The
Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) offers immigration pathways for foreign workers who have an eligible job offer and employer support in Yukon. The appropriate stream depends on the position, your qualifications, and whether you qualify for Express Entry.Before planning your application, check three things:
your eligibility, your employer’s eligibility, and the current intake rules. Meeting a stream’s minimum requirements does not automatically mean you will be invited to apply.
Program information reviewed: November 4, 2026.What Is the Yukon Nominee Program?
The Yukon Nominee Program helps employers fill positions when qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are unavailable. Successful candidates receive a territorial nomination, which supports an application for Canadian permanent residence.Although commonly called
“Yukon PNP,” the official name is the Yukon Nominee Program. Yukon is a territory participating in Canada’s broader
Provincial Nominee Program framework.There are two distinct decisions: Yukon assesses the nomination application, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (
IRCC) assesses the permanent residence application.
A nomination does not guarantee permanent residence. The federal application must meet the applicable immigration and admissibility requirements.
Is the Yukon Nominee Program Open?
The published general Expression of Interest intake windows for 2026 have ended. This does not mean the program has permanently closed or that previously submitted applications have stopped being assessed.Yukon’s published 2026 schedule included:
| Stage | First intake | Second intake |
|---|
| Employer Expression of Interest submissions | January 19–30, 2026 | July 6–17, 2026 |
| Invitations scheduled | February 9–13, 2026 | August 3–7, 2026 |
| Full application deadline | March 4, 2026 | August 26, 2026 |
The announced allocation was
282 nominations for 2026. Published priorities included regulated healthcare professionals, rural employers, Yukon University graduates, French-speaking candidates, established Yukon workers, and certain temporary support-letter recipients.Before preparing a new submission, check the
official Yukon intake and program updates for additional announcements and instructions relevant to your circumstances.
Yukon Immigration Streams and Requirements
The three worker streams serve different occupations and applicant profiles.
| Stream | Eligible occupation categories | Relevant experience | Language requirements |
|---|
| Skilled Worker | TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 | At least 12 months | CLB 6 for TEER 0–1; CLB 5 for TEER 2–3 |
| Critical Impact Worker | TEER 4 and 5 | At least 6 months | CLB 4 |
| Yukon Express Entry | TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 | Yukon lists at least 6 months; federal program requirements also apply | Check both Yukon’s criteria and the applicable federal program |
TEER refers to the training, education, experience and responsibilities associated with an occupation under Canada’s National Occupational Classification. The job’s duties matter when identifying the correct occupation code.
Skilled Worker Stream
The
Yukon Skilled Worker stream covers management, professional, technical and other eligible occupations in TEER 0–3.Candidates need a qualifying full-time Yukon job offer, relevant experience, and the education required for the position. They must also intend to settle permanently in Yukon.
Critical Impact Worker Stream
The
Critical Impact Worker stream covers TEER 4–5 positions. It provides a pathway for eligible workers whose occupations fall outside the skilled categories used by Express Entry.The minimum experience and language thresholds are lower than those of the Skilled Worker stream, but
employer support and all other applicable requirements still apply.
Yukon Express Entry
The
Yukon Express Entry stream requires an active profile in the federal
Express Entry system and eligibility for at least one of these programs:
You also need a qualifying Yukon job offer and must satisfy the territorial criteria.Yukon’s published Express Entry criteria specify
CLB 7 for TEER 0–1 and CLB 5 for TEER 2–3. Federal requirements must also be met; satisfying a Yukon minimum does not establish federal eligibility.An accepted, valid Express Entry nomination provides
600 additional CRS points, subject to the system’s additional-points limit. This significantly strengthens your ranking, but an invitation and an approved permanent residence application remain separate steps. Our
Comprehensive Ranking System guide explains how CRS scoring works.
Job Offers and Employer Requirements
The Yukon worker streams are employer-driven. You cannot replace an employer’s participation by submitting your own EOI.The position must be full-time, year-round, and long-term. Employers must demonstrate that they have tried to recruit qualified Canadians or permanent residents.Employer eligibility involves more than a willingness to support immigration. Relevant checks include:
- An established, eligible Yukon operation.
- Required registrations and licences.
- Compliance with recruitment and employment requirements.
- Appropriate wages and working conditions.
- The ability to meet responsibilities toward the nominee.
Published recruitment requirements generally include advertising for
at least four weeks, with continued recruitment until a decision.
Finding Yukon PNP Jobs
When reviewing a vacancy, ask the employer whether it is willing and eligible to participate in the YNP. A job advertisement alone does not establish immigration support.Useful questions include:
- Is the position year-round?
- What are the duties, hours, and wage?
- Will the employer submit an EOI when an applicable intake opens?
- Has the employer reviewed its program obligations?
Treat any proposed “Yukon PNP employer list” as a starting point for verification. Eligibility must be assessed against the actual employer, position, and application circumstances.
Employers cannot charge workers for recruitment services or the YNP application process, or recover those costs from them.How to Apply for the Yukon Nominee Program
The application involves both the employer and the foreign worker. Preparing documents early can help, but submission must follow the applicable intake and invitation instructions.
1. Check the Job and Stream
Match the position to its NOC and TEER category. Review the worker’s experience, education, language results and immigration status alongside the employer’s eligibility.For Express Entry, assess federal eligibility as well as Yukon’s requirements.
2. Complete Recruitment Requirements
The employer must document its recruitment efforts and explain why qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents were not hired. Job advertisements should accurately describe the position.
3. Submit the Employer EOI
During an applicable intake, the employer submits an
Expression of Interest identifying the candidate and relevant selection factors.
An EOI is not a nomination application approval. It is part of the process used to select employers for an invitation.
4. Submit the Full Application if Invited
Invited employers must follow the invitation instructions, attend the required information session, and submit a complete application by the deadline.Both parties complete their respective sections and provide supporting evidence. Statements made in the EOI must be supported by the application.
5. Complete Nomination and Federal Processing
If approved, the employer and worker complete Yukon’s agreement requirements. The nominee then follows the appropriate federal permanent residence process—Express Entry or non-Express Entry.
A Yukon employer invitation is different from an IRCC Express Entry invitation. They occur at different stages and serve different purposes.
Documents, Language Tests and Immigration Status
Prepare evidence around the criteria you need to establish.
| Evidence category | Examples |
|---|
| Identity and family | Passports, marriage or partnership records, dependent children’s documents |
| Employment experience | Employer letters describing dates, duties and job titles; supporting employment records |
| Education | Diplomas, degrees and credentials required for the occupation |
| Language ability | Results from an accepted English or French test |
| Canadian status | Applicable work or study permits and relevant IRCC correspondence |
| Express Entry | Profile information and evidence of the eligible federal program, where applicable |
Language results must be
less than two years old when applying. Check scores across all required abilities rather than relying only on an overall IELTS result.If you are in Canada, review your status carefully.
Submitting an EOI or nomination application does not itself extend a work permit. The handbook also identifies restrictions affecting some immigration statuses and applicant histories.Use the current
Yukon Nominee Program application handbook for document, notarization and translation instructions.
Yukon PNP Points, Draws and Selection
Searching for a
Yukon PNP points calculator can lead to information about several different systems.
| System | Purpose |
|---|
| Worker-stream EOI scoring | Ranks employer submissions against the applicable intake priorities |
| Express Entry CRS | Ranks eligible candidates in the federal Express Entry pool |
| Business Nominee assessment grid | Assesses candidates under the separate business immigration pathway |
A score from one system cannot establish eligibility or competitiveness under another.For worker-stream EOIs, selection depends on the published priorities and available places. Meeting minimum eligibility does not guarantee an invitation, and previous selection results should not be treated as a promised future cutoff.
Options for French-Speaking Applicants
French-speaking candidates are among Yukon’s published 2026 priorities. The operational guidance uses
NCLC/CLB 5 in all four French abilities to substantiate the Francophone selection factor.It also states that qualifying French-speaking nominees meeting that threshold do not count toward the regular YNP allocation.
French ability does not remove the job-offer, employer or stream requirements. Confirm both the evidence needed for the selection factor and the language threshold of your chosen immigration pathway.
Yukon Nominee Program Processing Times and Costs
Processing Times
Separate the timeline into three stages:
- Waiting for an intake and employer invitation.
- Yukon’s assessment of the complete nomination application.
- Federal permanent residence processing.
Yukon’s 2026 operational guidance states that it
does not provide an estimated nomination processing time. A general “12–14 weeks” claim should therefore not be used as a promise for the current process.Federal processing varies by application route, completeness, verification and other factors.
Application Costs
Yukon’s published guidance confirms
no YNP application fee for 2026. Other expenses may still apply.
| Cost category | What to budget for |
|---|
| Federal applications | Applicable permanent residence, work permit and biometric fees |
| Supporting evidence | Language tests, medical examinations, police certificates and translations |
| Credentials | Assessments or occupational licensing where required |
| Settlement | Housing, travel and initial living expenses |
| Professional assistance | Optional representation under a separate service agreement |
Employer obligations and applicant expenses should be reviewed separately. Our
Canadian work permit overview explains the temporary work authorization side of the process.The
2026 Yukon operational guidance provides further detail on nomination procedures, selection and fees.
Yukon Business Immigration
Entrepreneurs should assess the
Yukon Business Nominee Program, which has its own financial, experience and business requirements.Published minimums include:
- CAD 500,000 personal net worth.
- CAD 300,000 in liquid assets.
- CAD 300,000 in eligible capital investment during the first two years.
- At least three years of entrepreneurial or business management experience.
- At least five years of experience relevant to the proposed business.
- At least 65 points on the business assessment grid.
These are different financial tests, not three amounts that should automatically be added together. The proposed business must also satisfy sector and active-management requirements.Read our dedicated
Yukon entrepreneur program guide to explore this pathway separately.
Yukon Community Pilot Status
The
Yukon Community Pilot closed to new applications on June 30, 2025. IRCC continues to process applications received on or before that date.The pilot previously supported a location-restricted work permit involving multiple employers in a participating community. Those historical arrangements should not be treated as current application options.Applicants researching the pilot should instead assess the available worker or business pathways. See IRCC’s
official Yukon Community Pilot closure notice for the status of the former program.
Assess Your Yukon Immigration Options
A useful Yukon immigration assessment should consider the
job offer, employer participation, occupation, experience, language ability, immigration status, and intake rules together.Before committing to this pathway, identify what you already meet and what still needs evidence. For example, a suitable job offer may still require employer recruitment records, while an Express Entry profile must remain eligible throughout the relevant process.Complete the
CanadaPass free immigration assessment to share your background and explore relevant options.If you already have a Yukon job offer or need a detailed review of your circumstances,
book a consultation to discuss eligibility, documentation and the next practical steps.
