Iqaluit businesses, served remotely
Accountant for Iqaluit businesses
Iqaluit accountant for local and southern firms: Nunavut payroll tax on crews on rotation, northern residents deductions and GST.
Prepared by HBT Accounting, a CPA led firm in CalgaryUpdated 5.0 on Google, 59 reviews
A capital where government leads
Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, had 7,429 people in 2021, 4% fewer than in 2016. Statistics Canada's latest count found 323 businesses with employees there, with public administration the largest group (60), then health care (33) and retail (25).
A great deal of the work in Iqaluit is done by companies based in the south: contractors, consultants and suppliers who fly crews in for weeks at a time. Nunavut's 2% payroll tax follows the work rather than the head office, so those employers have to register and withhold it just as a local business does. HBT works from Calgary and handles Iqaluit files remotely.
Iqaluit in numbers
| Population, 2021 Census | 7,429 |
|---|---|
| Change since the 2016 Census | Down 4% |
| Size among Canadian municipalities | 556th |
| People per square kilometre | 144 |
| Businesses with employees | 323 |
| Largest sectors by employer businesses | Public administration (60); Health care and social assistance (33); Retail trade (25) |
Source: Statistics Canada: Population and dwelling counts, census subdivisions, 2021 Census and Statistics Canada: Canadian Business Counts, with employees, June 2026.
What an Iqaluit engagement covers
Nunavut payroll tax
Registration, withholding and returns for local staff and crews on rotation.
Northern residents deductions
Residency and travel claims on the personal returns of staff and owners.
GST and year end
GST returns and the T2, with no territorial sales tax.
Does a southern company with staff working in Iqaluit have to deduct Nunavut payroll tax?
Yes, for employees who normally work in Nunavut, meaning more than half of their working days for that employer in the year. Anyone else is exempt only if they earn under $5,000 there in a year; otherwise everything they earn in Nunavut is taxed. The employer withholds 2% and has 21 days from its first payment to an employee to register.
Starting prices are published on the fees page. Final fees depend on scope, and we quote a fixed fee once the work is clear. See starting fees. The first conversation is free and takes about 10 to 15 minutes.