Yukon Skilled Worker Stream: Yukon Nominee Program for Skilled Jobs

The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) is Yukon's version of the Provincial Nominee Program. Each year the federal government gives Yukon a set number of nominations. Yukon uses them to pick foreign workers its employers need, and a nomination lets that worker apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR).

The Skilled Worker stream is one of three YNP worker streams. It covers skilled jobs, which in Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) means TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities. TEER 0 is management, TEER 1 usually needs a university degree, and TEER 2 and 3 usually need college training, an apprenticeship, or on-the-job training.

The other two worker streams are:

• Critical Impact Worker, for entry-level jobs in TEER 4 and 5.
• Yukon Express Entry, for skilled workers who are already in the federal Express Entry pool.

The Skilled Worker stream is a "base" stream. That means your PR application goes to IRCC outside the Express Entry system. It does not add 600 points to an Express Entry profile.

The whole program is employer-driven. The Yukon government works with the employer, not with job seekers directly. If you do not have a Yukon employer ready to support you, this stream is not open to you. For the full picture of immigration to the territory, see our Yukon guide.

As of September 2026, the stream still exists, but new entries are limited to set intake windows.

Employers who received a Temporary Measure Letter of Support from Yukon in 2024 or 2025 did not need to submit an EOI. Yukon contacted them separately with next steps.

Yukon says it invites the employers whose EOIs best match its yearly priorities. For 2026, those priorities include health care professionals, employers in rural Yukon communities, and French speakers, among others. If you are a francophone, the EOI asks whether you speak French and when you took the TEF Canada or TCF Canada test, so a recent French test can help.

If you are hoping to use this stream, ask your employer to watch yukon.ca for the next intake. Yukon has not announced 2027 dates as of September 22, 2026.

Both you and your employer must meet Yukon's rules. The official criteria are published on yukon.ca and can change each year, so treat this as an overview.

What you need as the worker

• A full-time, permanent job offer from a Yukon employer in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation.
• The education, training, experience and any license the job requires.
• A language test result that meets Yukon's minimum for your occupation (English or French). Our language tests guide explains the approved tests.
• Legal status if you are already in Canada, for example a valid work permit.
• A real plan to live and work in Yukon.

What your employer needs

• An established business operating in Yukon.
• Proof that it tried to hire Canadians and permanent residents first, usually by advertising the job locally and nationally.
• A wage that meets Yukon's rules for the occupation.
• Willingness to take part in the process, sign the program agreement, and meet ongoing obligations.

Yukon does not accept every eligible EOI. With 282 nominations shared across all streams, meeting the minimums does not mean you will be invited.

In 2026 Yukon moved to an Expression of Interest model for new employers. The EOI is not an application. It is a short profile that scores both the employer and the foreign worker against Yukon's priorities for the year.

After each window closes, Yukon ranks the EOIs and invites the highest-ranking employers to submit a full YNP application. This is different from a first-come, first-served system. Sending an EOI on the first day of the window gives no advantage.

Things that can help an EOI rank higher, based on Yukon's published 2026 priorities:

• The job is in health care.
• The job is in a rural Yukon community rather than Whitehorse.
• You speak French and can prove it with a TEF Canada or TCF Canada result.

Yukon has also required candidates to attend an information session before the final application. Your employer will receive instructions if you are invited.

A nomination is not permanent residence. It is Yukon's support for your PR application to IRCC.

1. Apply to IRCC within 6 months. Yukon requires nominees to submit their PR application within six months of approval.
2. Gather federal documents. IRCC asks for a medical exam, police certificates, and biometrics. Include your spouse or partner and dependent children in the application.
3. Keep your status. If your work permit is ending, look at options such as extending your status or a bridging open work permit. Check eligibility on canada.ca first.
4. Land as a permanent resident. Our landing guide covers what happens at the end.

IRCC sets its own fees and processing times. You can check them on canada.ca or with our processing times tool.

If you qualify for Express Entry, the Yukon Express Entry stream usually leads to faster federal processing. If you do not, the Skilled Worker stream is the right Yukon route for a skilled job.

No Yukon community is part of the federal Rural or Francophone Community Immigration Pilots, and Yukon's own Yukon Community Pilot ended in June 2025. If Yukon does not work out, compare the Northwest Territories Skilled Worker category and the federal Rural Community Immigration Pilot.

• Never pay for a job offer. A real Yukon employer does not sell nominations. If someone asks for money in exchange for a job or a nomination, treat it as fraud. Read our scam protection guide.
• Use a licensed representative if you need help. In Canada, only lawyers and licensed consultants (RCICs) may charge you for immigration advice. Here is how to verify a lawyer or consultant.
• Past refusals or a criminal record can affect both the nomination and the federal application. Talk to a lawyer or RCIC before you apply. See our inadmissibility guide.

Employers who want to understand their side of the process can read our PNP guide for employers.