FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

May 16, 2025

NWT Business Leaders Urge Immediate Action on Expiring Work Permits

Yellowknife, NT – The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CDÉTNO), and the NWT Chamber of Commerce have issued a joint letter today to federal and territorial leaders, calling for urgent action to address the imminent expiry of work permits for international workers across the Northwest Territories.

The letter, addressed to MP Rebecca Alty and Minister Caitlin Cleveland, outlines growing concerns from businesses facing the loss of key staff due to expiring permits—with some set to lapse as early as this month.

“Our members are already facing staffing challenges,” said Matt Halliday, Executive Director of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce. “If these permits are not extended, we risk seeing service disruptions, reduced hours, and even closures of vital businesses that our economy relies on.”

The business community is requesting immediate federal approval of a two-year work permit extension for eligible foreign nationals currently employed in the NWT, supported by letters of endorsement from the Government of the Northwest Territories. The request mirrors recent actions in Manitoba and Yukon, where similar extensions have already been granted.

“Yukon and Manitoba have demonstrated that swift, coordinated action is possible, The NWT needs the same flexibility to protect our current workforce and economic stability." said Mark Henry, President of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce

The letter also highlights the broader need for a more sustainable, regionally tailored immigration system to support long-term development in the North.