Yukon Express Entry

If a Yukon employer cannot find a qualified Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is ready and able to fill a position, the employer can nominate a foreign national in the Express Entry candidate pool. The job offered must fall under skill level 0, A, or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Candidates in any class of the Express Entry system – Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, or Canadian Experience Class – may be eligible to obtain a nomination through this program. Nominated candidates obtain 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), effectively guaranteeing an invitation to apply (ITA) in a future Express Entry draw.

The employee and the foreign national (i.e. the person looking to immigrate to Canada) work closely together on the application, which includes an outline of the job offer, and a settlement and retention plan that outlines how the employer will help the foreign national settle in Yukon and remain in the job. Both the employer and the foreign national must also sign a “tri-partite agreement” with the Government of Yukon’s Department of Economic Development. This agreement outlines the rights and responsibilities of the employer and the nominated employee.

As the application involves both the employer and the foreign national, there are eligibility requirements for each.

Yukon Express Entry: Employer eligibility requirements

In order to be eligible to apply to nominate a foreign national, an employer must:

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
• Have been registered and operating a business in the Yukon full-time for at least one year (three years for a non-profit organization), or be a recognized first nation, municipal, territorial, or federal government body in Yukon;
• Have current and valid licences, where required;
• Meet the minimum requirements for territorial labour standards;
• Advertise for at least four weeks (actively seeking qualified Canadians or permanent residents for the position) in the three-month period prior to submitting the application – the advertisement must remain posted until the YNP issues a decision on the application (see the program guide for more details);
• Submit the offer of employment information and pay a compliance fee, if the foreign national is exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA);
• Verify the foreign national’s qualifications and work experience before submitting the application;
• Provide health insurance (free to the nominee) giving the nominee similar coverage to what a Yukon resident receives, until the nominee is eligible for territorial coverage;
• Pay at least the Yukon median wage for the occupation;
• Pay air travel costs for the nominee, if he or she is not already in Yukon, and also return air transportation if the nominee does not obtain permanent resident status or no longer participates in the YNP; and
• Arrange for a screening interview with a Yukon Government Immigration officer, if the foreign national is already in Yukon.

Yukon Express Entry: Foreign national eligibility requirements

In order to be eligible for nomination through Yukon Express Entry, a foreign national must:

• Be eligible for one of the classes of Express Entry – Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, or Canadian Experience Class;
• Be in the Express Entry pool, with a valid profile number and job seeker code if applicable;
• Demonstrate sufficient settlement funds for themselves and any dependents, if in the Federal Skilled Worker or Federal Skilled Trades class (the requirements are set by the federal government for candidates in the Express Entry pool);
• Have a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade from a Canadian provincial or territorial authority, if in the Federal Skilled Trades class;
• Provide valid results from a designated language test, as follows (these are the requirements as stated in the YNP handbook, but these differ from the Express Entry requirements: the foreign national must still demonstrate sufficient language level to be eligible for an Express Entry class):
  • Foreign nationals in occupations classified NOC 0 or A: Must take an approved language test in either English or French demonstrating proficiency equal to or above the CLB 7;
  • Foreign nationals in occupations classified NOC B: Must take an approved language test in either English or French demonstrating proficiency equal to or above the CLB 5;
• Provide their full education and employment history, which the YNP will verify with the educational institution and employer;
• Plan to live in Yukon; and
• Provide various other documents required from the foreign national and any dependents; the YNP provides precise criteria for format. See the application form for full details.

Application process to Yukon Express Entry

The employer submits the application for nomination to the YNP. Once an application is approved, the foreign national receives nomination and 600 CRS points. Once the foreign national receives an ITA from the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in an Express Entry draw, he or she can apply for permanent resident status.

The YNP then works with IRCC to verify the foreign worker’s documents, and IRCC then decides whether the nominee receives permanent resident status.