N.W.T. to briefly reopen nominee program on Feb. 27

The N.W.T.'s nominee program will be open for applications for a one-week period, starting Feb. 27.

The program was originally supposed to reopen last month, but unexpected federal reductions to the number of people the N.W.T. could accept forced it to delay reopening.

The nominee program helps immigrants move to the N.W.T. to work for local employers and gives them a path to become permanent residents.

In a news release Friday, the N.W.T. government stated that the intake period will be open until 5 p.m. on March 6.

It said it has made some changes to the application intake process, after hearing feedback from residents, businesses and organizations.

"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 N.W.T. employer, and to support the diverse needs of N.W.T. employers," it wrote.

Under the new quota, the N.W.T. can accept 150 nominations.

The territorial government wrote that 60 of those spots are already filled by applications received last year.

This year, it will accept 70 applications from Yellowknife employers, 10 from employers in other communities, and 10 Francophone applications.

Half the openings will be for entry-level or semi-skilled jobs, and half for skilled workers.

The government will be selecting applications at random, instead of on a first-come, first-served basis.

It said it "recognizes that not every interested or eligible applicant will be able to use the [nominee program] in 2025, an outcome that will be challenging and disappointing to some prospective applicants and businesses."