Building on the successful 2024 launch, the Government of Yukon and the University of New Brunswick (UNB) are welcoming a second cohort of Yukon licensed practical nurses (LPNs) into the virtual Learn Where You Live LPN-to-Bachelor of Nursing (BN) pathway this fall. Up to 20 seats have been allocated for the Yukon.
The program is part of the Yukon's Health Human Resources Strategy and provides LPNs with the opportunity to pursue a BN degree while continuing to live and work in their home communities. Graduates will qualify to sit the national exam to become registered nurses (RNs), supporting the territory's efforts to recruit, retain and develop skilled health professionals.
Through UNB's Learn Where You Live model, Yukon students complete a one-year pathway which leads into years three and four of the nursing degree - all without leaving the territory. The program combines online coursework, virtual reality simulations and local clinical placements, providing rigorous training while allowing students to keep working and stay connected to their families and communities.
This year's cohort reflects a wider range of Yukon care settings, with participants employed by the Yukon Hospital Corporation, the Government of Yukon in Continuing Care and Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services and the Kwanlin Dün Health Centre.
To help improve accessibility, the Government of Yukon covers one-third of tuition for all participants. Employers are encouraged to contribute another one-third of tuition, with students responsible for the remaining portion. Additionally, in August 2025, the Yukon Registered Nurses Association reduced student licence fees for all registered nurses and nurse practitioner students from $231.70 to $50, a change that also benefits students in this pathway.
We are proud to support Yukon LPNs in taking the next step in their careers - right here in the Yukon. This innovative blend of virtual learning and local clinical experience means they can keep working in their communities while advancing their education. It's a smart, flexible approach that helps grow our health-care workforce and will ensure more Yukoners have access to skilled, compassionate care for many years to come.
Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee
Quick facts
- The first Yukon cohort of 17 LPNs began the program in September 2024.
- LPNs provide essential frontline care, while RNs build on this foundation with advanced training to manage complex care, leadership and clinical decision making.
- Students complete a one-year pathway program, which leads into years three and four of the Bachelor of Nursing entirely in the Yukon through online coursework, virtual reality simulations and local clinical placements and are eligible to write the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.
- Graduates are expected to work as registered nurses in the Yukon's public health system, including the Government of Yukon, Kwanlin Dün Health Centre or the Yukon Hospital Corporation.
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