The Government of Yukon has announced that the Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) will receive 282 nomination spaces for 2026, with the first application intake opening on January 19.
According to an official update released on January 12, 2026, Yukon has decided to continue with many of the same priorities used last year, while also introducing a few important additions. With this announcement, Yukon becomes the third province or territory to confirm its nomination allocation for the year, after British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
Who will Yukon prioritize in 2026?
In 2026, the Yukon Nominee Program will focus on candidates who can help meet labour market needs or who already have strong ties to the territory.
High priority will be given to regulated health care professionals. Yukon will also favour foreign nationals who meet at least one of the following conditions:
- Have lived and worked in Yukon for a minimum of one year
- Are graduates of Yukon University
- Are French-speaking (Francophone)
- Received a Temporary Measure Letter of Support in 2024 or 2025
To address workforce shortages outside major centres, Yukon will also prioritize employers located in rural communities.
Candidates who previously received a Temporary Measure Letter of Support in 2024 or 2025 will not need to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). Yukon authorities will contact them directly with further application instructions.
YNP intake dates for 2026
The Yukon Nominee Program is an employer-driven pathway, meaning employers submit an online Expression of Interest with basic details about the foreign worker they wish to nominate.
For 2026, two intake windows have been confirmed:
- First intake: January 19 to January 30
- Second intake: July 6 to July 17
EOIs that clearly match Yukon’s 2026 priority categories will receive higher scores. Employers who applied in 2025 but were not invited will also receive additional points.
After each intake period, the highest-ranking employers will be invited to submit a full nomination application.
How does 2026 compare to previous years?
Yukon’s 2026 allocation of 282 nominations is the same as the increased quota it received in August 2025, when the federal government added 67 nominations to its original allocation.
However, this number is still lower than the 430 nominations available in 2024, representing a reduction of around 34%.
Under Canada’s latest Immigration Levels Plan, announced in November 2025, the federal government increased overall admissions through provincial nominee programs. This increase may allow provinces and territories to request more nomination spaces.
At present, it is not yet confirmed whether Yukon will seek additional nomination slots later in 2026, as it did last year.
Despite having an allocation of 282 nominations in 2025, Yukon successfully nominated 312 candidates for permanent residence, showing continued demand for skilled workers in the territory.
