Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)

The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) is for prospective immigrants whose skills and experience match the territory’s objectives; through this programme they can receive a nomination securing the opportunity to become permanent residents.

Situated in Canada’s far north-west, Yukon holds a legendary place in the country’s history. Best known perhaps for the Klondike gold rush of the late 1890s, Yukon today is home to some 30,000 people, most of whom live in the capital, Whitehorse. Yukon’s economy rests mainly on mining and tourism. The territory is an ideal place to settle for those who value a close-knit community and wild nature.

Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) overview

The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) has been running since 2002 and falls under theProvincial Nominee Program (PNP)federal system.

Yukon uses the YNP to attract more immigrants to the territory in order to meet its labour market needs.

The YNP targets skilled workers and entrepreneurs with the work experience and education needed to succeed in the Yukon territory.

Yukon welcomes a few hundred immigrants each year. That figure nonetheless accounts for close to 1% of its population. The territory’s population recently reached a record high, exceeding 40,000.

Yukon has one enhanced stream, known as Yukon Express Entry. The remaining categories are base categories. This means Yukon Express Entry is linked to Canada’sExpress Entrysystem. A base category, by contrast, is one not linked to the Express Entry system.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada’s immigration authority, uses the Express Entry system to manage the main economic immigration programmes. Candidates with an Express Entry profile are scored against theThe Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

Canada holds regular Express Entry draws, in which the highest-scoring candidates are invited to submit an Application for Permanent Residence (APR).

If, after applying, the candidate is nominated through a provincial programme, they receive an additional 600 CRS points.

This means the candidate receives anInvitation to Apply (ITA)to apply for permanent residence in the next draw. The candidate also receives the nomination through their Express Entry profile, and must accept it in order to receive the additional points. The main advantage of enhanced immigration streams is that the processing standard is usually 6 months or less. For base streams, the processing standard can exceed 12 months.

Most immigration streams under the provincial nominee programmes are base streams, not linked to Express Entry.

Candidates nominated through a base immigration stream must apply directly to IRCC.

Summary of Yukon’s immigration categories

Candidates wishing to immigrate to Yukon have the following options:

• Yukon Express Entry (YEE): for foreign skilled workers with a valid job offer for full-time, permanent work in Yukon. Employers in the territory who cannot find Canadian citizens or permanent residents to fill a vacancy are given access to the Express Entry pool of candidates.
• Skilled Worker: for foreign skilled workers sponsored by a Yukon employer to apply for Canadian permanent residence. The candidate must be working in a job atNational Occupational Classification (NOC)skill level 0, A or B.
• Critical Impact Worker: for semi-skilled or low-skilled workers employed in an occupation in high demand in the territory and sponsored by an employer. Candidates must hold a valid job offer from a Yukon employer. They need not, however, be in Yukon when they apply.
• Business Nominee (YBNP): for those with proven business experience who wish to start a new business, partner in an existing business, or buy and operate an existing business in Yukon. Candidates need to be prepared to make a substantial investment in the Yukon business.
• Yukon Community Pilot (YCP): allows those who have been nominated to receive a type ofwork permitspecial permit, allowing them to work for several employers in one of the participating Yukon communities. The pilot was scheduled to run from January 2020 to June 2023.

Yukon Express Entry

Detailed article on theYukon Express Entry.

Job offer required:Yes

Processing time:12–14 weeks

Minimum requirements:

• Must meet the requirements of 1 of the 3 economic immigration programmes of Canada’s federal Express Entry system.
• Must hold an Express Entry profile.
• Must have sufficient funds to support themselves and their family members in Canada.
• Must hold a valid full-time, permanent job offer from a Yukon employer.
• Must intend to live and work in Yukon.

How it works:

The first step is for the candidate to receive a job offer from a Yukon employer. The employer must demonstrate that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to take the position.

The next step is for the candidate to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to settle in Canada.

The candidate and the employer then complete and submit the Yukon Express Entry application.

IRCC issues the candidate an Invitation to Apply (ITA), after which the candidate must provide all the documents needed to complete the Application for Permanent Residence (APR).

Once IRCC and the YNP have verified the documents, the candidate receives permanent residence.

Skilled Worker

Detailed article on theYNP Skilled Worker.

Job offer required:Yes

Processing time:12–14 weeks

Minimum requirements:

• Must have the education and work experience required for the job (a minimum of a secondary school qualification).
• Must have at least one year of work experience for the position.
• Must hold a valid work permit if the candidate is in Canada.
• Must hold a valid job offer.
• Must meet the minimum language requirement.
• The employer must meet additional requirements.

How it works:

The first step is for the employer to advertise the vacancy locally and nationally in Canada to establish that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to take the role.

Next, the employer makes a job offer to the candidate. The job must be full time and permanent.

The candidate and employer must then complete all the required forms, and the employer submits the complete application to Yukon.

If the employer is approved by the Yukon Nominee Program (YNP), the candidate’s details are reviewed.

If approved, the candidate is nominated by the territory. The candidate may then use that nomination to apply to IRCC for a temporary work permit, as well as for an Application for Permanent Residence (APR).

The candidate may use the work permit to work in Yukon while the permanent residence application is processed. Having passed security, medical and criminal record checks, the candidate becomes a permanent resident of Canada.

Critical Impact Worker

Detailed article on theYNP Critical Impact Worker

Job offer required:Yes

Processing time:12–14 weeks

Minimum requirements:

• Must hold a full-time, permanent job offer.
• Must have the education and work experience required for the job (a minimum of a secondary school qualification).
• Must have at least 6 months of relevant work experience.
• Must hold a valid work permit if the candidate is in Canada.
• Must meet the minimum language requirement in English or French.
• The employer must also meet additional requirements.

How it works:

First, the candidate must receive a job offer from a Yukon employer.

The employer must advertise the position and demonstrate that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to take it.

The next step is for the candidate and employer to complete the required forms. The employer then submits the application to the YNP.

If the employer is approved, the YNP reviews the candidate’s details.

If approved, the candidate is nominated by the Yukon territory. The candidate may then apply for a temporary work permit as well as an Application for Permanent Residence, both from IRCC.

On receiving the work permit, the candidate may travel to Canada and work in Yukon on that permit while the permanent residence application is processed.

Business Nominee

Detailed article on theYNP Business Nominee (YBNP).

Processing time:12–14 weeks

Minimum requirements:

• Must score a minimum of 65 points on the Nominee Assessment Grid.
• Must score at least 10 points for language ability on the Nominee Assessment Grid.
• Must achieve Level 6 in IELTS General Training (English) or Level 4 in the TEF (French).
• Must have at least 3 years of management or business experience.
• Must have at least 5 years of experience relevant to the proposed business.
• Must have a net worth of at least CAD 500,000 (verified by an accountancy firm in Yukon).
• Must have at least CAD 300,000 in liquid assets (verified by an accountancy firm in Yukon).
• Must demonstrate that the net worth and liquid assets were obtained through lawful means.
• Must submit a Resettlement Plan demonstrating an intention to live in Yukon.
• Must intend to settle permanently in Yukon and run a business in the territory.

How it works:

Candidates must satisfy themselves that they are eligible to immigrate to Yukon. They then apply on the Yukon website athere.

On receiving preliminary approval, the candidate is asked to submit a Business Plan, including an outline of how they will establish a successful business.

At this point, the candidate must evidence the CAD 300,000 investment in the business and own at least one-third of it.

The candidate may then apply for a temporary work permit, with which they can travel to Yukon and start the business.

On arriving in Yukon, the candidate must meet a representative of the Yukon Business Nominee Program (YBNP).

The candidate will also need to meet additional requirements during their first year in Yukon as a nominee and during their second year in Yukon as a nominee.

If all the requirements are met over the two-year working period, the candidate receives support from the YBNP in applying to the Canadian federal government for permanent residence.

The candidate must ensure they hold a valid work permit until permanent residence status in Yukon is granted.

Yukon Community Pilot

Detailed article on theYukon Community Pilot (YCP).

If the candidate is nominated by the territory, the Yukon Community Pilot can help them obtain a special work permit allowing them to work for several employers in one of the participating Yukon communities.

The pilot was scheduled to run from January 2020 to June 2023.

Minimum requirements:

• Must be nominated by the territory.
• Must hold 2 or 3 valid job offers, all in the same participating Yukon community.
• Must hold a signed letter of support from the Yukon government.
• Must meet the requirements for a work permit.

In addition, the candidate’s jobs must total at least 30 hours of work a week. The work must not be seasonal, and the wage must meet or exceed the minimum wage.

The candidate’s work experience must demonstrate that they can perform the duties of the jobs offered.

How it works:

Candidates must ensure they have been nominated by the Yukon territory to apply for permanent residence.

Candidates must also receive a signed letter of support from the Yukon government. The letter must state that the employers making the job offers need the candidate to work in the community immediately and that the job offers are genuine. It must also include details of the job offers, such as the employers’ names, the occupations, the hours of work a week and the work locations.

With the application, the candidate needs to submit this signed letter of support, as well as a copy of the nomination letter from the Government of Yukon.

When ready, the candidate must apply online on the Canadian federal government website. The form depends on where the candidate is applying from.

Receiving this work permit allows the candidate to work for up to three different employers in one of the participating Yukon communities.

The work permit is valid for 2 years. The employer will not needLabour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Participating communities:

• Whitehorse
• Watson Lake
• Dawson City
• Haines Junction
• Carmacks
• Carcross

Find out more about the Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) on the government website athere.