Northwest Territories Nominee Program

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NWT NP) is an immigration program operated by the Government of the Northwest Territories (NWT) through an agreement with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). It allows qualified individuals, business owners and self-employed professionals to obtain permanent residency in a shorter time than the regular process.

Northwest Territories Nominee Program Skilled Worker

The Skilled Worker Category is an employer driven process intended for skilled occupations for which formal education and/or specialized training is required.

For this Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NWT NP):

The Employer must:

  • Have a job vacancy
  • Identify a potential nominee
  • Be a registered business, industry association or a local, municipal, First Nation or territorial government in the NWT that has been registered and operational for a minimum of one year
  • Be in good standing with the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut and the Employment Standards office
  • Provide proof of local and national recruitment efforts and submit a summary of results
  • Submit a copy of a Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) Labour Market Opinion (LMO) if already obtained; and/or must complete Section 1.C of the Skilled Worker Application Form

The Nominee must:

  • Have the required certification or accreditation for the specific trade or occupation
  • If applicable, meet territorial certification, licensing or registration requirements of the job (for non-regulated occupations, the employer is responsible for ensuring that the nominee meets occupational standards)
  • Have the required work experience for the specific occupation
  • Provide proof of sufficient financial or settlement supports in the NWT
  • Be able to communicate in either English or French, depending on the official language of the work place
  • Not be a refugee claimant

Northwest Territories Nominee Program Critical Impact Worker

The program is intended to assist NWT employers with critical labour shortages that cannot be filled by local residents.

There are two distinct components to this Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NWT NP):

The Employer must:

  • Have a job vacancy
  • Identify a potential nominee
  • Be a registered business, industry association or a local, municipal, First Nation or territorial government in the NWT that has been registered and operational for a minimum of one year
  • Be in good standing with the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) of the NWT and Nunavut and the Employment Standards office
  • Provide proof of local and national recruitment efforts and submit a summary of results
  • Submit a copy of a Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) Labour Market Opinion (LMO) if already obtained; and/or must complete Section 1.C of the Skilled Worker Application Form

The Nominee must:

  • Have a temporary work permit and have worked in the same position for six months
  • Provide proof of sufficient financial or settlement supports in the NWT
  • Have the required work experience for the specific occupation
  • Be able to conduct basic communications in either English or French, depending on the official language of the work place
  • Make arrangements for language testing by a CIC designated agency
  • Not be a refugee claimant

Northwest Territories Nominee Program Entrepreneur Business

This category of the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NWT NP) will be of interest to entrepreneurs and/or owner/operators of businesses who want to immigrate to the NWT and establish business operations in the NWT. All economic sectors are eligible for this program.

The applicant must:

  • Invest:
    • A minimum of CAD $300,000 equity into starting or buying a business within the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, NWT
    • A minimum of CAD $150,000 equity into starting or buying a business outside of the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, NWT
  • Have a personal net worth of:
    • At least CAD $500,000 if starting or buying a business within the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, NWT
    • At least CAD $250,000 if starting or buying a business outside the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, NWT
  • Have an additional CAD $75,000 kept in a trust account and released upon completion of a Performance Agreement based on a business proposal
  • Demonstrate a reasonable knowledge and understanding of the NWT and its economy
  • Be able to demonstrate reasonable communication skills appropriate to the NWT
  • Have the necessary experience and education to successfully implement the business plan

Northwest Territories Nominee Program Self-Employed Business

The self-employed category of the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NWT NP) is designed to attract professionals who can provide a service that is in demand in the NWT, by establishing business outlets or professional practices. This category applies only to self-employed professionals.

The applicant must:

  • Have a profession that is identified as a professional skill shortage
  • Satisfy any certification or accreditation requirements for the particular profession or occupation
  • For regulated occupations, the nominee must meet all NWT regulatory authority requirements; if no regulatory authority exists within the NWT, then the Canadian licensing body will be consulted
  • Demonstrate reasonable communication skills appropriate to the NWT
  • Demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of the NWT and its economy
  • Demonstrate access to sufficient financial resources to start and operate the professional
  • practice and to support themselves and any dependents for a period of six months
  • Submit a detailed business plan for the business or practice

Please Contact Us for more information on these programs.

Global Immigration Consulting Services