Backgrounder - Canada and Yukon improving cooperation on immigration

Overview

The Agreement for Canada‑Yukon Cooperation on Immigration is a comprehensive document that establishes the collaborative approach to addressing immigration priorities in Yukon.

Under the Constitution, immigration is a shared responsibility between the federal and provincial/territorial governments. Through this agreement, the roles and responsibilities of both levels of government are clearly defined. The agreement includes an annex on provincial nominees and allows for annexes on other specific issues, as required.

The agreement and its annex have an indefinite duration, reflecting the long‑standing commitment to cooperation and collaboration between the two levels of government with respect to immigration.

Responding to Yukon’s Demographic and Labour Market Needs

The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) allows the Government of Yukon to nominate immigrants who have specific skills that will contribute to the local economy. Under its YNP agreement, Yukon nominates candidates who want to work and live in the territory. Nominees must meet federal admissibility requirements, such as those related to health, criminality and security.

Under the new agreement, which has no expiry date, there is no longer a limit on the number of immigrants the territory can nominate for permanent residence in Yukon each year. The new YNP is a one-year pilot, with the territory providing targets for Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to incorporate in its annual immigration levels planning.

In addition to the YNP, the agreement includes a provision for cooperation between the two governments on the promotion and recruitment of immigrants and temporary residents. This way, Yukon can provide Canada with information on the territory’s specific needs and Canada can, in turn, provide information to Yukon about recruitment opportunities abroad to meet those needs.

Finally, the agreement recognizes the territory’s interest in enhancing the vitality of French linguistic minority communities in its jurisdiction.

Responding to the Settlement and Integration Needs of Immigrants and Refugees

Yukon and Canada have a long history of collaborating to provide settlement and integration services to immigrants in Yukon. The new agreement confirms the Government of Canada’s commitment to fair and ongoing funding for settlement services in Yukon. Canada has also committed to working with Yukon to help internationally trained individuals integrate into the labour market.

Immigration Web Portal

With assistance from the Government of Canada, the Government of Yukon has launched an immigration Web portal for the territory. CIC is contributing more than $800,000 over four years. This funding is being used to develop and maintain the Yukon government immigration website, but it may also be used to support eligible municipal-level online projects relevant to newcomers.

This website streamlines immigration information for potential immigrants and employers, by outlining the immigration process and requirements for immigrants and employers. Information about Yukon such as its culture, language, employment, history, climate, health care and transportation is also included. Other relevant links to sites that provide more information about immigration or Yukon can also be found.

The website is intended to help answer questions which potential immigrants and employers may have. As such, it can help streamline the application process for temporary foreign workers or employers using the nominee program.

The site is published in English and French, and links to the Government of Canada’s Going to Canada Immigration Portal (www.goingtocanada.gc.ca).