Benefits

Salary

The Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) offers a range of competitive salaries across a diverse array of positions. Salaries vary depending on the level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications required for a specific position.

The average annual salary for a GNWT employee in 2022 was $100,105. In general salaries can range from between $51,422 and $289,548. This range excludes overtime and callback pay or shift premiums for employees like firefighters or health care practitioners who are often scheduled to work outside of regular workday hours.

Whether you’re at the beginning of your career or have some experience and are seeking new opportunities for personal and professional development, a position with the GNWT is an attractive option!

Here are a few examples of positions and their corresponding salary ranges on the GNWT salary grid:

  • Administrative Assistant: minimum salary of $62,046 and maximum salary of $79,658 annually.
  • Operating Engineer: minimum salary of $83,402 and maximum salary of $99,606 annually.
  • Environmental Health Officer: minimum salary of $100,269 and maximum salary of $119,750 annually.
  • Senior Communications Advisor: minimum salary of $104,910 and maximum salary of $125,307 annually.

These salary ranges are just examples and may vary depending on factors such as location, education, and years of experience. Additionally, there may be other factors that impact the salary range for a particular job position.

Do you already possess some experience or have a clear career goal in mind? The link below will provide you with job descriptions, salary information and organizational charts within the GNWT for a chosen field or desired role.

GNWT Position and Salary Information

Health, Dental and Emotional Wellbeing

Looking after your health and well-being is a top priority, and the GNWT is committed to providing you and your family with comprehensive health care coverage.

Health

The GNWT provides employees with health care coverage through the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) and covers the full cost of this plan.

Health Coverage Highlights 

  • Benefits covered at 80% of eligible expenses or of stated maximums, if any.
  • Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, prescription drugs, vision care, and medical practitioners (massage therapist, chiropractor, etc.)
  • Travel coverage and emergency travel assistance benefits.
  • Employees are responsible for additional plan expenses should they choose to upgrade their hospital coverage.

To review the full plan and its various benefits, visit the Government of Canada's website.

Dental

Green Shield provides dental coverage to GNWT employees and their families, with the GNWT covering the plan's cost and employees paying the annual deductible.

Dental Coverage Highlights

  • Basic services including x-rays, cleaning, and oral surgery.
  • Comprehensive basic services such as root canal and emergency procedures.
  • 50% on major services like dentures, bridges, and crowns
  • 50%, up to $4,000 lifetime for orthodontics.
  • $25 deductible per covered person, $50 per family.

For additional information please review the Dental Plan Booklet.

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

The Government of the Northwest Territories offers confidential counseling and wellness resources designed to promote health and well-being for its employees and their immediate family members. This is offered through the Employee and Family Assistance Program.

Services Available Through EFAP

  • LifeWorks – comprehensive wellbeing platform that supports financial, mental, physical, and social wellbeing of employees.
  • LikeSpeak – a 24/7, total well-being platform with access to expert information and videos, and completely confidential.
  • AbilitiCBT – app-based program that delivers Cognitive Behaviour Therapy by professionally trained therapists, with 24/7 access.
  • LIFT Session Fitness – digital fitness and wellness platform
  • Community Supports – a listing of emotional and mental health resources available to NWT residents.

View the program in more detail here: Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP).

Pension

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is a member of the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP). The PSPP is a defined benefit pension plan administered by the Government of Canada that pays out a monthly salary based on years of service and average salary of the employee’s five highest consecutive years of salary. Both employee and employer contribute to the plan.

Pension Highlights

  • Retirement benefits are based on a formula that considers the member's years of service, pensionable earnings, and age at retirement.
  • Survivor benefits provide financial support to the member's spouse or eligible partner and/or children in the event of the member's death.
  • Disability benefits provide financial support to members who are unable to work due to a disability.

For the most up to date information about the pension please visit the Public Service Pension Plan website.

Relocation Assistance

Moving to a new location for a career change can be a significant source of stress for many individuals. However, it's important to focus on the exciting opportunities that come with a new position rather than the stress of the move. Relocating from one community to another requires planning, time, and financial resources.

The GNWT recognizes the challenges of relocating and provides relocation packages to eligible successful applicants and their families. These packages offer valuable support for individuals moving from their existing home community to their new community, with the goal of making the transition smoother and less stressful.

The assistance provided covers reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in relocating to NWT, up to 21 days of meals and incidental expenses at the destination while awaiting furniture or accommodations, reimbursement for breaking an existing lease (maximum 3-month payment), as well as related real estate fees, and costs associated with temporary or long-term storage.

By providing relocation packages, the GNWT aims to help ease the burden of moving and enable new employees to focus on their exciting new career in the Northwest Territories.

Allowances

Northern Living Allowance

When it comes to choosing a place to live and work, cost of living is a significant factor for many people. In the Northwest Territories, this consideration is particularly important, as the cost of living can vary widely between communities. The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is aware of this concern and is committed to supporting its employees in managing the expenses associated with living in the North.

To this end, the GNWT provides a Northern Living Allowance ranging from $3,700 to $40,433 annually, depending on the community where an employee is based. This allowance is designed to help offset the costs of necessities such as food, housing, and other essential items in northern communities, making it easier for employees to live and work comfortably in the North.

Bilingual Allowance

The Northwest Territories is the only Canadian jurisdiction to recognize 11 official languages. These include French and English as well as nine Indigenous languages (Chipewyan, Cree, Gwich’in, Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey, Tłı̨chǫ). The GNWT is committed to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the territory's official languages through programs, services, and employee benefits. GNWT employees who provide government services in more than one NWT official language may be eligible for a bilingual bonus of up to $1,200 annually.

Nursing Allowances

The GNWT places great importance on looking after those who take care of the residents of the Northwest Territories and are pleased to offer a variety of allowances for nurses and other healthcare practitioners. These can include monthly allowances for laundry and uniforms, special clinical preparation, CHA/CAN course completion or level of university completed and range from $24 to $100 monthly depending on the allowance.

Leave

The GNWT offers a range of paid and unpaid leave options to help employees manage their work and personal commitments. Annual leave (vacation time) is earned on a yearly basis, starting from 16.5 days during the first two years of employment, and increasing over time, up to 35 days after 20 years of service.

Other Types of Leave 

  • Five mandatory leave days are given during the December holiday period. These days generally start a few days before Christmas and extend through to the New Year (with the exception of shift workers, who can use these days anytime throughout the year).
  • Winter bonus days provide an extra day of leave for every five consecutive days of annual leave taken between October and March, up to four days per year.
  • Special leave, to be used for various purpose like celebrating personal events, of five days annually.
  • Maternity and parental leave are provided after the birth or adoption of a child.
  • Deferred leave is a self-funded program that allows employees to defer a percentage of their salary for future extended leave of absence from work.

Professional Development

The GNWT is dedicated to ensuring that its employees are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to provide exceptional service to the residents of the Northwest Territories. The organization provides diverse avenues for learning and development, with a focus on professional, and personal, growth.

Through courses, seminars, workshops, job shadowing, and development transfer assignments, employees are given the chance to acquire new skills and broaden their work experience. The Leadership Development Program is an excellent opportunity for employees looking to enhance their leadership skills, while department-funded education provides employees with the chance to pursue their educational goals.

Employees can also participate in online training modules, such as the Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Awareness Module, LGBTQ2S+ Inclusive Workplace Awareness Training, and The Working Mind, which addresses mental health in the workplace.