Northwest Territories Nominee Program – Francophone Stream

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa/Program Name	Northwest Territories Nominee Program: Francophone Stream
Pathway Type	Base provincial/territorial nomination (non-Express Entry)
Stay Duration	Pathway to Canadian permanent residency
Application Cost	$230 employer compliance fee (for work permit)
Nomination Validity	6 months from date of issuance
Language Requirements	French CLB 5 and English CLB 4
Eligible Occupations	NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Work Experience	1 year full-time (10 yrs) or 6 months NWT
Education Level	Minimum Canadian equivalent high school diploma
Work Rights	Eligible for employer-specific LMIA-exempt work permit
Study Rights	Not stated in the source
Medicare / Health Cover	Not stated in the source
Travel Facility	Employer covers applicant's round-trip travel
Citizenship Pathway	Not stated in the source
Family Sponsorship	Accompanying dependents allowed (settlement funds apply)
Settlement Funds	$10,000 CAD principal plus $2,000 CAD per dependent

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Purpose

The Francophone Stream helps Northwest Territories (NWT) employers fill labour shortages with bilingual foreign nationals who speak both French and English and have a valid job offer in the NWT. This stream covers occupations across all National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER categories (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).

Note: Refugee claimants and Express Entry candidates are not eligible for nomination through this stream.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Language Proficiency

Applicants must submit results from two separate tests covering both official languages:

• French: Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 5 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
• English: Minimum CLB Level 4 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Rules:

• Scores must be achieved in a single testing session per language (cannot combine scores).
• Tests are valid for two (2) years from the test result date.
• Approved French Tests: TEF Canada, TCF Canada.
• Approved English Tests: IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core.

2. Employment & Job Offer

• Status: Valid, genuine, permanent (no end date), full-time position (minimum 30 hours per week, year-round).
• Location: Must be located within the Northwest Territories (remote work outside the NWT is ineligible).
• NOC TEER Category: All categories are eligible (TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).
• Wage: Must be comparable to industry rates (referenced via Job Bank) and meet or exceed NWT minimum wage. If currently employed in NWT, applicants must submit 3 months of pay stubs.
• Impact: Employment must provide economic benefit to the NWT without adversely affecting employment opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

3. Education & Work Experience

• Education: Minimum high school education equivalent to Canadian standards. Foreign credentials require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) issued by an IRCC-designated organization within the last 5 years.
• Experience:
  • At least 1 year of full-time work experience in the nominated occupation within the past 10 years, OR
  • At least 6 months of full-time work experience in the NWT in the nominated occupation.
• Leaves: Leaves longer than two consecutive weeks (extended leave) do not count toward accumulated work experience. Documented medical, parental, maternity, or extended vacation leaves with a defined return-to-work date do not reset accumulated hours.
• Licensing: Must meet any territorial certification, licensing, or registration requirements.

4. Settlement Funds

Applicants must hold unencumbered funds shown across 3 months of stamped bank statements:

• Principal Applicant: $10,000 CAD
• Each Accompanying Dependent: $2,000 CAD

5. Employer Criteria

The employer must:

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• Be a registered business or government entity operational in the NWT full-time for at least 1 year immediately prior to application.
• Maintain a physical place of business in the NWT.
• Be in good standing with the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC).
• Comply with the Northwest Territories Employment Standards Act (supported by an Employment Standards Verification Form valid for 6 months) or the relevant collective bargaining agreement.
• Cover non-recoverable round-trip travel costs for the applicant (not dependents) between their country of residence and the NWT if hired from abroad.

Work Permits & Work Rights

• Current Temporary Residents: Must maintain valid legal work authorization in Canada throughout the application process.
• Abroad Applicants: Eligible for nomination without an active Canadian work permit.
• Post-Approval Support: Nominees are eligible for a Work Permit Support Letter to apply for a closed, LMIA-exempt, employer-specific work permit. Employers must submit the job offer and pay the $230 employer compliance fee via the IRCC Employer Portal.

Application Assessment & Steps

[Online Application Submission]
            │
            ▼
[Pre-Screening Review] ── (2 Business Days to fix missing items)
            │
            ▼
[Assessment Queue] ── (Assessed in order; priority for expiring permits)
            │
            ▼
[Additional Info Request (if needed)] ── (14-Calendar-Day deadline)
            │
            ▼
[Decision: Approval or Denial]

1. Submission: Apply via the NTNP online portal with required employer and applicant documents.
2. Pre-Screening: Incomplete applications are granted 2 business days to provide missing documents before being withdrawn.
3. Assessment: Assessed in order of receipt (priority given to applicants with expiring work permits). Applications not finalized by December 23, 2025, will be withdrawn.
4. Information Requests: If NTNP requests further information during assessment, applicants have 14 calendar days to reply.
5. Nomination Decision:
   • If Approved: Applicant receives a nomination certificate valid for 6 months and must sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the employer and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Nominees must submit an application for Permanent Residence to IRCC within this 6-month window.
   • If Denied: A formal denial letter is issued stating the reasons.

Appeals

• Denials may be appealed in writing within 15 calendar days of the denial letter date.
• Appeals are reviewed by an independent senior departmental official based solely on original application materials.
• No new documents are accepted, and appeals based on program eligibility criteria will not be considered.

Post-Nomination Obligations

• Nominees: Must apply for permanent residency within 6 months, maintain program eligibility until IRCC decides on the PR application, and report any changes in status or contact information to immigration@gov.nt.ca.
• Employers: Must report any employment changes (lay-offs, terminations, promotions, extended leaves, ownership change, or closure). Failure to report may lead to nomination revocation and a 3-year ban from the stream.

Document & Integrity Warnings

• Document Language: Accepted in English or French. Other languages require a certified translation, translator affidavit, and copies of original documents.
• Misrepresentation: Providing false or misleading information will result in an immediate application hold and a 1-year ban from all NTNP Employer-Driven and Francophone streams for the applicant, employer, or representative.