The Northwest Territories Nominee Program application intake period will open at 9am MT on February 27, 2025 and close at 5pm MT on March 6, 2025. Eligible individuals can apply online on the Northwest Territories Nominee Program website.

Following the federal government’s reduction of the Northwest Territories’ nominee allotment last month, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has received feedback from residents, businesses and organizations. As a result, the GNWT is making changes to the 2025 application intake and the nominee program guidelines. The changes intend to balance the need to be responsive to those with expiring work permits, to recognize those who have committed significant time to their NWT employer, and to support the diverse needs of NWT employers.

The NWT’s nomination allocation for 2025 is 150. When the application intake reopens on February 27, 2025, 90 new applications will be accepted. This is because 60 applications were received in 2024 beyond the GNWT’s allocation for that year. These applications are being processed under the 2025 allocation.

The allotments for the 90 new applications are:
 

• 70 applications under the Employer-Driven Stream from Yellowknife employers
  • 35 applications under Entry Level/Semi-Skilled Occupations. Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria, including: have an expiring work permit in 2025 and have been working full-time in the NWT for their nominating employer in the same occupation for a minimum of 12 months immediately prior to applying.
  • 35 applications will be accepted for the Skilled Worker and NWT Express Entry categories combined for applicants who meet all eligibility criteria including:
    • have a full-time and permanent job offer with an NWT Employer, have 12 months of work experience in the nominating occupation and have an expiring work permit in 2025; OR
    • have been working full-time in the NWT for their nominating employer in the same occupation for a minimum of 18 months immediately prior to applying.
• 10 applications under the Employer-Driven Stream from employers in communities outside of Yellowknife:
  • 5 applications under Entry Level/Semi-Skilled Occupations category. Applicants who meet all eligibility criteria, including having an expiring work permit in 2025 and have been working full-time in the NWT for their nominating employer in the same occupation for a minimum of 12 months immediately prior to applying.
  • 5 applications under the Skilled Worker and NWT Express Entry categories combined. Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria, including:
    • have a full-time and permanent job offer with an NWT Employer, have one year of work experience in the nominating occupation and have an expiring work permit in 2025; OR
    • have been working full-time in the NWT for their nominating employer in the same occupation for a minimum of 18 months immediately prior to applying.
• 10 Francophone applications under the Francophone Stream or Employer-Driven Stream

For the 2025 intake, there will be a set number of applications an NWT employer can submit to the Employer Driven Stream based on the size of their business.

• Employers with 1-10 total NWT employees: 1 application. 
• Employers with 11-49 total NWT employees: 2 applications.
• Employers with 50+ total NWT employees: 4 applications.

Following the intake period and pre-screening of all applications submitted, 90 applications will be selected for assessment at random: not on a first-come first-served basis. Applicants will be notified by email if their applications have been selected for assessment or not. Selected applications will be assessed in the order of work permit expiry date.

The GNWT recognizes that not every interested or eligible applicant will be able to use the NTNP in 2025, an outcome that will be challenging and disappointing to some prospective applicants and businesses. The GNWT encourages NWT employers to consider other, federally-run immigration programs to address critical labour shortages. The GNWT will continue to advocate for a higher nominee allocation from the federal government.

Applicants are encouraged to review the new program guidelines and new application checklists and begin compiling required information and documentation before the program re-opens. If you have questions, please contact 1 (855) 440-5450 or immigration@gov.nt.ca, or visit: www.immigratenwt.ca.

For media requests, please contact:
ecepublicaffairs@gov.nt.ca 
Education, Culture and Employment
Government of the Northwest Territories