The NTNP Business Stream targets Entrepreneurs and individuals with a business experience who wish to settle and establish their business in Northwest Territories with the potential to create job opportunities for Canadians in this province.
The NTNP Business Stream is one of several immigration streams of the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of Northwest Territories. The NTNP Business Stream targets entrepreneurs and individuals with a business experience who wish to settle in Northwest Territories by establishing or purchasing or investing in the province. The candidate must operate this business and demonstrate the viable business plan that provides the opportunites for Canadians by creating jobs in this northern region. Applicants are selected primarily on the basis of the ability to create jobs in the province of Northwest Territories resulting in the enhancement of the economy.
The candidate must also demonstrate a reasonable understanding and knowledge of Northwest Territories and its economy.
The application process begins with the submission of the business concept and complete application for the review to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. If the application is accepted and approved, the applicant will receive a nomination certificate and the applicant will be able to apply for permanent resident status to IRCC.
Eligibility Requirement
| Express Entry Profile | No |
| Connection to Province | No |
| Job Offer | No |
| Language Proficiency | CLB 4 |
| Level of Education | required education for the successful execution of the business plan |
| Work Experience | required experience for the successful execution of their business plan |
| Investment Requirement | Investment: $150,000 CAD Personal Net Worth: $250,000 CAD |
Language Proficiency
Candidate must demonstrate their language proficiency of English or French with the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 across all categories listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Level of Education
Specifically, there is no minimum level of education for NTNP Business Stream, but the candidate must have the required education for the successful execution of their business plan.
Work Experience
There is no minimum level of work experience for this Stream, but the candidate must have the required experience for the successful execution of their business plan.
Investment Requirement
To be eligible for the NTNP Business Stream, the applicant must need to demonstrate a significant net worth, investment funds and business ownership. The foreign entrepreneur must prove that they own 33.3% (one-third) of the business. If the candidate’s personal net worth exceeds $1,000,000 CAD, they may own less than one-third of the business.
The minimum personal investment and net worth depend on the proposed business location. If the applicant established or purchased a business in Yellowknife (capital city), they must have required to invest at least $300,000 CAD and have at least a personal net worth of $500,000 CAD for their business. Else, they need to invest at least $150,000 with a minimum personal net worth of $250,000 for their business.
With a sign on business performance agreement, the Candidate needs to provide a good faith deposit of $75,000 CAD which will be held in a trust. The deposit will be refunded upon the satisfactory execution of conditions of the performance agreement.
Application Procedure
Self Assessment And Initial Investigation
Starting with the application procedure, the applicant must develop the working business concept and research about the Northwest Territories and their economy. If the applicant is planning to acquire an existing business, the business must be operated by a single owner for at least 3 years at the time of applying application.
Further Investigation And Face-To-Face Interview
The applicant must plan at least one business trip to Northwest Territories in order to gain knowledge of the business environment. The Trip must be not less than 4 business days in length excluding travel days of visiting NWT, statutory holidays and interview days. After the Business Trip, the candidate must participate in at least one face-to-face interview with Nominee Program staff at the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment headquarters in Yellowknife and with the relevant regional office also. They will review the working business concept and assess the applicants’ business and communication skills. They also assess the applicants’ knowledge of Northwest Territories. If the applicant is intended to invest in an existing business of NWT, the owner of that business also attends a separate interview.
Expression of Interest (EOI)
If the interview was successful, the candidate will be notified and will have 60 days to submit the documents which include a summary of the working business concept with the basic outline of future investments and a summary of their findings from the earlier business trip made to the Northwest Territories. If the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment finds the information provided satisfactorily, an Invitation To Apply will be issued to the applicant.
Formal Application
Once the applicant received an ITA, the candidate will have 9 months to submit a complete package application to the Nominee Program with the application fees, and any other charges paid in full. Also the Third Party Financial Verification Report, updated copy of NTNP-5 and a detailed business plan need to be submitted with the application.
Application Review
After submitting a complete formal application, the applicant and business plan will be reviewed on the basis of eligibility criteria. The NTNP staff may request additional interviews or documentation to verify the application. The nominee program staff will approve the applicant’s entry into the NTNP or deem them ineligible. Assistant Deputy Minister of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment review this application makes the final decision on the refusal and acceptance of the application.
Approval and the Business Performance Agreement
If the application is accepted the applicant will be notified by the NTNP staff in writing. Once the Business Performance Agreement is signed and the refundable $75,000 CAD of good faith deposit has been received, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment will provide a two-year temporary work permit support letter.
Developing the Business
After the six months of arriving in the Northwest Territories, the applicant must be prepared to establish the business and start making the necessary investments. The NTNP staff will monitor the business progress and meet with the applicant from time to time. This process involved the submission of the Interim Report which includes the proof of spending the required eligible investment, to the NWT Nominee Program every six months.
The applicant must demonstrate that the applicant is actively involved in and accountable for the management of the NWT business’s daily operations.
Nomination
On the fulfillment of the terms and conditions set in the Business Performance Agreement, the Government of Northwest Territories may issue a nomination certificate to the applicant. After being nominated, the applicant can apply for Permanent Residence to the IRCC.
Ineligible Business
The following businesses are ineligible under the NTNP Business Stream:
- Restaurants proposed within the city limits of Yellowknife
- Seasonal businesses operational for less than six (6) months per year
- Bed and Breakfasts
- Property Management
- Real Estate Development
- Home-based businesses
- Non-profit organizations and associations
- Any businesses having the same
- Listed head office as another registered business having a same business;
- A payday loan, cheque cashing, money changing and cash machine businesses;
- Pawnbrokers;
- Current or former Nominee Program Business stream nominee operated the business in the last five years.