The Yukon announces its 2026 nomination allocation, priorities, and intake periods

The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) has been allocated 282 nomination slots for 2026, and will open its first intake period on January 19.

Many of the YNP’s 2026 priorities mirror those set by the territory in 2025, with some notable additions.

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The Yukon is the third Canadian jurisdiction to release its nomination allocation for the year, following British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

The Government of Yukon released these details on its territorial news page on January 12, 2026.

Who is the YNP prioritizing in 2026?

This year, the YNP has indicated that it will prioritize candidates who either fill key labour market needs or who already have clear, established ties to the territory.

In particular, priority will be given to regulated health care professionals, along with foreign nationals who meet one or more of the following criteria:

• They have lived and worked in the Yukon for at least one year;
• They are graduates of Yukon University;
• They are classified as French-speaking (Francophone); or
• *They received a Temporary Measure Letter of Support in 2024 or 2025.

Further, the YNP is focusing on filling labour shortages across rural regions, and as such, it will be prioritizing employers in rural Yukon.

*Those who received a Temporary Measure Letter of Support in 2024 or 2025 do not need to submit an expression of interest (EOI). Instead, the Yukon will contact them directly with next steps to complete their application.

When do the YNP’s intake periods open?

The YNP is an employer-driven program, which means the employer is the one that submits an online EOI form that includes basic information about the foreign national they wish to sponsor.

In 2026, the YNP will have two intake periods for employers:

• Intake period 1: January 19 to January 30; and
• Intake period 2: July 6 to July 17.

EOI submissions for candidates that clearly meet the 2026 priorities outlined by the Yukon will receive points.

Any employer who submitted an EOI in 2025 and was not invited to apply will also receive points.

The highest scoring employers in each intake will be invited to submit an application.

How does the YNP’s 2026 nomination allocation compare to previous years?

At 282 nominations, Yukon’s 2026 allocation matches the post-increase level it reached in August 2025 after the federal government boosted its original 215 quota for the year by 67 nominations.

While its initial allotment is higher this year, Yukon’s total nomination allocation remains well under the 430 nominations it got in 2024 (representing a 34% decrease).

In the latest Immigration Levels Plan, announced November 2025, the federal government raised its PNP-related permanent admissions target from 55,000 in 2025 to 91,500 in 2026; higher PR targets typically equate to higher nominations for provinces and territories.

It is unclear at this time whether the Yukon will seek additional nominations in 2026, as it did last year.

Despite being allotted 282 nominations last year, the territory nominated 312 individuals for permanent residency in 2025.

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