Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Overview

Ontario is a province known for its diverse culture and scenic beauty. It frequently sees the highest number of immigrants in Canada, with popular cities being Toronto, Ottawa-Gatineau, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, and Windsor.

Human Capital Priorities Stream:

This new stream, part of the Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP), selects candidates from the federal Express Entry pool. It targets individuals with the necessary education, skilled work experience, language skills, and other attributes to thrive in Ontario’s labor market and communities.

The Process Involves:

Express Entry Registration: Register with CIC’s Express Entry system to receive a profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code. Indicate your interest in immigrating to Ontario or all provinces and territories. Qualify for either the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Identification by OOPNP: OOPNP searches the Express Entry pool for candidates with a minimum of 400 CRS points and meeting the Human Capital Priorities Stream criteria. Identified candidates will receive a PT Notification of Interest from Ontario via their MyCIC account, inviting them to apply for nomination.
Application to OOPNP: After receiving the PT Notification, candidates have 45 days to apply to OOPNP under the Human Capital Priorities Stream, including all required documents and specifying their chosen federal immigration program.
Nomination and Permanent Residency Application: If approved, candidates will receive a nomination letter from OOPNP. Accepting this nomination in the Express Entry system grants an additional 600 CRS points, leading to an ITA for permanent residency from CIC. Applicants then have 60 days to apply to CIC, undergoing health, security, and criminality checks.

Eligibility Criteria:

Score 67 points as per FSW criteria.
One year of work experience in NOC levels O, A, or B in the past five years.
Hold a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. degree, validated through ECA.
CLB 7 in IELTS, with 6 bands in each module.
Score at least 400 points on the CRS.
Sufficient settlement funds as per FSW standards.
Intention to reside in Ontario.

Application Fee:

Ontario charges a $1,500 application fee for the Human Capital Priorities Stream. This fee must accompany the application package.

Ontario PNP Categories:

General Category
International Student Category

Employer-Driven Program:

Candidates need a full-time permanent job offer from an Ontario employer. For eligibility, employers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) must meet specific criteria, including a minimum of three years in operation, $1,000,000 gross revenue, five permanent full-time employees, and an Ontario business location. Employers outside the GTA have slightly different criteria.

For Companies in Ontario:

Companies investing significantly in Ontario and creating jobs can bring key personnel through this program. They must invest at least $3 million and create a minimum of five full-time positions.

International Student Category:

This category has two streams:

With Job Offer: For recent graduates from Canadian institutions with a skilled job offer in Ontario.
PhD Graduate Stream: For PhD graduates from Ontario universities, not requiring a job offer.

This program is crucial for those looking to integrate and contribute to Ontario’s thriving communities and workforce.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)