The Northwest Territories has received its largest-ever immigration allocation after Ottawa added 50 spaces to its Nominee Program, taking the territory's total for 2026 to a record 350.

The Government of the Northwest Territories announced on 10 November that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had granted the additional allocations for the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP), which nominates foreign nationals for permanent residence who intend to live and work in the territory and meet its labour-market needs.

A year of increases

The territory began 2026 with 197 nomination spaces. Sustained advocacy pushed that number to 300 in August, and the latest increase takes it to 350 — the highest annual total the territory has ever received, and 50 spaces above its year-end total of 300 in 2025. It is the second time Ottawa has raised the territory's allocation this year.

Extra draw on 18 November

To use the new room, the territory will hold an additional Expression of Interest draw under the Employer-Driven Stream on 18 November 2026. Anyone who wants to be considered must have an Expression of Interest profile submitted by 11:59 p.m. Northwest Territories Time on 17 November. It will be the fifth Employer-Driven Stream draw of 2026, after rounds on 25 March, 25 June, 26 August and 25 September, through which 353 workers have been invited to pursue territorial nomination.

The programme's Francophone and Business streams sit outside the Expression of Interest system and continue to take applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Selection rounds for 2027 will be announced once the territory receives its federal allocation for next year. Source: Government of Northwest Territories