The Government of Yukon has adopted an intake-based system for applications to the Yukon Nominee Program (YNP). Under this new approach, the YNP will accept a predetermined number of applications during each intake period. Once the application limit for a specific intake is reached, the program will stop accepting applications until the next intake period begins.
The first intake for 2025 is scheduled to open on January 29, with a cap of 125 applications. Moving forward, the YNP aims to conduct quarterly intakes, although no fixed schedule has been finalized yet.
The frequency and size of future intakes will depend on the number of nominations allocated by the Canadian federal government. Yukon has already requested an increase in nomination allocations for 2025.
Why the Change?
Previously, the YNP accepted applications year-round without intake periods or application caps. However, in 2024, the program experienced a significant surge in applications, surpassing its federal nomination allocation.
As a result, the YNP temporarily stopped accepting applications from employers in Whitehorse, Yukon’s capital and largest city. The new intake-based approach aims to manage applications more effectively and ensure steady processing throughout the year.
What is the Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)?
The Yukon Nominee Program is the territory’s premier immigration pathway, designed to address labour market needs by helping employers recruit skilled foreign workers.
This employer-driven program requires the foreign national and their employer to jointly submit an application for nomination. A successful application results in a nomination from Yukon, allowing the foreign worker to apply for Canadian permanent residence through the federal government.
The new intake system ensures that Yukon can efficiently process applications while meeting its labour market demands and federal nomination allocations.
