After Ottawa reinstated the NWT’s 300-person cap for a key immigration program, a fresh intake of applications will begin on Monday, November 10.
In a news release, the territorial government said eligibility criteria for applicants and employers have changed “to fill the remaining nomination spots in a timely manner.” There are 103 places still available.
The key differences in eligibility criteria are:
- there’s no limit now on the number of applications an employer can submit;
- you can apply regardless of when your work permit expires; and
- you once again need “at least one year of full-time work experience within the last 10 years in the same or a similar occupation as the one for which they are being nominated,” a requirement that used to exist but was more recently dropped.
Those criteria will be in place for the remainder of this calendar year at least, the GNWT stated.
The window for applications will open at 9am on November 10 and run until 5pm on November 24.
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“Applications received in excess of 103 or applications that cannot be finalized by December 23, 2025 will be withdrawn. Withdrawn applicants will be invited to reapply in 2026,” the GNWT stated.
“Applications will be assessed on a priority basis, first by work permits expiring within the next three months and then by date received.”
The NWT’s minister responsible for immigration, Caitlin Cleveland, said the 103 extra places now available this year were important for the territory.
“With the full 300 nomination spots restored for 2025, newcomers who have chosen to live and work in NWT communities will have a clearer path to staying, contributing, and building their lives here,” Cleveland was quoted as saying in Wednesday’s news release.
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“More spots in the NWT Nominee Program also mean more opportunities for small and remote communities to grow their populations and sustainably strengthen their local economies.
“A strong, inclusive North depends on people, and this is another important step toward building that future.”
The GNWT said “work is under way” to update the program for 2026 and beyond.
On Tuesday, the NWT’s premier and finance minister said the impact on the territory of immigration measures contained in the federal budget – which proposes to significantly reduce the nationwide intake for some streams – was not yet clear.
