Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP): 2026 Guide

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) is delivered by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The GNWT recruits, assesses and nominates people who can become economically established and settle in the NWT. IRCC sets the yearly allocation, decides admissibility and grants permanent residence. The Employer-Driven and Francophone streams are run by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and the Business Stream by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

To use the program you need either a valid, full-time, permanent job offer from an NWT employer, or a plan to open, buy or invest in a business in the NWT. You can apply to only one NTNP stream at a time.

2026 nominations, after IRCC added 103 (announced August 7, 2026)

300

Employer-Driven EOI draws in 2026

4

Invitations issued in those 4 draws

353

Range of EOI scores invited in 2026

317–597

1. November 19, 2025

   The 2025 intake closes; enough applications to fill the 2025 cap of 300

2. February 18, 2026

   The GNWT announces a 2026 allocation of 197 and a new EOI system

3. March 9, 2026

   Employer-Driven and Francophone streams open; new Employer-Driven guidelines take effect

4. March 25, 2026

   First Employer-Driven EOI draw

5. August 7, 2026

   The GNWT announces IRCC raised the allocation by 103 to 300 and adds an August 26 draw

6. September 25, 2026

   Fourth and last draw of 2026

7. Early 2027

   Next draw; the date is to be confirmed in late 2026

The Employer-Driven Stream has three categories that depend on the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) category of the job in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The Francophone and Business streams run separately.

Skilled Worker: for jobs that need formal education, specialized training or both. You must have the certification the job needs, meet any NWT licensing rules, and have 1 year of full-time experience within the last 10 years in the same or a similar occupation, at an equal or higher TEER level. You need a valid work permit. Your settlement funds are shown through the job offer and wage.

NWT Express Entry: the Skilled Worker rules, plus acceptance into IRCC's Express Entry pool, an Express Entry profile number and a valid job seeker validation code, which you must keep valid throughout. A nomination adds 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. You still need an IRCC invitation in a draw.

Entry Level/Semi-Skilled Occupations: for TEER 4 and 5 jobs the employer cannot fill locally or nationally. You need 12 months of full-time work in the same position with the nominating employer immediately before applying, a valid work permit, CLB 4, and settlement funds of $10,000 plus $2,000 for each accompanying dependant, shown by 3 months of stamped Canadian bank statements. In cases of mistreatment or abuse, the program may approve transferring past NWT experience to a new employer.

Francophone Stream: for bilingual workers with an NWT job offer in any TEER category. You need two tests, one in French and one in English, at least a high school education, and the same settlement funds as the Entry Level category. Applicants in this stream cannot be nominated through Express Entry. Applications are assessed in the order received, with priority to work permits that expire soon.

Business Stream: for entrepreneurs who will start, buy, or invest in and operate a business in the NWT. Key requirements include an equity investment of at least $200,000 in Yellowknife or $100,000 outside Yellowknife, a personal net worth of at least $500,000 or $250,000 respectively, ownership of at least 33.3% (unless you invest at least $1,000,000), CLB 4 in English or the equivalent in French on the IELTS, CELPIP or TEF, an exploratory visit with an interview, and a 2-year Business Performance Agreement before nomination. The program says decisions are final with no appeal. See the territory's current criteria before you apply.

Both the employer and the nominee applicant must meet every rule, and all documents must stay valid during the assessment. The rules below come from the Employer-Driven Stream guidelines in effect since March 9, 2026.

• EmployerA registered business, or a local, municipal, Indigenous or territorial government, with an NWT office operating year-round, registered and operating full time in the NWT for at least 1 year, in good standing with the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) and the Employment Standards Act or a collective agreement
• The jobPermanent, non-seasonal, full-time (at least 30 hours a week), performed in the NWT, with a written contract and a job description that matches the NOC code
• LMIA or advertisingA positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or local and national job ads: 14 consecutive days on each platform for Skilled Worker and Express Entry jobs, 30 consecutive days for Entry Level jobs. Ads are valid for 18 months.
• WageAt least the NWT median wage on Job Bank for the occupation (or Yukon, Alberta or Canada if no NWT figure exists), and never below the NWT minimum wage
• Language testIELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF or TCF Canada, all scores in one sitting, less than 2 years old
• EducationAn Educational Credential Assessment from an IRCC-designated organization for studies completed outside Canada, valid for 5 years
• StatusA valid work permit, or proof of maintained status, for the whole process if you are in Canada

For the Employer-Driven Stream, the employer registers in the NTNP online portal (free) and the nominee applicant completes the EOI survey. The GNWT emails both the score within 5 business days. Profiles are ranked by score, and employers of the highest-ranked candidates are invited in scheduled draws. Points are given for:

• Human capital: language, age, work experience and education.
• Connections to the NWT labour market: your level of employment in the NWT, how long you have worked there, a job offer in a skilled trade on the NWT list, a closed work permit in the NWT, and work in a small community.
• Adaptability: immediate family in the NWT and completed post-secondary education in the NWT.

An EOI stays in the pool for 12 months from submission, then expires; you are notified before it is withdrawn and can submit a new one. You can have only one active EOI. To change anything, email the program to withdraw your profile and submit a new one. Before inviting you, the NTNP may ask for documents that prove your answers.

The Francophone and Business streams do not use the EOI system. The GNWT says they are not oversubscribed, so it assesses their applications first come, first served.

1. 1

   1. Get a qualifying job offer

   A permanent, full-time NWT job from an eligible employer, with a positive LMIA or the required advertising.

2. 2

   2. Employer registers

   The employer creates a separate user ID for each nominee applicant in the online portal and selects the category.

3. 3

   3. Complete the EOI survey

   Using the employer's login, you complete the survey. Your score arrives by email within 5 business days.

4. 4

   4. Invitation in a draw

   If you rank high enough, your employer is invited and has 30 calendar days to submit the full online application, or the EOI expires.

5. 5

   5. Screening and assessment

   If documents are missing at pre-screening, you get 2 business days to provide them. Requests during assessment have a 14-day deadline. The service standard is 12 weeks for a complete application.

6. 6

   6. Nomination and agreement

   If approved, you receive a nomination certificate by email, and you and your employer sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the GNWT.

7. 7

   7. Work permit if needed

   Nominees can get a support letter for an LMIA-exempt, employer-specific work permit. The employer first submits an offer in IRCC's Employer Portal and pays the employer compliance fee.

8. 8

   8. Apply to IRCC within 6 months

   The nomination is valid for 6 months and can be used once. Express Entry nominees need an IRCC invitation first. If IRCC refuses the application, the nomination is revoked.

The NTNP aims to assess complete applications within 12 weeks, but times grow with volume. IRCC's processing times for the federal stage are shown below, from IRCC's processing times tool.

The Francophone Stream guidelines allow a written appeal within 15 calendar days of the denial letter. It is decided only on the original documents, and appeals about eligibility criteria are not considered. Business Stream decisions are final.

No NTNP stream is closed. What has ended is the old intake model for the Employer-Driven and Francophone streams.

• Apply for permanent residence as soon as possible, within the 6-month validity of the nomination. Extensions are considered case by case.
• Keep meeting the program rules until IRCC decides. The employer must report changes such as termination, lay-off, promotion or demotion, extended leave, closure or change of ownership.
• An employer that breaks the Memorandum of Understanding can be barred from nominating for up to 3 years.