Formerly known as the Yukon Territory, Yukon is found on the north-western side of Canada and is an area of high plateaus and mountains. To the east it shares boundaries with the Northwest Territories, British Columbia to the south and Alaska to the west. Immigrants who want to make the move to Yukon can do so with the Yukon Provincial Nominee Program (Yukon PNP).
Yukon is especially known for its abundance of mineral wealth, sparse population and large areas of unspoiled wilderness. Over two-thirds of the total population in Yukon live in Whitehorse, the capital city. Nearly one-third of the population is of aboriginal origin. The rest of the population is comprised of European descendants or of mixed aboriginal and immigrant descent.
Yukon Provincial Nominee Program (Yukon PNP)
Due to the fact that Yukon is very sparsely populated, it holds plenty of opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled immigrants to call it home.
The main immigration programs is the Yukon Provincial Nominee Program. The Yukon PNP has various categories under which an individual may qualify for immigration, these include:
Express Entry;
Skilled Worker Program;
Critical Impact Worker Program; and
Business Nominee Program
Express Entry
Eligible candidates who wish to enter the federal Express Entry pool and are interested in living and working in Yukon may apply to the Yukon Express Entry stream (YEE). Yukon introduced an Express Entry stream to its existing immigration programs in March 2015. The stream allows the province to nominate persons who are already in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Express Entry pool and who have the necessary education, skilled work experience, language ability and other factors to help them settle and integrate successfully into Yukon’s labour market and communities.
To immigrate under this category you will have to:
Meet the requirements of one of the three federal economic immigration programs;
Complete the online Express Entry application to receive a profile number and, if applicable, a Job Seeker Validation Code;
Have sufficient settlement funds to support themselves and any accompanying family members upon arriving in Canada;
Have a valid job offer for permanent, full-time work from an eligible Yukon employer
Have a genuine intention to live and work in Yukon
Skilled Worker Program and Critical Impact Worker Program
These two programs are often written about together, because the requirements for them are quite similar. If you have a job offer for a position included in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) A, 0 or B categories, you should apply for the Skilled Worker stream. However, you should apply for the Critical Impact Worker stream if your job offer falls under NOC categories C or D. Generally low-skilled or unskilled occupations fall under the Critical Impact Worker Stream. The requirements for these programs are typically based on a job offer, language skills, work experience etc.
If you would like to apply for either of these streams you will have to satisfy all of the following requirements.
You must:
Have a student visa or a valid Temporary Work Permit (TWP), issued by the relevant authorities if you are already living in Canada when you apply;
Not be visitor or someone who claims refugee status;
Have a job offer from an employer in the Yukon that meets all the criteria for nomination;
Be able to show proof of work experience that qualifies you for the position;
Meet the language criteria needed to accurately fulfill your position’s duties. For more detailed information on this requirement you can consult the province’s Application Handbook;
Have the intention to live and work in the province;
Apply for permanent residence within 3-6 months of your employment starting date;
Have a minimum of six months of relevant work experience in a full-time position within the past ten years before you apply if you are applying for the Critical Impact Worker Program; and
Have a minimum of 12 months of relevant work experience in a full-time position within the past ten years before you apply if you are applying for the Skilled Worker Program
In addition to the above requirements, if you are apply under the Critical Impact Worker, program you need to:
Have worked for the same employer offering the permanent position on a valid work permit for a minimum of six months prior to the application or obtained a minimum score of 55 points on the Yukon Nominee Program Pre-Assessment points grid; and
Obtain a minimum score of 55 points on the Yukon Nominee Program Pre-Assessment points grid
Apart from the requirements that you need to meet, your employer also needs to meet specific criteria for your application to be successful.
Your employer must:
Have permanent residency status in Canada;
Have all the licences, certifications and qualifications needed to operate the business. This documentation must be valid and up-to-date with standards and regulations;
Be related to a registered business in the province that has been in operation, full-time, for a minimum of a year; and
Be operating in a recognized business type for the appropriate duration>
Yukon Business Nominee Program
If you are hoping to run your own business in Yukon as a foreigner entrepreneur, then the Business Nominee Program is perfect for you. First, however, you need to make sure that both you and your intended business meet an extensive list of requirements.
If you would like to apply for this stream you will have to satisfy all of the following personal eligibility requirements.
You must:
Achieve a minimum score of 65 point on the assessment grid;
Have a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent;
If your business requires further education, you must have that too;
Have a minimum of three years of business management or entrepreneurial experience;
Have at least five years of experience relevant to your business;
Not be a refugee or refugee status seeker in Canada;
Must never have been denied immigration status by the Canadian government;
Have no active applications for any other immigration streams or programs;
Have a minimum net worth of CAN$500,000, as well as a letter from a accounting firm based in Yukon stipulating you came by the wealth by legal means;
Including cash, bonds and derivatives, have a minimum of CAN$300,000 in liquid assets. You will also need a letter from a accounting firm based in Yukon stipulating you obtained the assets by legal means;
Intend to settle, live and run your business permanently in Yukon;
Hold a position in your business that falls under the NOC 0 or A identifications;
Have not yet engaged in the purchasing or opening of a new business at the time of your application; and
Through a business plan, show your intention to invest at least CAN$300,000 in your business within two years;
In addition to the above requirements, your proposed business must:
Be a new business or the purchase of an existing business to be managed by you. You may not be a passive investor.
Fall under one of the prescribed strategic sectors
Complete applications need to be submitted to provincial government of Yukon in person or by mail. The documents must be original, signed copies otherwise they will be rejected. You can expect to be contacted within eight to ten weeks of us accepting your application.
Applications that meet all the requirements are placed within a pool of potential candidates and will be kept there for six months. If you are selected during this time, you will be asked to provide additional documents to prove all the information in your application is correct. Once these get approved, you will be invited for an in-person with a provincial government official.
If your interview was successful, you and your business proposal will be assessed. Approved applicants will be issued a 2-year work permit to start your business in Yukon. During this period, you must settle you, your dependents and business in the province. After the 2-year permit period, the federal government will support your application for permanent residency.
If you want to immigrate using a Yukon PNP, you have come to the right place! Sign up and complete our online evaluation today to discover if you qualify. Our team of experts are ready to petition for your application’s success. What are you waiting for?