How it works
About the employer-driven stream
Covers three categories: skilled worker, an Express Entry route carrying the nomination boost, and entry level and semi-skilled. Since March 2026 candidates enter a pool, are scored, and wait for a draw. Score ranges have fallen through the year, from 417 at the low end in March to 346 in August.
Applying from outside Canada: Effectively closed from abroad. A valid work permit is required, and the scoring rewards time already worked in the territory, so an overseas candidate would score near the floor and well below recent cut-offs.
Source: the province's own page for this stream. Last checked September 11, 2026. Provinces change stream criteria without notice, so confirm the detail before you rely on it.
Requirements
What this stream asks for
- A full-time, permanent job offer from an employer operating in the territory for at least a year and in good standing with the workers' compensation authority
- A valid work permit covering the processing period
- Language from CLB 4 to CLB 7 depending on the category and skill level
- An educational credential assessment for foreign qualifications
- For the Express Entry category, a pool acceptance letter, profile number and job seeker code
Programme
The Northwest Territories programme right now
Open. The employer-driven stream moved to an expression of interest model in March 2026, while the francophone and business streams stay first come, first served. The 2026 allocation was raised from 197 to 300 in August. The last draw currently scheduled is 25 September 2026, with a cut-off of 22 September for entering the pool.
Two official pages, including the one Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada links to, still display a notice saying the 2025 intake closed against a cap of 300. That text is stale and contradicted by the territory's 2026 announcements and its own published draw record.
Official NTNP page Official draw results
Checked against the province's own pages on September 11, 2026. Streams change through the year, so confirm on the official page before you apply.
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Other Northwest Territories streams
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