Northwest Territories Nominee Program – Employer Driven Stream – Skilled Workers Category

At a Glance

Item	Details
Program Name	Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) Employer-Driven Stream
Visa / Status Type	Provincial nomination for Canadian Permanent Residency
Nomination Validity	Six months from issuance date
Employer Compliance Fee	$230 CAD via IRCC Employer Portal
NTNP Application Fee	Not stated in the source
Settlement Funds Required	$10,000 CAD plus $2,000 per dependent (Semi-Skilled)
Work Rights	LMIA-exempt, employer-specific closed work permit support
Study Rights	Not stated in the source
Medicare / Healthcare	Not stated in the source
Travel Facility	Not stated in the source
Citizenship Pathway	Permanent residency pathway via IRCC nomination
Family Sponsorship	Accompanies spouse and dependent children
Expression of Interest Validity	One year from submission date
Ineligible Applicants	Refugee claimants are not eligible

---

Program Overview

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) Employer-Driven Stream enables Northwest Territories (NWT) employers to recruit and nominate foreign nationals for Canadian permanent residency to address critical labour shortages. Foreign nationals may only apply to one NTNP stream at a time.

The Employer-Driven Stream comprises three categories:

• Skilled Workers: For occupations classified under National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER 0, 1, 2, and 3.
• NWT Express Entry: For candidates in the IRCC Express Entry pool occupying NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, and 3 roles.
• Entry Level/Semi-Skilled Occupations: For occupations under NOC TEER 4 and 5.

---

Eligibility Criteria

1. Employer Eligibility

To nominate a foreign worker, the employer must:

• Be a registered business or a local, municipal, Indigenous, or Territorial government with an operational, year-round establishment in the NWT.
• Have operated in the NWT on a full-time basis for at least one (1) continuous year immediately prior to application.
• Maintain an NWT workplace where the nominee applicant will work or report to work.
• Be registered and in good standing with the NWT Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC), submitting a Proof of Registration Letter.
• Submit a valid Employment Standards Verification Form (valid for 6 months) if subject to the NWT Employment Standards Act, or demonstrate compliance with applicable collective bargaining agreements.

2. Job Offer & Employment Terms

• Employment status: Must be permanent, non-seasonal, full-time (minimum 30 hours per week), and based entirely within the NWT. Remote work outside the territory is ineligible.
• Wage rate: Must meet or exceed the NWT median wage on Job Bank (or Yukon, Alberta, or national medians if NWT data is unavailable) and comply with the NWT minimum wage.
• Proof of employment/wages: If already employed, submit pay stubs and timesheets for the past 3 months (Skilled Worker/Express Entry) or 12 months (Entry Level/Semi-Skilled).

3. Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) & Advertising

Employers must submit either a positive LMIA from ESDC or proof of recruitment advertising on two platforms (one local, one national):

• Skilled Worker / Express Entry: Minimum 14 consecutive days (2 consecutive weeks) per platform.
• Entry Level / Semi-Skilled: Minimum 30 consecutive days per platform.
• Ad validity: Ads are valid for 18 months prior to application submission.
• Summary report: Must detail platforms, dates, total applicants (categorized by Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or foreign workers), reasons for refusal, and justification for hiring the nominee.

---

Nominee Applicant Requirements

Education & Work Experience

• Skilled Worker & Express Entry: At least one (1) year of full-time work experience within the last 10 years in the same or similar occupation (equal or higher NOC TEER).
• Entry Level / Semi-Skilled: At least twelve (12) consecutive months of full-time employment in the same position with the nominating NWT employer.
• Extended leave: Breaks exceeding two consecutive weeks (medical, parental, vacation) do not count toward accumulated hours but do not reset previously accumulated experience.
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): Foreign credentials must have an ECA issued within five (5) years by an IRCC-designated organization (WES, CES, ICAS, MCC, PEBC, ICES, or IQAS).
• Licensing: Must possess required territorial certification, licensing, or registration.

Language Proficiency

Applicants must achieve minimum scores across all four abilities (reading, writing, listening, speaking) within a single test sitting. Tests are valid for two (2) years. Approved tests: IELTS General, CELPIP-General, PTE-Core, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada.

Category	NOC TEER Levels	Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)
Skilled Worker	TEER 0, 1	CLB 6
Skilled Worker	TEER 2, 3	CLB 5
NWT Express Entry	TEER 0, 1	CLB 7
NWT Express Entry	TEER 2, 3	CLB 5
Entry Level / Semi-Skilled	TEER 4, 5	CLB 4

Settlement Funds

• Skilled Worker / Express Entry: Demonstrated through a valid permanent job offer and industry-standard wage.
• Entry Level / Semi-Skilled: Must demonstrate $10,000 CAD for the principal applicant plus $2,000 CAD for each accompanying dependent via stamped Canadian bank statements covering the past 3 months.

NWT Express Entry Category Specifics

Applicants must maintain an active IRCC Express Entry profile, hold an Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code, satisfy all NWT Skilled Worker criteria, and declare intent to settle permanently in the NWT.

---

Application Process

[Employer Registers Portal] ➔ [Nominee Submits EOI] ➔ [EOI Score Issued (5 Days)] 
       ➔ [Draw Invitation] ➔ [Submit Application (30 Days)] ➔ [Pre-Screening] 
       ➔ [Assessment Queue] ➔ [Nomination Issued] ➔ [IRCC PR Application (6 Mos)]

1. Expression of Interest (EOI): Employer registers in the portal; the applicant completes the EOI survey. EOI profiles remain valid for one year. The NTNP provides an EOI score within five (5) business days.
2. Invitation to Apply: Top-ranking candidates receive an invitation based on draws and allocation quotas.
3. Application Submission: Employers have 30 calendar days from the invitation date to submit complete electronic applications through the NTNP online portal. Paper submissions are not accepted.
4. Pre-Screening & Assessment:
   • Incomplete applications are given two (2) business days to provide missing documentation during initial screening.
   • Assessment requests for additional information must be answered within 14 calendar days.
5. Nomination & Work Permit Support: Approved nominees receive a nomination certificate valid for six (6) months and a Work Permit Support Letter for an LMIA-exempt, employer-specific closed work permit. Employers must submit an offer of employment and pay the $230 employer compliance fee via the IRCC Employer Portal before the nominee applies for the work permit.

---

Post-Nomination Obligations & Conditions

• Nominee responsibilities: Sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ECE, submit an application for Canadian permanent residency to IRCC within six (6) months, maintain continuous program eligibility, and notify the NTNP of any change in status, dependents, or employment.
• Employer responsibilities: Maintain the agreed terms of employment and notify NTNP via immigration@gov.nt.ca regarding any promotion, demotion, termination, layoff, leave of absence, or business closure.
• Nomination restrictions: A nomination certificate may only be used once. If IRCC denies permanent residency, the territorial nomination is automatically revoked.

---

Refusals, Appeals, and Penalties

• Appeals: Employers may appeal application denials in writing within 15 calendar days of the decision date. Appeals are reviewed by an independent senior ECE official based solely on original documents; no new evidence or eligibility challenges are accepted.
• Misrepresentation: Submitting false or misleading information results in application refusal and a one-year ban from the NTNP for the employer, applicant, or representative.
• Employer non-compliance: Failure to uphold nomination conditions or notify NTNP of employment changes may result in nomination revocation and an employer application ban of up to three (3) years.

---

Document and Translation Rules

• Documentation must be submitted in English or French.
• Non-English or non-French documents must include certified translations, an affidavit from the translator, and copies of the original documents.
• All translation expenses are the responsibility of the applicant.