NTNP Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Occupations

The Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Occupations stream of the NTNP allows employers to recruit workers from abroad in certain occupations with the skills and experience needed to fill positions for which no qualified Canadian or permanent resident is available.

Overview

The NTNP Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Occupations stream was created to help Northwest Territories employers address acute labour shortages that cannot be filled by local residents or Canadians.

It is designed specifically to target workers in entry-level and semi-skilled occupations (National Occupational Classification (NOC)skill levels C and D). To apply under this stream, a foreign skilled worker must have been working in the same position with the same employer for a minimum of 6 months and must be in compliance with their temporary work permit.

Applicant requirements

To be eligible under the skilled worker stream of the employer-driven programme, a foreign national must:

• Intend to settle permanently in the Northwest Territories.
• Have legal status to work and hold a valid work permit if they are currently resident in Canada.
• Be in compliance with their temporary work permit.
• Hold the qualification or certification required for the occupation based on the employer’s requirements. Foreign nationals who completed their education outside Canada must have their educational credentials assessed against Canadian national standards.
  • This assessment must be carried out through an organisationEducational Credential Assessment (ECA)approved by the Government of Canada.
• Have worked for the nominating employer for at least 6 months immediately before applying, in an occupation atNational Occupational Classification (NOC)skill level C or D.
• Meet the NWT certification, licensing or registration requirement for the job (if any).
• Submit the following documents as originals or certified copies (which must be clear, legible copies), translated into English or French:
  • Passport.
  • Birth certificate.
  • Marriage certificate.
  • Birth certificate and passport of the dependant.
• Provide valid test results from 1 of the 3 accepted language tests, taken within 2 years of the date of application:
  • IELTS
  • CELPIP
  • TCF
• Achieving levelCanadian Language Benchmark (CLB)of 4 in English or French across all four categories of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
• Demonstrate sufficient settlement funds to establish themselves and any dependants in the Northwest Territories — the minimum requirement is CAD $10,000 for the principal applicant, plus a further CAD $2,000 for each accompanying dependant.
• The applicant must submit a certified bank statement in their name, or an official letter issued by the bank, translated into English or French and notarised, as evidence of settlement funds.

Employer requirements

To be eligible under the employer-driven programme, an employer must:

• Be a business, industry association, or local, municipal, First Nation or territorial government registered in the Northwest Territories.
• Be in good standing with the Northwest Territories Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission and the Northwest Territories Employment Standards Office.
  • Employers subject to the Northwest Territories Employment Standards Act are required to submit additional documents and to comply with the guidelines set out by the Northwest Territories Nominee Programme (NTNP).
• Have been registered and in continuous full-time operation for at least 1 year before applying.
• Make a job offer to the foreign national for a full-time, permanent position (a minimum of 37.5 hours per week).
• Provide an employment contract consistent with the Northwest Territories Employment Standards Act.
  • The employment contract must not conflict with any collective agreement in force.
• Submit a copy of a positiveLabour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)fromEmployment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
  • An LMIA is not required for the skilled worker stream, the Express Entry stream, or for foreign nationals holding an open work permit.
• Provide evidence of local and national advertising and a summary of the advertising results if nominating a foreign national without an LMIA.
  • The summary of results must include a list of all applications received in response to the advertised position and set out the reasons for rejecting each candidate.
• Offer a wage comparable to the industry, based on the current wages of the business’s workforce, the wage as advertised, and the wage stated in the LMIA.
• Comply with the LMIA agreement.

The process

Before applying, the Northwest Territories employer or an authorised representative must submit a complete application to the NTNP. The employer is responsible for providing all the required original documents or certified copies with the application, in English or French.

All applications must be sent by post or delivered in person to the NTNP. The NTNP will not assess incomplete applications, so prospective employers are encouraged to review the application checklist before submitting.

Once the application has been assessed, the NTNP will decide whether the foreign national is eligible for nomination. Complete applications may take up to 10 weeks from the date of receipt to be assessed.

If the application is approved, the nomination certificate is sent to the employer, the foreign national or the authorised representative. The nominee then has up to 6 months from the date of nomination to apply for Canadian permanent residence withImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Read more about the NTNP Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Occupations stream on the Government of the Northwest Territories websitehere.