Immigration to the city of Morden

MordenMorden’s Community Driven Immigration Initiative

If you do not fully meet the criteria of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, you can try to immigrate to Canada through the Morden’s Community Driven Immigration Initiative.

Photo: The Morden Corn and Apple Festival by Shahnoor Habib Munmun / Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0

If the applicant cannot apply for participation in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) because he does not meet certain requirements (for instance, if he has no friend or family member in Manitoba), he may try to immigrate through the Morden’s Community Driven Immigration Initiative (MCDII). This is a support program for those who want to immigrate to Manitoba through the MPNP and receive permanent residence in Morden.

Morden is situated in the province of Manitoba, 112 km south-west of Winnipeg. The population of the city is about 9,000 inhabitants. The local unemployment rate is around 3%. Morden attracts immigrants from Latin America, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, the USA, and the UK. Immigrants represent more than 50 ethnic groups.

Each year, Morden’s authorities select around 50 families for immigration support — about 5% of applications.

Requirements

To immigrate through the MCDII, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

  • Be between the ages of 21 and 45
  • Have no other connection to other parts of Canada (for instance, through friends, relatives, previous employment or education)
  • Have completed at least a one-year post-secondary education program resulting in a diploma, certificate or degree
  • Have a minimum of 2 years of full-time work experience in the last 5 years
  • Provide IELTS results with a minimum score of 7 in each band (or 5 for welders and carpenters)
  • Have settlement funds as required by MPNP
  • Have a federal Express Entry profile (welders and carpenters are not required to have an Express Entry profile)

Applicants who meet the criteria and have been approved by the program representatives will need to make an exploratory visit to the region in order to attend an interview conducted by an immigration officer, establish local contacts and find a job. If the MPNP immigration officer decides after the interview that you are eligible for the MCDII and MPNP, you will receive an invitation to apply for MPNP. You can apply online after the exploratory visit.

Categories and Occupations of Applicants

The Morden’s initiative involves local employers to identify in-demand occupations and meet the needs of the local labour market.

Preference will be given to applicants with recent experience in one of the following occupations:

  • Carpenters
  • Cooks
  • Plumbers or pipefitters
  • Welders

Businessmen and investors can also immigrate to Morden.

Find out about other MPNP streams in the article “Immigration to Manitoba“.