Northwest Territories nominee quota rises to record 350

The Government of the Northwest Territories announced on November 10 that Ottawa has added 50 more spaces to the Northwest Territories Nominee Program, lifting its 2026 total to 350 — the highest annual allocation the territory has ever received.

From 197 to 350 after two increases

The territory began 2026 with 197 nomination spaces. Ottawa raised the allocation by 103 spaces to 300 in August, and the latest increase of 50 brings the total to 350 — 50 more than the 300 nominations the territory held at the end of 2025. It is the second time Ottawa has raised the territory’s allocation this year.

Extra draw on November 18

To use the new room, the territory will hold an additional Expression of Interest draw under the Employer-Driven Stream on November 18 — the fifth such draw of 2026, after rounds on March 25, June 25, August 26 and September 25, which together invited 353 workers to apply for nomination. Anyone who wants to be considered must submit an Expression of Interest profile by 11:59 p.m. Northwest Territories Time on November 17.

Other streams stay first-come, first-served

The nominee program has three streams — Employer-Driven, Francophone and Business — and the Francophone and Business streams continue to operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The territory says selection rounds for 2027 will be announced once it receives its federal allocation, and it has not disclosed how many nominations it has issued so far this year. Sources: Government of the Northwest Territories; CIC News.