Posted by Nunavut immigration 2023: An Immigrant’s Guide to Nunavut, the Last Frontier in Canada
Introduction: The Basics of Immigration & Settling in Nunavut
Nunavut is a Canadian territory and one of the most sparsely populated regions in the world. It is located in Northern Canada, on the eastern coast of Nunavut Territory. The population of Nunavut is about 32,000 people.
Canada is a big country, and it’s no surprise that there are many different landscapes, towns, cities and cultures living here. From coast to coast, there are endless opportunities for newcomers, even in the north.
The North is a lesser-known territory of Canada. While many newcomers prefer to settle down in the metropolitan areas, the north corner of the country remains unnoticed. It is best known for its culture, cold weather and majestic landscape.
Nunavut is a Canadian territory in the far north. If you intend to settle in Nunavut, you should conduct some preliminary research to avoid unpleasant shocks. For example, did you know that in the summer, the sun stays in the sky for 24 hours? Winters are also bitterly cold, with temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius. Summers are pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 5 to 15 degrees Celsius.
For those wishing to immigrate to Nunavut, they need to understand the requirements and legalities associated with immigration. This article will cover the basics of immigration to Nunavut.
Immigration to Nunavut can be a daunting process for some people who are not familiar with the region. The immigration process varies depending on where you are coming from and what your current citizenship status is.
The Canadian Immigration System: A Primer and Guide to Settling in Nunavut
Canada is famous for its multiculturalism and diverse population. In the past few years, Canada has been welcoming immigrants from all over the world. Canada’s immigration system is one of the most generous in the world, with a point system that has been designed to attract skilled workers and entrepreneurs to immigrate to Canada.
As the largest and most northerly province in Canada, Nunavut has a reputation for being both desolate and eerily beautiful. It can be hard to know what to expect when first moving there, so here are our recommendations for settling into this unique territory.
The Culture Shock that Comes with Moving to Nunavut
The culture shock that comes with moving to Nunavut is high. The people are very different, the environment is very different and the living conditions are very different.
There are some things that people should know before they move to Nunavut. For example, many people who live in Nunavut speak Inuktitut or Inuinnaqtun as their first language.
It’s important to know the customs and traditions of the area you’re moving to so that you can adjust accordingly and not offend anyone.
What Are the Benefits of Immigrating to Nunavut?
Nunavut has the highest minimum wage in Canada, at $16 per hour. The government of Nunavut provides numerous subsidies to inhabitants in order to reduce the cost of necessary goods. However, because the area is isolated and subjected to extreme weather, the overall cost of living is greater.
What Are the Demographics in Nunavut?
According to the 2016 Census, Nunavut had a population of around 40,000 people. Inuit people account for more than 80% of the population. Nunavut has been inhabited by Inuit peoples for about 4,000 years. Nunavut means “Our Land” in Inuktitut, the Inuit’s native language.
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The capital of Nunavut is Iqaluit. It is situated on Baffin Island’s southern tip. With a population of just over 8,000 people, it is also Canada’s smallest capital city. Other Nunavut villages, such as the Arviat, Baker Lake, and others, have populations of less than 1000 people.
There are around 1,000 immigrants in Nunavut out of the population of roughly 34,000. Roughly 60% of these come from the Philippines and 25% from the United States. The UK has a very small immigrant population comprising 7%.
Requirements to immigrate to Nunavut
The Nominee must:
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Have a temporary work permit and have worked in the same position for six months;
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Provide proof of sufficient financial or settlement supports in the NWT;
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Have the required work experience for the specific occupation;
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Be able to conduct basic communications in either English or French;
How Is Education in Nunavut?
All Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in the territory have access to free public education. However, because of the area’s distinctive physical geography, many residents must travel significant distances to attend the nearest public school. English, French, and Inuktitut are all used in the classroom. Homeschooling is supported by the government. As a result, if you’re bringing your family to Nunavut, it’s ideal to choose a place that has easy access to the school system.
Higher education in Nunavut is limited, but the one institution we do have – Nunavut Arctic College – has a variety of campuses and learning centres around the territory. They offer courses that are open to everyone including those who want to continue their post-secondary education.
How Is the Economy in Nunavut?
The economy of Nunavut is largely based on subsistence hunting and fishing. The region has a small mining industry, but the territory produces no oil or natural gas. Nunavut’s economy is largely supported by federal subsidies, primarily through the Government of Canada’s Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
Nunavut has a heavily subsidized economy that relies on federal assistance. The territory produces no oil or natural gas and its small mining industry is not self-sufficient. The government controls all economic activity in the region, including resource extraction and distribution of goods and services.
The government of Nunavut employs the most people out of all organizations in Nunavata. The careers which have been evolving the fastest are listed below:
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Bookkeepers
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Construction Managers
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Conservation and Fishery Officers
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Early Childhood Educators
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Facility and Maintenance Managers
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Financial Managers
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Human Resources Professionals
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Janitors and Caretakers
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Registered Nurses
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School Administrators
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Shippers and Receivers
Nunavut Standard of Living
It is costly to maintain Canada’s high standards of living in Nunavut due to the obstacles of enormous distances, a small but expanding population, the high cost of materials and labor, and the harsh climate. Residents must contend with a cost of living that is much greater than that of many other Canadian cities. The average annual household income in Nunavut is about $65,500. The minimum wage, on the other hand, is $11.00 per hour, the highest in Canada.
In addition, the federal government has taken a variety of steps to compensate for Nunavut’s high cost of goods and services, ensuring that its citizens have access to the same level of life as the rest of Canada.
Nunavut Health Care
All provinces and territories in Canada are required by law to provide universal, publicly funded health care to all citizens and legal residents. In other words, in Canada, the majority of fundamental health treatments are provided at no cost to the patient. Certain procedures that aren’t considered required (such as elective cosmetic surgery and a number of dental procedures, for example) are normally not covered, however the list of publicly funded services differs by province.
Nunavut has a well-developed healthcare system that is geared to the territory’s particular problems of low population density and harsh climate.
Nunavut History
For almost 4000 years, the area that is now known as Nunavut has been home to a continuous population of Inuit peoples. Despite contact with Europeans as early as the 1500s and incorporation into Canada’s Northwest Territories in 1867, the people of Nunavut maintained their traditional lives for the most part. In today’s Nunavut, the Inuit language and culture are still alive and flourishing.
On April 1st, 1999, Nunavut officially became a Canadian territory, making it the country’s newest territory. The territory that is now Nunavut was previously a part of Canada’s Northwest Territories. While Nunavut was admitted to Canadian confederation in 1999, its origins may be traced back far further. Land claims by the Inuit led to discussions with the federal government about the separation of the Northwest Territories as early as 1976.
In the Northwest Territories, a vote was held in 1982 that substantially supported such a move. The agreement was accepted by 85 percent of Nunavut voters in 1992, following a long period of boundary negotiations. Nunavut was designated as a territory in 1999 to allow for the development of capable government.
Nunavut Culture
Nunavut’s culture is closely linked to that of the indigenous Inuit people. The Inuit people are a collection of culturally related indigenous peoples who live in North America’s Arctic regions. There are various Inuit languages, but Inuktituk is the most widely spoken. Hunting and fishing were traditionally part of the Inuit way of life, as was overcoming the problems of existence in the harsh Northern climate. Despite the fact that modernization has changed many of these traditions, the Inuit people make a concerted effort to preserve their culture.
The culture of modern Nunavut is a hybrid of Inuit and Canadian cultures. There are many of the same cultural interests as everywhere in Canada, as well as the unique Inuit culture. Because of their attitudes toward environmental preservation and because their way of life is threatened by global warming, the Inuit culture is attracting significant global attention.
Nunavut Demographics
Nunavut has one of the lowest population densities in the world, with only 36,500 people living in a region that covers one fifth of Canada’s total land mass. Inuit people make up about 85 percent of the population. Other native First Nations and Metis communities also call the land home.
Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, has a population of about 7,000 people. Arviat is the second largest community, with a population of just over 2,300 people. The majority of the populace live in towns with populations of less than 1,500 people. This is in keeping with Nunavut’s efforts to preserve traditional Inuit communities.
Nunavut Immigration
Nunavut, with a population of approximately 36,500 people, does not see a lot of immigration each year. Nunavut, on the other hand, is anxious to attract qualified people who can contribute to the expansion of its economy as the mining industry begins to take off. Many firms in Nunavut will provide an extra stipend to compensate for the higher cost of living in the territory.
Nunavut Government
Because Nunavut is a Canadian territory rather than a province, the federal government has more influence over its affairs than provincial governments do. Nunavut has its own democratically elected parliament in Iqaluit, which is in charge of the affairs within its control.
Politics in Nunavut differs slightly from that of the rest of Canada. There are no political parties in Nunavut’s legislature. Rather, members are elected to represent a specific geographic area on their own. A parliament then operates by consensus, electing a premier from among their members. The current Premier of Nunavut is Peter Taptuna. In addition to this, the Premier has a council of 11 Inuit elders to advise him on incorporating Inuit culture and knowledge.
Nunavut Major City
Iqaluit
Iqaluit, originally known as Frobisher Bay, is both the capital and the largest city of Nunavut. It has the smallest population of any Canadian capital city, at under 7,000 inhabitants. Iqaluit was chosen as the capital of Nunavut by inhabitants in a referendum, making it one of Canada’s most unusual capital cities.
Iqaluit’s first permanent settlement, as an airbase and defense installation, was created in 1942. While the Inuit had long called the place Iqaluit, which means “many fish” (because to the area’s vast fishing stocks), Canadian authorities dubbed it Frobisher Bay after the body of water on which it is situated. In 1987, the name was formally changed.
The government employs a vast majority of workers in Iqaluit and it’s only getting bigger. In addition, the mining and oil industry is also booming which means many workers will be coming to Iqaluit. There is both an influx of newcomers to the city as well as jobs which adds to the city’s growth.
What Immigration Programs Are Available in Nunavut?
Nunavut currently lacks a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that allows foreign citizens to be nominated for permanent residency in the territory. If you want to live in Nunavut, however, you can do so through the federal immigration program.
Express Entry:
The fastest and most common way to immigrate to Canada is through the federal Express Entry procedure. The system is used to process applications for three different federal economic immigration programs:
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Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
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Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
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Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
To be eligible for the program, applicants must meet all of the requirements below:
Family Sponsorship:
If you have a Canadian citizen or permanent resident within your immediate family, they can sponsor you for permanent residency in Canada. The Family Sponsorship Classification includes three programs:
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Spousal Sponsorship
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Dependent Child Sponsorship
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Parent and Grandparents Sponsorship
What Support Services Are Available for New Immigrants in Nunavut?
Nunavut’s government collaborates with communities to ensure that newcomers are properly helped and welcomed. There are many support services available for new immigrants in Nunavut. They include:
– Language training
– Employment training
– Housing assistance
– Mentorship programs
– Assistance with settlement and adjustment
– Support for children and youth
– Online specialist courses
– Networking activities