Yukon Business Nominee Program: Immigrating as an Entrepreneur

The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) is Yukon's version of the Provincial Nominee Program. Most of it is employer-driven, meaning a Yukon employer supports a foreign worker. The Business Nominee stream is the exception. It is for people who want to come to Yukon to run their own business.

The idea is simple. You bring money, business experience, and a workable plan. You buy, start, or invest in a Yukon business and manage it day to day. If you meet the program's terms, Yukon supports your application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR).

This is not a passive investor program. Outside Quebec, Canada does not have a PR route where you only invest money. You must live in Yukon and take part in running the business.

Yukon is a small market. Most of its residents live in Whitehorse, and many businesses depend on tourism, mining, government and local services. A plan that fits real local demand matters more here than in a large city.

For the rest of Yukon's routes, see our Yukon guide.

We could not confirm the 2026 intake status for this update.

Here is what we do know as of September 22, 2026:

• Yukon's 2026 allocation from IRCC is 282 nominations for the whole YNP.
• Yukon's 2026 announcements described an Expression of Interest (EOI) process for three worker streams: Skilled Worker, Critical Impact Worker and Yukon Express Entry. They did not describe a 2026 business intake.
• The Business Nominee program still has its own page on yukon.ca.

Before you prepare anything, contact Yukon's business immigration office through yukon.ca. Ask whether it is accepting new applications, whether a cap applies this year, and which version of the criteria is current. Business plans, accountant reviews, and exploratory trips can cost a lot of money, and you should not spend it on a stream that is not taking applications.

Yukon publishes the official criteria on its Business Nominee page. Descriptions of the program published by licensed consultants in April 2026 list these main requirements. We could not confirm the figures on yukon.ca for this update, so treat them as a guide only and check the current rules.

All amounts are in Canadian dollars. You also need to show that your money was earned legally. Expect to document the source of your funds in detail, often going back many years.

Yukon's grid awards points for things like the size of your investment, net worth, age, education, experience, language, and prior visits to Yukon. An exploratory visit to meet local business contacts can help you and your plan.

Also check whether Yukon excludes the type of business you have in mind. Most provincial and territorial business streams exclude some types, such as passive real estate investment or businesses that are only a way to hold money.

Most Canadian provincial business streams work in two stages, and it is worth knowing the pattern before you contact Yukon:

1. Assessment and approval. You submit an application with a detailed business plan, proof of net worth, and documents showing your experience. The province or territory may interview you.
2. Set-up period. If approved, you usually come to Canada on a work permit supported by the province or territory, invest the money, and start running the business.
3. Final nomination. When you have met the terms you agreed to, such as the investment and your active role, you are nominated for PR.
4. PR application. You apply to IRCC, which does its own medical, security and background checks.

Ask Yukon how it handles each stage today, because the details, timelines and any deposits are set by the territory.

Your spouse or partner and dependent children can be included in the final PR application. Children may be able to study in Canada while you set up the business. See our study permit guide.

Federal business routes are limited right now. The Start-Up Visa closed to new applicants at the end of 2025, and a new entrepreneur pilot has been promised but not launched. The Self-Employed Persons Program is paused.

That leaves provincial and territorial business streams as the main option. Compare:

Saskatchewan closed all of its entrepreneur and farm streams on March 27, 2025.

• Get the current rules in writing from Yukon or its official website.
• Use licensed help. Business immigration is complex. Work with a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC), and check their license first. See how to verify a lawyer or consultant.
• Beware of guaranteed-result offers. No one can guarantee a nomination, and buying a business does not guarantee PR. Read our scam protection guide.
• Plan your status. If you are already in Canada, make sure your current permit stays valid.