Ottawa will provide new work permits to temporary workers under Yukon nominee program

Law360 Canada (October 1, 2024, 1:25 PM EDT) -- After reaching similar deals with the governments of Alberta and Manitoba, Ottawa has announced it will provide new work permits for up to 215 temporary workers identified and supported by the Government of Yukon in order to enable such foreign nationals deemed “crucial to the economic development in the territory” to keep working as these skilled workers process their permanent residence applications under the Yukon nominee program.

Individuals eligible under the territorial nominee program, which is run in collaboration with the federal government, must meet certain criteria and are expected to transition to permanent residence in 2025 and 2026, according to the Oct. 1, 2024, announcement from the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

“This agreement is a critical development that will allow foreign nationals to remain in the Yukon and continue to provide valuable contributions to our labour market until they are able to apply to the Yukon nominee program,” Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai said in a statement. “This temporary measure will help provide greater certainty for foreign nationals who call the Yukon home as we work to support their transition to permanent residency.”

Added federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller, “By giving new work permits for skilled workers in Yukon, we are not only supporting local labour market needs in critical sectors but also giving more temporary residents a clear pathway to permanent residence. This agreement is a key step in our ongoing collaboration with provinces and territories to spread the benefits of immigration across the country, and strengthen the social and economic fabric of our communities.”

Miller said that the same option “remains on the table for other provinces and territories who need to retain their skilled workers.”

“IRCC remains open to exploring options with all provinces and territories to transition a greater portion of current temporary residents to permanent residence while addressing their labour market needs,” the federal government said. “IRCC will continue to collaborate with provinces and territories to achieve our shared economic immigration objectives.”

IRCC noted that in 2023, about 23 per cent of all permanent resident admissions came through the provincial and territorial nominee program that directly supports provinces and territories in meeting their labour market needs.

In 2023, the provincial nominee program represented nearly 40 per cent of planned economic admissions, making it the largest economic immigration program under the federal government’s immigration levels plan, the immigration department said.

According to IRCC, nationally almost 157,000 people transitioned from worker status to permanent residence last year.

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