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ABOUT NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

The Northwest Territories of Canada include the regions of Dehcho, North Slave, Sahtu, South Slave and Inuvik. Their remote landscape encompasses forest, mountains, Arctic tundra and islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Capital: Yellowknife


Largest City: Yellowknife


Population: 44,920 (Source: Statistics Canada, Q2 2024)


Official Language: There are 11 Official Languages of the Northwest Territories. 

  • Dene Kǝdǝ́

  • Dëne Sųłıné 

  • Dene Zhatıé

  • Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik

  • English

  • French

  • Inuinnaqtun

  • Inuktitut

  • Inuvialuktun

  • Nēhiyawēwin

  • Tłı̨chǫ 


Industry: Agriculture, Fisheries, Mining, Diamonds, Oil & Gas, Energy


Tourist Attractions: Nahanni National Reserve, Bush Pilots Monument, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage, Great Slave Lake, Yellowknife, Hay River, Wood Buffalo National Park, Vicktoria Island, Aulavik National Park, Inuvik


Education: There are 49 Public Schools, 2 career colleges and only one post secondary institute (Public University)  in Northwest Territory.

PNP NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Under the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP), candidates may qualify under any of the following programs.

STREAM 1: NORTHWEST TERRITORIES EXPRESS ENTRY STREAM
 

In order to apply under the Northwest Territories' Express Entry Stream, candidates must be eligible for one of the three federal economic immigration programs:

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS UNDER THE SKILLED WORKER STREAM

To be considered eligible under the Northwest Territories' Express Entry stream, foreign nationals must:

  • Have legal status to work and hold a valid work permit, if currently residing in Canada

  • Intend to settle permanently in the Northwest Territories

  • Work in a NOC Skill Level 0, A, or B occupation

  • Have the required certification or accreditation for the occupation based on the employer’s requirements

  • Have the formal education and/or specialized training required for the specific position

  • Have the work experience required by the employer as outlined in the job description and/or job advertisement; and

  • Meet NWT certification, licensing, or registration requirements of the job, if applicable

  • Be able to sufficiently communicate in English and/or French

  • Submit the following documentation in original, or certified true copies (must be a clear, readable copy), translated into English or French:

  1. Passport

  2. Birth certificate

  3. Marriage certificate; and

  4. Birth certificate(s) and passport(s) for dependent(s)

  • Demonstrate sufficient settlement funds to establish themselves and any dependents in the Northwest Territories — the minimum requirement is $10,000 for the principal applicant, and an additional $2,000 for each accompanying dependent

  1. Applicants must submit certified bank statements in their name or an official letter issued by a bank, translated into English or French and notarized, as proof of settlement funds; and,

  • Provide results from one of the following approved language tests taken within two years of submitting an application:

  1. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training;

  2. The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP-General);

  3. The Test d’Évaluation de Français (to test proficiency in French); or

  4. Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYERS UNDER THE SKILLED WORKER STREAM

In order to be eligible under the Northwest Territories' Express Entry Stream, employers must:

  • Be a registered business, industry association, or a local, municipal, First Nation or Territorial Government, in the Northwest Territories;

  • Have been registered and operational for at least six months;

  • Be in good standing with the Northwest Territories’ Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission and the Northwest Territories’ Employment Standards office;

  • Extend an offer of employment to the foreign national for a permanent, full-time position (minimum 30 hours per week);

  • Provide an employment contract that is consistent with the territories' Employment Standards Act;

  1. The employment contract must not be in conflict with any existing collective bargaining agreements.

  • Provide proof of local and national advertising and a summary of advertising;

  1. The summary of results must include a list of all application forms received in response to the advertised position and list reasons for refusal of employment.

  • Provide a comparable industry rate of pay based on the businesses’ existing workforce rate-of-pay, rate-of-pay as advertised, and rate-of-pay in the LMIA ; and

  • Adhere to the LMIA agreement.

STREAM 2: EMPLOYER DRIVEN PROGRAM

The Employer Driven Program of the NTNP enables employers to recruit skilled workers from abroad with the necessary skills and experience to fill positions for which there are no qualified Canadians or Permanent Residents available.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS

To be considered eligible under the Employer Driven Program, foreign nationals must:

  • Have legal status to work and hold a valid work permit, if currently residing in Canada;

  • Intend to settle permanently in the Northwest Territories;

  • Have the required certification or accreditation for the occupation based on the employer’s requirements;

  • Meet NWT certification, licensing, or registration requirements of the job, if applicable; and

  • Submit the following documentation in original, or certified true copies (must be a clear, readable copy), translated into English or French:

  1. Passport;

  2. Birth certificate;

  3. Marriage certificate; and

  4. Birth certificate(s) and passport(s) for dependent(s)

  • Demonstrate sufficient settlement funds to establish themselves and any dependents in the Northwest Territories; and

  1. Applicants must submit certified bank statements in their name or an official letter issued by a bank, translated into English or French and notarized, as proof of settlement funds.

  • Provide results from one of the following three approved language tests taken within two years of submitting an application:

  1. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training;

  2. The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP-General); or

  3. The Test d’Évaluation de Français (to test proficiency in French)

THERE ARE TWO STREAMS UNDER THE EMPLOYER DRIVEN PROGRAM

CRITICAL IMPACT WORKER

This stream was created to assist Northwest Territories (NWT) employers address critical labour shortages that cannot be filled by local or Canadian residents. It is specifically designed to target workers in semi-skilled and unskilled occupations (National Occupational Classification Skill Levels C and D). In order to apply under this stream, foreign skilled workers must have worked in the same position for a minimum of six months and must be in compliance with their temporary foreign worker permit.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CRITICAL IMPACT WORKERS

In addition, to be eligible as a critical worker under the Critical Impact Worker Stream, applicants must:

  • Have worked for no less than six months in a National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level C or D occupation in the same position;

  • Be in compliance with their temporary foreign worker permit; and

  • Achieve a minimum language test score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 across all four competencies (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), in either English or French.

SKILLED WORKER

This stream of the NTNP Employer Driven immigration program targets qualified foreign nationals who can successfully assist with skilled worker shortages in the Northwest Territories. Applications are accepted under this stream from candidates who have received an offer of employment in a skilled position (National Occupational Classification Skill Levels 0, A, or B) from an NWT employer. This category is an employer-driven process, meaning that NWT employers must sponsor eligible applicants for permanent residency.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SKILLED WORKERS

In order to be eligible under the Skilled Worker Stream, foreign nationals must meet the following additional criteria:

  • Work in a NOC Skill Level 0, A, or B occupation;

  • Have the formal education and/or specialized training required for the specific position;

  • Have the work experience required by the employer as outlined in the job description and/or job advertisement; and

  • Be able to sufficiently communicate in either English or French.

STREAM 3: BUSINESS DRIVEN PROGRAM 

The Business Driven Program of the NTNP seeks to attract individuals with business expertise and considerable investment capital to settle in the Northwest Territories and enhance their economic environment. The streams under this immigration program are for foreign nationals with the ability to establish, purchase, or invest in an existing business. Applicants are selected primarily on the basis of their ability to create jobs for the foreign national and other Canadians living in the region.

THERE ARE TWO STREAMS UNDER THE NTNP'S BUSINESS DRIVEN PROGRAM

ENTREPRENEUR STREAM

This stream facilitates immigration for entrepreneurs who wish to immigrate to the NWT and establish business operations in the territory. Candidates from all economic sectors are eligible for this stream, however, businesses are considered a priority for assessment under this stream if they involve the introduction of a product that is new to the NWT, or if the business would generate significant economic benefits for the territory. A business plan must be provided.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENTREPRENEUR STREAM

In order to be eligible as an entrepreneur under the Business Driven Program, applicants must:

  • Invest:

    1. A minimum of $300,000 CAD into starting or buying a business within the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; or

    2. A minimum of $150,000 CAD into starting or buying a business outside of the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

  • Have a personal net worth of:

    1. At least $500,000 CAD if starting or buying a business within the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; or

    2. At least $250,000 CAD if starting or buying a business outside the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

  • Demonstrate that they own at least one‐third (33.3 percent) of the business;

    1. If the applicant makes a personal equity investment of $1,000,000 CAD or more, he or she may own less than one‐third (33.3 percent).

  • Provide a good faith deposit of $75,000 CAD to be held in a trust and released upon satisfactory execution of the terms of the Business Performance Agreement;

  • Demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of the Northwest Territories and its economy;

  • Demonstrate sufficient communication skills to conduct business in the Northwest Territories and to integrate into the local community; and

  • Have the necessary experience and education to successfully implement the business plan.

SELF EMPLOYED STREAM

This immigration stream is for professionals who can provide an in-demand service in the Northwest Territories, by establishing business outlets or professional practices. Professionals that will be employed by a business or other organization are not eligible under this stream as it applies only to self employed professionals.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SELF EMPLOYED STREAM

To be eligible under the Self Employed Stream of the Business Driven Program, applicants must:

  • Be a member of a profession in respect to which there is an identified professional skill shortage in the Northwest Territories;

  • Satisfy any certification or accreditation requirements for the profession or occupation;

  • Be capable of meeting all Northwest Territories regulatory authority requirements if in a regulated professions;

    1. If no regulatory authority exists within the Northwest Territories, then the Canadian licensing body will be consulted.

  • Demonstrate sufficient communication skills to conduct business in the Northwest Territories and to integrate into the local community;

  • Demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of the Northwest Territories and its economy;

  • Demonstrate access to sufficient financial resources to start and operate a professional practice and to support themselves and any dependents for a period of six months; and

  • Submit a detailed business plan for the business or practice.

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