On This Page, You Will Find:
- What the NTNP is and how it changed in 2026
- The new Expression of Interest system
- 2026 draw results and dates
- Employer-Driven Stream categories and requirements
- Francophone Stream
- Business Stream
- The 2026 nomination allocation
- A note on Nunavut
- Frequently asked questions
The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) allows the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) to nominate foreign nationals for Canadian permanent residence. It is run by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, with the Business Stream administered by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
The programme changed significantly in 2026. The Employer-Driven Stream, by far the busiest of the three streams, moved from a first-come, first-served intake to a points-ranked Expression of Interest (EOI) system with scheduled draws.
Separately, the territory’s 2026 nomination allocation was increased partway through the year after the GNWT lobbied Ottawa, and an extra draw was added in August to use the additional spaces.
How the NTNP Works in 2026
There are three streams:
- Employer-Driven Stream – for foreign nationals with a permanent, full-time job offer from an NWT employer. Subject to EOI draws.
- Francophone Stream – for bilingual French and English speakers with a job offer from an NWT employer. First-come, first-served.
- Business Stream – for entrepreneurs and investors. First-come, first-served.
The GNWT says the Francophone and Business streams remain on a first-come, first-served basis because they are not oversubscribed and would not benefit from an EOI process. The Employer-Driven and Francophone streams reopened on 9 March 2026.
Whichever stream applies, the basic threshold is the same: 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 territory.
The Expression of Interest System
The EOI system applies only to the Employer-Driven Stream. It was introduced after public engagement in September 2025, in which employers, prospective immigrants and community members asked for a clearer intake process and better alignment with territorial labour market needs.
The process runs as follows:
- The employer registers and creates an account in the NTNP online application portal for a worker who meets the eligibility criteria.
- Using the employer’s registration, the worker completes an EOI survey. This is a profile, not an application.
- The GNWT scores the profile using a published points grid.
- Profiles are ranked, and employers of the highest-scoring candidates are invited through scheduled draws to submit a full application.
- Invited applications are assessed in the order they are received.
Points are awarded across three groups:
- Human capital – language ability, age, work experience and education.
- Connections to the NWT labour market – current level and duration of employment in the territory, a job offer in a listed skilled trade, holding a closed work permit in the NWT, and working in a small community.
- Adaptability – immediate family in the NWT, and post-secondary education completed in the territory.
The trades list used for the trades job offer points includes carpenters, electricians, plumbers, gas fitters, heavy duty equipment mechanics, automotive service technicians, welders, industrial mechanics and millwrights, aircraft maintenance engineers, air pilots and chefs. The territory notes the list is subject to change.
There is no cap on how many people can submit an EOI and no submission deadline. Profiles that are not selected stay in the pool for up to 12 months from the date first submitted. Only one active EOI is permitted per person – if more than one is submitted, the newest is kept and all earlier profiles are withdrawn. To correct a profile, the candidate must email the programme to withdraw it and then submit a new one.
The system keeps the Employer-Driven Stream open year-round rather than opening and closing intake windows, as happened in 2025.
2026 Draw Results
The GNWT has published results for the first three draws of 2026.
- 25 March 2026 – 295 profiles in the pool, 65 invitations issued. Scores ranged from 417 to 597. Selections: 32 NWT Express Entry, 20 Skilled Worker, 13 Entry Level/Semi-Skilled. By location, 37 in Yellowknife and 28 in communities outside Yellowknife.
- 25 June 2026 – 300 profiles in the pool, 79 invitations issued. Scores ranged from 386 to 590. Selections: 40 NWT Express Entry, 20 Skilled Worker, 19 Entry Level/Semi-Skilled. By location, 52 in Yellowknife and 27 outside.
- 26 August 2026 – 260 profiles in the pool, 104 invitations issued. Scores ranged from 346 to 555. Selections: 47 NWT Express Entry, 21 Skilled Worker, 36 Entry Level/Semi-Skilled. By location, 83 in Yellowknife and 21 outside. This round was added to the calendar after the territory received 103 extra nomination spaces.
The next scheduled draw is 25 September 2026, considering profiles submitted up to 22 September 2026.
The number of draws and the number of invitations in each depends on the annual nomination allocation, so candidates should not assume a fixed round size. Cut-off scores have fallen at each round so far this year, from a low of 417 in March to 386 in June and 346 in August, while the August round issued more invitations than the two earlier draws combined.
Employer-Driven Stream Categories
The Employer-Driven Stream contains three categories, selected at the EOI stage:
- Entry Level/Semi-Skilled Occupations
- Skilled Worker
- NWT Express Entry – for candidates already in the federal Express Entry pool, where a territorial nomination adds 600 points to the Comprehensive Ranking System score
The GNWT confirmed that the mandatory eligibility criteria for the Employer-Driven Stream did not change when the EOI system was introduced. Both the employer and the applicant must satisfy all requirements before an EOI is submitted.
In broad terms, employers must operate an established business or government office in the territory, be in good standing with the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, comply with the Employment Standards Act, and show that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident was available for the role – through job advertising evidence or a Labour Market Impact Assessment. Job offers must be full-time, permanent and consistent with NWT wage standards.
Approved nominees can receive a Work Permit Support Letter, which supports an application for an employer-specific, LMIA-exempt work permit while the permanent residence application is processed.
Because criteria are set out in detailed programme guidelines that the territory updates from time to time, applicants should confirm current language, experience and education thresholds in the published Employer-Driven Stream guidelines before submitting an EOI.
Francophone Stream
The Francophone Stream is for bilingual French and English speakers with a valid job offer from an NWT employer. It covers all National Occupational Classification TEER categories, from TEER 0 through TEER 5, and is intended to grow the territory’s bilingual workforce.
Minimum language requirements in both French and English must be met at the time of application, with test results submitted as proof. The stream is not subject to EOI draws and is assessed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Business Stream
The Business Stream is for foreign nationals who want to start a business in the NWT, buy an existing NWT business, or invest in and operate one. Requirements include:
- A minimum equity investment of $200,000 CAD inside the corporate boundaries of Yellowknife, or $100,000 CAD outside them
- Ownership of at least 33.3 per cent of the business, unless personal equity investment is at least $1,000,000 CAD
- Personal net worth of at least $500,000 CAD for a Yellowknife business, or $250,000 CAD outside Yellowknife
- Canadian Language Benchmark 4 in English, or the NCLC equivalent in French, with results from IELTS, CELPIP or TEF no more than two years old
- Reasonable knowledge of the territory and its economy, and the experience and education to carry out the business plan
- Sufficient financial resources to operate the business and support dependants for the duration of the agreement
Applicants cannot hold an active application with another provincial or territorial nominee program, or with another NTNP stream, and refugee claimants are not eligible.
The process begins with a self-assessment, followed by an exploratory visit to the territory and a face-to-face interview. Successful candidates are formally invited to apply and, if approved, sign a Business Performance Agreement – a two-year legal agreement with the GNWT setting out the obligations that must be met before a nomination certificate is issued. Decisions are final and there is no appeal.
The 2026 Nomination Allocation
Nomination allocations for every province and territory are set annually by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The GNWT recruits, assesses and nominates candidates within whatever ceiling Ottawa sets.
For 2026, IRCC initially allocated 197 nominations to the NWT. On 7 August 2026 the GNWT announced that the allocation had been raised by 103, restoring it to 300 – the level the territory held in 2024 and 2025, and which it filled in both years. The GNWT attributed the increase to sustained advocacy on the territory’s labour market needs, and added an extra Expression of Interest draw on 26 August 2026 to put the additional spaces to use.
Some context helps. The NWT’s 2025 allocation was originally cut from 300 to 150, raised to 197 in August 2025, then fully restored to 300 later that year. The 2026 figure followed a similar pattern.
The allocation constrains the Employer-Driven Stream in practice, since that is where demand exceeds supply. Nationally, the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets a Provincial Nominee Program admissions target of 91,500 for 2026, a substantial increase on the previous plan.
A Note on Nunavut
The Northwest Territories and Nunavut are frequently discussed together, but they are not comparable for immigration purposes. Every province and territory except Quebec and Nunavut operates a nominee program. Nunavut has none, so there is no territorial nomination route there. Prospective applicants looking north should compare the NTNP against the Yukon Nominee Program and the wider provincial nominee programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply to the Northwest Territories Nominee Program in 2026?
For the Employer-Driven Stream, your employer must first register in the NTNP online portal, after which you complete an Expression of Interest survey. You can only submit a full application if your profile is selected in a draw. The Francophone and Business streams are not subject to draws and accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
How long does an Expression of Interest stay in the pool?
A profile that is not selected remains in the pool for up to 12 months from the date it was first submitted and is considered in each subsequent draw. Near the 12-month mark you are notified that the profile will be withdrawn, and you may submit a new one. Only one active Expression of Interest is allowed per person.
What score do I need to be invited?
There is no fixed cut-off. In the 25 March 2026 draw, selected scores ranged from 417 to 597. In the 25 June 2026 draw, the range was 386 to 590, and in the 26 August 2026 draw it was 346 to 555. The threshold depends on the strength of the pool and the number of invitations available in each round.
How many nominations does the Northwest Territories have for 2026?
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada initially allocated 197 nominations to the territory for 2026. On 7 August 2026 the GNWT announced the figure had been increased by 103 to 300, matching the territory’s 2024 and 2025 allocations.
Do I need a job offer to apply?
Yes, unless you are applying through the Business Stream. The Employer-Driven and Francophone streams both require a valid full-time, permanent job offer from an eligible Northwest Territories employer, and the employer must take part in the application.
Can I immigrate to Nunavut through a nominee program?
No. Nunavut does not operate a provincial or territorial nominee program, and neither does Quebec, which selects its own economic immigrants under a separate agreement. Every other province and territory, including the Northwest Territories and Yukon, has one.