Yukon Nominee Program
Highlights
The Yukon Nominee Program is designed to help your business fill critical job vacancies with skilled workers. This program is for you because it allows you to hire qualified foreign nationals when no suitable Canadian or permanent resident is available. This can be a game-changer for maintaining and growing your operations.
Why should you apply? The program offers several benefits:
- Access to skilled workers: Fill positions that are essential to your business.
- Streamlined process: Choose from four program streams tailored to different needs.
- Support for permanent residency: Help your employees gain permanent residency, increasing their commitment to your business.
What’s in it for you? By participating, you can ensure your business runs smoothly with the right talent. The program is employer-driven, making it easier for you to manage the application process. Plus, the standard processing time is 12 to 14 weeks, which is efficient compared to other programs. This program is a valuable resource to keep your business competitive and thriving.
Financing Details
Type of Financing: Loan
Repayment Terms and Interest Rates:
- The loan must be repaid within 5 years.
- Interest rates are fixed at 3% per annum.
Eligible Expenses:
- Salaries and wages for new hires.
- Purchase of new equipment and machinery.
- Marketing and advertising costs.
- Training and development programs for employees.
Ineligible Expenses:
- Personal expenses.
- Repayment of existing debts.
- Real estate purchases.
- Any non-business-related expenses.
Fees:
- Application fee of $150.
- Annual administration fee of 1% of the loan amount.
Qualifications
- Must be an employer based in rural Yukon communities.
- Must offer a full-time, permanent position to an eligible foreign national.
- Must ensure the offered wage meets or exceeds the higher of the current median wage set by the Government of Canada or the current minimum wage set by the Government of Yukon.
- Annual income must meet or exceed the low income cut-off (LICO) before tax for the family size.
- Must advertise the position locally and nationally.
- Must ensure all supporting documentation is valid throughout the application process and at the time of assessment.
Must submit a complete application with all required forms and documents.
Disqualifications:
- Employers based in Whitehorse (until application intake resumes in 2025).
- Foreign nationals who are on maintained status, such as those on an extension of a post-graduate work permit or a working holiday visa.
- Incomplete applications or applications missing required documents.
Description
This program helps your business fill job vacancies by bringing skilled workers to Yukon. If you can't find qualified Canadian workers, you can use this program to hire foreign workers.
Benefits for your business:
- Access to Skilled Workers: You can hire skilled workers from outside Canada to meet your business needs.
- Permanent Employment: Offer full-time, permanent positions to eligible foreign nationals.
- Support for Essential Operations: Ensure your business continues to run smoothly by filling critical roles.
Conditions and Process:
- Advertise Locally and Nationally: You must first try to hire locally before using this program.
- Application Review: Choose the right stream for your needs and complete all required forms.
- Temporary to Permanent Residency: Workers can start with a temporary work permit and apply for permanent residency within six months.
This program is a valuable opportunity to strengthen your workforce and support your business growth.
Program Steps
Advertise the Position: Post the job opening locally and nationally. Ensure no qualified Canadian or permanent resident applies.
Choose the Appropriate Stream: Review the criteria for each Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) stream. Select the stream that best fits your needs.
Offer the Position: Extend a full-time, permanent job offer to an eligible foreign national.
Prepare Documentation: Gather all necessary documents, including:
- Completed Yukon Nominee Program application form
- Proof of job advertisement
- Business license
- Language test results
- Yukon Corporate Online Registry (YCOR) documents
- Any other required forms and documents listed in the application checklist
Complete and Submit Application: Ensure all forms and documents are attached. Submit the completed application to the Yukon Nominee Program.
Submit Compliance Fee and Letter of Offer: Once approved, submit the compliance fee and the letter of offer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) via the Employer Portal.
Sign Tri-Partite Agreement (TPA): After approval, sign a Tri-Partite Agreement with the Government of Yukon and the nominee.
Nominee Applies for Permanent Residency: The nominee must submit an application to IRCC for permanent residency within 6 months of signing the TPA.
Temporary Work Permit: The nominee works for you under a temporary work permit while their permanent residency is being processed.
Admissibility Checks: Ensure the nominee meets all admissibility checks (security, health, criminality).
Permanent Residency Approval: Once IRCC approves the permanent residency application, the nominee becomes a permanent resident of Canada.