NWT Nominee Program Reopens November 10, 2025 with Revised Eligibility

(NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) The Northwest Territories will reopen its provincial immigration stream on November 10, 2025, restoring the full annual allocation of 300 nomination spots and introducing revised eligibility rules that officials say will make it easier for employers to hire and for workers to stay. The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) will accept applications from 9 a.m. on November 10 to 5 p.m. on November 24, 2025, and will process up to 103 eligible files in this intake to meet the territory’s 2025 quota.

The territorial government said the intake caps are designed to fill the remainder of this year’s allocation while keeping processing targeted and timely. Applications will be assessed first for people whose work permits are due to expire within three months, a triage approach meant to prevent lapses in status for residents already working in the North. After that, files will be ordered by the date they were received. Any applications that exceed the 103 available spaces, or that are not finalized by December 23, 2025, will be withdrawn, with the government planning to invite those applicants to try again in 2026.

Officials confirmed three notable changes to the program’s criteria that take effect on November 10, 2025. There will no longer be a limit on how many applications an employer can submit based on the size of their business, scrapping a cap that previously constrained hiring plans, especially for companies with multiple hard-to-fill roles. The program is also removing the requirement tied to a work permit’s expiry date, meaning anyone with a valid work permit can apply regardless of when it ends. At the same time, the territory is reinstating a work experience rule that existed before 2025, requiring applicants to show at least one year of full-time experience within the last 10 years in the same or a similar occupation as the job for which they are being nominated. The experience can be with different employers, giving applicants credit for a range of recent roles if they match the occupation being nominated.

Caitlin Cleveland, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, said the reopening underscores a push to keep people and skills in the North and to respond to employers who have been waiting for clarity.

“Immigration is one of the most effective tools we have to strengthen the NWT economy, diversify industries, and advance nation-building in the North. Persistent, constructive advocacy delivers results, and I am thrilled we can reopen applications for a third time this year. With the full 300 nomination spots restored for 2025, newcomers who have chosen to live and work in NWT communities will have a clearer path to staying, contributing, and building their lives here. More spots in the NWT Nominee Program also mean more opportunities for small and remote communities to grow their populations and sustainably strengthen their local economies. A strong, inclusive North depends on people, and this is another important step toward building that future.”

The NTNP is one of the primary pathways for skilled workers and their families to move from temporary status to permanent residency in the territory, aligning nominations with local labor needs. NWT’s nominee program has been under close watch this year after its 2025 allocation was initially cut to 150, then partially restored to 197, before being fully reinstated at 300 following lobbying by the territorial government and community stakeholders. The sequence left employers anxious about recruitment plans and raised concerns in remote communities struggling to fill essential roles in health, construction, hospitality, retail, transportation, and resource-related services. The new intake is designed to close the year at the restored allocation level and give employers fewer hurdles when they sponsor workers.

Under the reopening plan, the government will take up to 103 eligible applications during the mid-November window, which is the number needed to reach the territory’s full annual cap of 300. Priority will go to applicants closest to losing status, with the three-month work permit window acting as a first filter. Officials said ordering by receipt date after that will keep the process straightforward and predictable. Applications filed beyond the available spaces will not be queued indefinitely; instead, they will be withdrawn if the number is exceeded or if a decision cannot be reached by December 23, 2025, with a promise that those applicants will be invited to reapply in the next calendar year.

The removal of restrictions on how many nominees an employer can sponsor marks a practical shift for businesses with multiple vacancies. Previously, smaller or mid-sized employers could feel constrained if they had several positions to fill across a busy season or a new contract. Now, with no limit tied to business size, companies in tourism, seasonal services, and resource support can submit as many files as they have qualified candidates, provided the applications meet the other program standards. The change comes alongside the return of the work experience rule, which is anchored in occupation-specific experience and requires at least one year of full-time work within the past decade in a job that is the same as, or similar to, the position at hand. Territorial officials say this aims to ensure nominees have recent, relevant skills for the roles they intend to fill in the North, while still allowing flexibility if that experience was gained across multiple employers or regions.

Removing the work permit expiry date requirement is meant to reduce confusion for workers who might otherwise have rushed to apply early or hesitated if their status extended too far into the future. Allowing any valid work permit holder to apply, regardless of expiry timing, should simplify decisions for both applicants and employers and help the processing team focus on occupational fit and program priorities. The territory stressed that people whose permits are closest to expiring will still see their files assessed first, a safeguard to prevent talent loss due to unavoidable status deadlines.

The government is encouraging applicants and employers to work through the process online and to review the updated guidance before the window opens on November 10, 2025. All applications must be submitted through the NTNP’s web portal, and questions can be directed to 1-855-440-5450 or [email protected]. Officials say inquiries surged during earlier intakes this year as the territory adjusted its allocation and eligibility, and they expect a brisk pace again in November as employers and workers try to secure a nomination before year-end. The intake will close at 5 p.m. on November 24, 2025, or earlier if the cap for this session is reached before that time.

The restored allocation responds to months of pressure from the Government of the Northwest Territories and local partners who warned that a reduced intake would strain small communities, reduce school enrollments, and make it harder for businesses to keep shifts covered through the winter. The territory’s view is that steady immigration, even at modest volumes, cushions the effects of turnover and helps anchor newcomers who already work and pay taxes in the NWT. NWT’s nominee program is one of the few levers the territorial government can use to match foreign workers to local roles and support a path to permanence, especially in communities that have faced repeated vacancies for essential positions.

In practical terms, the revised rules reshape how candidates and sponsors will plan their filings. Employers no longer have to choose between candidates because of company-size limits and can bundle multiple applications if they have several employees ready and eligible. Workers who built their careers across different jobs still meet the threshold if their combined experience adds up to one year of full-time work in the last 10 years in the same or a similar occupation. The emphasis on occupation-based experience clarifies what counts and aligns with how many industries in the North hire across seasons and projects.

The government’s timeline also imposes a firm cut-off for 2025. Files that cannot be finalized by December 23, 2025 will be withdrawn and rolled forward as an invitation to reapply next year, a move designed to avoid a backlog crossing into 2026. That approach signals the territory’s intent to keep processing cycles contained within the calendar year when allocations are set, rather than letting incomplete files drift. Applicants will want to ensure that their documentation is complete to avoid delays, especially medicals, police clearances, and proof of work experience, all of which can take time to assemble and verify. While officials did not list document checklists in the notice, they urged applicants to confirm the revised guidelines before filing to save time during screening.

Community leaders have argued that immigration rules should reflect the realities of life and work in the North, where short seasons can compress hiring and training into narrow windows and where small enterprises handle multiple roles with lean staff. By removing the employer cap and simplifying eligibility around work permits, the territory is betting that more straightforward rules will lead to stronger participation from both businesses and workers during this month’s intake. The focus on retaining residents who are already in the NWT on valid permits, and who have recent experience matching their job offers, suggests the program is prioritizing stability and continuity over novelty as it closes out the year.

The broader story of the 2025 allocation underscores how policy decisions ripple through a small labor market. When the NTNP’s annual allotment was first cut to 150, the reduction forced triage in sectors that already struggle with recruitment. A subsequent increase to 197 eased pressure, but not enough to meet demand, according to territorial sources involved in outreach to employers. The final restoration to 300, confirmed ahead of this intake, gives the North a shared target that businesses can plan around as winter hiring cycles pick up. For applicants, knowing the intake schedule and rules ahead of time reduces the guesswork that often accompanies end-of-year immigration windows.

The territory also signaled that more changes could follow in 2026 and beyond, with a public engagement report expected in the coming months. That suggests further fine-tuning to nomination streams, occupational lists, or processing sequences could be on the way, although details were not released alongside the reopening notice. For now, the emphasis is on moving the remaining 103 spots to decision before the December deadline and setting up a clean slate for next year’s intake.

The NTNP has framed this reopening as both a practical step for 2025 and a message to workers considering a longer future in the territory. With the confirmation of 300 nomination spots restored for the year, the government wants residents with valid work permits—especially those nearing expiry—to prepare complete applications, verify that their experience aligns with the occupation in their job offers, and file as early as possible within the window. Employers are being told that they can submit multiple applications if they have several candidates ready, and that the priority rules will apply across the intake rather than on a rolling, employer-by-employer basis.

For applicants and sponsors looking to move ahead, the territorial government directs them to submit online and to review the updated criteria tied to the November 10, 2025 reopening. The official portal includes program guides, document checklists, and contact information. For authoritative instructions and the latest notices, applicants can visit the official NTNP website through the Government of the Northwest Territories at the Immigrate NWT program page.

Media inquiries are being handled by Agata Gutkowska, manager of public affairs and communications at the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Government of the Northwest Territories. She can be reached at [email protected]. For applicant questions, the government listed 1-855-440-5450 and [email protected] as the primary contacts for the program team.

With the intake scheduled and the criteria in place, the territory is positioning NWT’s nominee program to finish the year at its full allocation and to keep more workers, families, and skills in communities across the North. The next two weeks, from November 10 to November 24, 2025, will determine how far that goal can be met before files must be wrapped by December 23, 2025. As winter sets in, employers and candidates will be racing the clock together, filing online, watching priority rules closely, and hoping their applications move fast enough to land within the remaining 103 spots.