Maple News reports that the Government of the Northwest Territories has postponed the previously scheduled January 16, 2025, reopening of the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP). This decision follows a significant reduction in the territory’s nomination allocation from the federal government.
Originally, the NTNP had planned to accept 100 new applications for permanent residency in its first 2025 intake. However, a notice from the federal government on January 15 revealed that the Northwest Territories’ allocation for the year had been halved—from 300 to 150 nominations. In response, the territorial government has delayed the opening to reassess its program strategy in light of the reduced targets.
Officials emphasized their continued commitment to reopening the program and confirmed that a revised launch date will be announced as soon as it is finalized. In the meantime, foreign nationals interested in immigrating through the NTNP are advised to wait for the official program resumption before submitting their applications.
The decrease in NTNP allocations aligns with broader federal immigration policy changes. Canada’s latest Immigration Levels Plan—announced in October 2024—set the 2025 target for permanent resident landings through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) at 55,000. This represents a 50% drop from 2024’s target of 110,000.
This adjustment to PNP numbers is part of a larger effort by the federal government to recalibrate Canada’s immigration intake. While overall permanent residency targets were reduced by 20%, PNP-specific reductions have been more pronounced, affecting how territories and provinces manage their individual nominee programs.
Maple News will continue to monitor developments around the NTNP and provide updates as they become available.