Maple News reports that the Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) has announced its 2026 nomination allocation and program priorities. For the upcoming year, the territory has been granted 282 nomination spaces to support the permanent residency applications of skilled foreign workers and other eligible applicants.
The first intake period for 2026 will open on January 19. As an employer-driven program, employers must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) on behalf of the foreign worker they wish to nominate.
Yukon will continue to focus on its core immigration priorities from 2025, while also introducing new criteria that aim to better address pressing labour shortages—particularly in rural areas. Notably, the program will prioritize candidates who are already familiar with and connected to the territory.
Top priority will be given to regulated health care professionals. Additionally, foreign nationals meeting one or more of the following conditions will be favoured:
– Lived and worked in Yukon for at least one year
– Graduated from Yukon University
– Identify as Francophone (French-speaking)
– Received a Temporary Measure Letter of Support in 2024 or 2025
Candidates who received a Temporary Measure Letter of Support in the past two years will not need to submit an EOI; Yukon authorities will reach out to them directly with further instructions for completing their application.
As Yukon identifies rural workforce development as a key goal in 2026, foreign workers supporting employers outside the territory’s main urban centres will receive extra consideration.
Yukon is the third Canadian region to release its 2026 allocation, following British Columbia and Saskatchewan. These nomination targets are part of Canada’s broader Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) strategy to help meet both national and local economic needs through targeted immigration.
With the combination of clear criteria, targeted intake periods, and emphasis on settlement success, Yukon’s updated approach aims to ensure its nominees are positioned to thrive in the territory’s unique professional and cultural environment.