The intake for the 2024 Yukon Nominee Program is on temporary pause for Whitehorse-based businesses after surpassing its cap and receiving close to 600 applications, with the backlog currently being processed.
The program is designed to fill labour shortages by expediting the Canada PR process for foreign nationals looking to come to Canada.
The suspension of the program in Whitehorse is intended to manage the current application volume.
“The labour pool in Whitehorse is more robust, which means that Whitehorse employers generally have more options available to them when it comes to fulfilling their labour needs,” said the Yukon government cabinet via email.
Since January, the Yukon government has received 590 applications, of which only 107 have been processed. The remaining 483 will be facing a three-month wait for approval.
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The program itself will start again in 2025, according to CBC News. Businesses in communities are not included in the pause.
IRCC’s set annual allocation for the territory is 430 nominees per year. Premier Ranj Pillai has indicated that he will not be pursuing an increase.
“We’re trying to be really respectful to the public service [and] let them work on the applications they have,” Pillai said.
At the same time, Pillai said he is trying not to exacerbate housing and healthcare pressures.
The current order of priority for applications is as follows: current work permit holders with approaching expiration dates, visitor visa holders already in Canada, current work permit holders with a permit expiring within a year and individuals currently located outside Canada.
“Whitehorse employers are encouraged to explore other federal immigration programs to meet their short-term labour needs during the intake pause for the Yukon nominee program or seek out foreign nationals currently located in the territory with valid work permits, who they can continue to hire,” said cabinet communications.
Post-pandemic, the Yukon nominee program has been crucial in helping Whitehorse businesses keep running during the national labour shortage.
Many businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors still are dependent on the program. The staffing crisis, however, is mostly resolved.
As per Pillai, the pause could be an opportunity to review the program.
“We have to make sure employees are absolutely respected in their work,” Pillai said. “As we go forward, it is a chance to really look at what we’re doing.”
However, the disruption a pause would cause is well-addressed. Luke Pantin, executive director of the Yukon Chamber of Commerce, says that the program pause will be a problem for businesses.
“There are many good things about the program,” Pantin said. “Employers who rely on this program to fill the shortages are going to face difficulties.”
