Immigrate to the Northwest Territories: NWT Nominee Program and Life in the North

The Northwest Territories is a large, northern territory with a small population. About half of the people live in Yellowknife, the capital, on the shore of Great Slave Lake. People move here for well-paid jobs in government, health care, mining, and construction, for the outdoors and the northern lights, and for close-knit communities. The NWT recognizes 11 official languages: English, French, and nine Indigenous languages.

The North is not for everyone. Winters are long, cold, and dark, many communities are reached only by air or winter road, and housing and groceries are expensive. Many newcomers first come on a work permit with an NWT employer and apply for nomination once they know they want to stay.

The NWT is not part of the federal Rural Community Immigration Pilot, so the NWT Nominee Program and Express Entry are the main routes.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) first gave the NWT 197 nominations for 2026. On August 7, 2026, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) announced the allocation had been raised to 300, which brings it back to the 2024 and 2025 level.

With the extra spaces, the GNWT added an Expression of Interest draw on August 26, 2026. The final draw of 2026 is planned for September 25, 2026, and profiles had to be in by September 22.

The immigratenwt.ca site also lists the federal Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, which helps skilled refugees and displaced people get jobs with Canadian employers. No NWT stream has closed since 2025.

The NWT changed its intake for 2026 after public consultations in September 2025. The program reopened on March 9, 2026.

1. Get a job offer. An NWT employer must offer you a job and show that no Canadian or permanent resident is available to fill it.
2. Your employer applies through the NWT Nominee Program online portal.
3. You submit an EOI for the right category. According to CIC News, profiles are scored on language (up to 125 points), age (50), work experience (100), education (100), connections to the NWT labor market (340), and adaptability to the NWT (130). The GNWT says the system favors people who match local job needs and are likely to stay.
4. Draws. The GNWT invites up to 65 of the highest-scoring profiles per draw. 2026 draws were held on March 25, June 25, and August 26, with a final draw on September 25.
5. Apply and get nominated, then apply to IRCC for permanent residence. NWT Express Entry nominees get 600 extra points in Express Entry.

The Francophone and Business streams do not use EOIs. The GNWT says it takes them first-come, first-served because there are fewer applicants.

Nobody can sell you an NWT nomination. See our scam protection guide.

• Mining: diamond mines and exploration projects, often on fly-in, fly-out rotations.
• Health care: nurses, physicians, and allied health workers across the territory.
• Government and public services: territorial, municipal, and Indigenous governments.
• Construction and trades: housing, infrastructure, and equipment maintenance.
• Tourism and services: aurora tourism, hotels, restaurants, and retail, which often use the Entry Level/Semi-Skilled category.

Main communities: Yellowknife (the capital), Hay River, Inuvik, Fort Smith, Behchokǫ̀, and Norman Wells. Services outside Yellowknife are limited, so check schools, health care, and housing before you accept a job in a small community.

NWT Health Care Plan

The NWT Health Care Plan covers doctor and hospital care for eligible residents. People moving from another province or territory wait about three months, and their old province covers them during that time. If you are coming from outside Canada, or you are on a work permit or study permit, contact the Health Services Administration Office to confirm your eligibility and start date, and send a copy of your immigration document. Carry private insurance until you are covered.

Driver's license

Driver's licenses are issued by the GNWT Department of Infrastructure. If your license is from a place with an exchange agreement, you can often swap it. Otherwise, you take a knowledge test and a road test. You can use a valid foreign license only for a limited time after you settle. Winter roads and ice roads need special care.

Settlement services: immigratenwt.ca lists newcomer services, and IRCC's online tool shows federally funded settlement help, including language classes and job support. French speakers can find services through the NWT's francophone community organizations.

Cost of living: There is no territorial sales tax, but food, fuel, and housing are expensive, especially outside Yellowknife where goods are flown or trucked in. Rental housing in Yellowknife is limited, so ask your employer about housing before you move. Salaries are often higher than in the south to make up for this, and residents can claim the federal northern residents deduction on their taxes.

Licensing: Regulated jobs need an NWT license. Examples include the NWT and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (NAPEG) for engineers and the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut for nurses. Trades certification goes through the NWT apprenticeship program. See our guides to credential assessment and language tests.

• Express Entry, including French-language draws and health care draws.
• LMIA work permit: many NWT employers hire this way before supporting a nomination.
• Francophone mobility work permit: for French speakers with a job offer outside Quebec.
• TR to PR 2026: this federal pathway excludes the 41 largest urban areas, so NWT workers may be able to use it.
• Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot for skilled refugees.
• Yukon and Nunavut, the other two territories.

If you have a past refusal, a criminal record, or status problems, talk to a lawyer or a licensed consultant (RCIC) first. See how to verify a lawyer or consultant.