Job Information

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) internship program employs northern graduates in areas related to their field of study for a minimum of one year. Beyond the valuable work experience gained during an internship, the GNWT offers a competitive salary, benefits, and excellent opportunities for career growth and advancement.

For more information regarding the GNWT Internship Program please visit https://www.gov.nt.ca/careers/en/internships

Eligibility

Intern placements are available to northern graduates.  A northern graduate is an individual who has graduated with a certificate, diploma, or degree from a designated post-secondary institution within a 24 month period prior to applying to the Internship Program or will complete all academic requirements for his/her program within 6 months of applying to the Internship Program and falls within one of the following designated groups:

• Priority 1 (P1) Indigenous Aboriginal Persons – Those persons who are descendants of the Dene, Inuit or Metis people, indigenous to the present boundaries of the Northwest Territories and include any aboriginal persons resident at birth pursuant to Section 23 of the Vital Statistics Act and any Canadian aboriginal persons who have lived more than half of their life in the Northwest Territories.

• Priority 2 (P2) Indigenous Non-Aboriginal Persons – Those include non-aboriginal persons born in the Northwest Territories or who have lived more than half their life in the Northwest Territories.

• Priority 2 (P2) Resident Disabled Persons – Those who are living in and have lived in the Northwest Territories for at least one year immediately prior to applying and who are at a disadvantage because of a medically certified learning, mental, emotional, or physical disability where the disability handicaps the person in taking advantage of employment, training, and career advancement opportunities.

• No Priority (NP) A Canadian citizen or permanent resident and is considered “Ordinarily Resident” for at least 3 years immediately prior to the start of his/her post-secondary program with a designated post-secondary institution.

Note: If you have been out of the NWT for more than 12 continuous months, but you have not resided in one specific province, territory or country for 12 continuous months, you are still considered ordinarily resident of the NWT.

A northern graduate must have completed an Undergraduate or Graduate post-secondary program from a designated post-secondary institution:

• Certificates can take up to 1 year of full-time post-secondary education and generally consist of completing 10 courses.
• Diplomas can take up to 2 years of full-time post-secondary education and generally consist of completing 20 courses.
• Degrees
  • Bachelor’s degrees can take 3 to 5 years of full-time post-secondary education and generally consist of completing 40 courses.
  • Master’s degrees can be pursued after completing a bachelor’s degree and can take 1 to 2 years of post-secondary education.
  • Doctorates and/or Ph.D.s can be pursued after completing a master’s degree and can take 3 to 7 years to complete.

How to Apply to the Program

1. If you meet the program eligibility, as per the above, and are interested in an internship, please submit your cover letter, resume, proof of Affirmative Action Status and proof of graduation through the Internship Program job opening posted on the GNWT Careers website.

• To meet the program eligibility, applicants must be residents of the NWT. Please ensure your resume includes your NWT address when submitting your application.

1. Following receipt of your application and all applicable documentation, an email will be sent to you indicating that you have been registered for the Internship Program. Your application will remain on file for 2 years from the date you complete your post-secondary program.

1. Once registered for the Internship Program you can apply to specific GNWT Internship opportunities through the Intern Expression of Interest job opening that will be posted to the GNWT Careers website beginning mid-December.

1. Please note that your application to any intern expression of interest job opening will only be accepted if you are registered to the Internship Program. 

Helpful Hints

Before you can start your internship, you must provide confirmation that you have completed the course work necessary for your certificate/diploma/degree.  Accepted documents include:

• A photocopy of your certificate, diploma, or degree, or
• A letter from your Post-Secondary Institution indicating you have met the requirements to graduate.

You must provide proof of Affirmative Action Status, if applicable. Accepted documents may include:

Priority 1 (Indigenous Aboriginal Persons):

• Copy of treaty, Metis or beneficiary cards, or
• Letter from Aboriginal Organization you belong to

Priority 2 (Indigenous Non-Aboriginal Persons):

• Enrollment History from Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) (request from student_records@gov.nt.ca and include your date of birth in your email), or
• NWT Birth Certificate

Priority 2 (Resident Disabled Persons):

1. Medical certification for disability

and

1. Proof of NWT residency

• Enrollment History from Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) (request online on the ECE website),
• T4 or prior year tax return, or
• Letter from NWT Healthcare stating your dates of effective coverage and date of birth. (Request letter from healthcarecard@gov.nt.ca).

No Priority (Ordinarily Resident of the NWT for at least 3 years immediately prior to the start of a post-secondary program):

• Enrollment History from Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) (request online on the ECE website),
• T4 or prior year tax return, or
• Letter from NWT Healthcare stating your dates of effective coverage and date of birth. (Request letter from healthcarecard@gov.nt.ca).

Our current definition of ordinarily resident is:

• Actually residing in the NWT for a 12 continuous months or more (not in full-time postsecondary studies),
• The person, or their spouse, is temporarily posted in a place of employment outside of the NWT, where the place of business is in the NWT. (There is no definition of temporary. Our current practice is 2 years or less. As well, we are also applying a medical condition untreatable in the NWT as a temporary absence – acceptable proof must be included.),
• The person, or their spouse, is in full-time approved postsecondary studies and was considered actually or ordinarily resident before they left the NWT, and/or
• The person is in K-12 outside of the NWT where the parent who ordinarily resides with the person is actually a resident of the NWT under a), b) or c).

GNWT Inquiries

Inquiries Only:

Management and Recruitment Services

Department of Finance

Government of the Northwest Territories

Yellowknife Centre 5th Floor

P.O. Box 1320 Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9

Fax: (867) 873-0445

northernstudents@gov.nt.ca

More Information

Affirmative Action

Criminal Records Check

Diversity and Inclusion

Eligibility

Job Opening Information

Salary Information