of temporary foreign workers. Applications will be processed more quickly and training opportunities will be provided in the Philippines to meet the requirements and standards for entry into Manitoba occupations.

The first initiative under the original partnership saw the recruitment of registered nurses from the Philippines by regional health authorities in Manitoba. This is a good example of the success of this partnership because 122 nurses came to Manitoba and are currently living and working in their new communities and, so far, 119 have passed the Canadian registered nursing exam. A total of 97 nurses applied under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program to become Canadian permanent residents and all of them have been accepted.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger made mention that the nurses are integrating well into their new communities and he expects an equal amount of success with similar recruitment efforts in the future.

In 2009, Manitoba's ever-growing Filipino population represented 32 per cent of the province's total immigration.