Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program is called the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
Through this program, prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive a provincial nomination from Ontario, after which they can apply for Canadian permanent residence with the Government of Canada.
The OINP accepts applications under the following immigration categories:
- Human Capital Category
- Employer Job Offer Category
- Business Category
Human Capital Category
The OINP Human Capital Category consists of five streams divided into two categories:
- Ontario’s Express Entry streams; and
- International Graduates streams.
Ontario’s Express Entry Streams
The OINP’s Express Entry streams are aligned with Canadian government’s Express Entry system.
Candidates can only apply when they have an active Express Entry profile. They must also receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination.
Ontario Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities Stream
This stream enables the OINP to nominate individuals who are eligible to enter the federal Express Entry pool and who have the required education, skilled work experience, language ability, and other characteristics to establish themselves and integrate into community’s labour market.
The Province of Ontario also uses this stream to conduct occasional tech draws for Express Entry candidates with work experience in six tech-sector occupations.
Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
This stream allows Ontario to nominate French-Speaking skilled Express Entry candidates who have strong French language abilities, education, skilled work experience, language ability, and other characteristics to help them successfully establish themselves and integrate into Ontario’s labour market and communities.
Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream
The Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades stream targets tradespersons with ongoing or recent experience of working in Ontario.
International Graduates Streams
Ontario’s two International Graduate streams target international students who have recently obtained a master’s or doctoral degree from an eligible Ontario university.
Masters Graduate Stream
This stream targets individuals who have graduated with a master’s degree from an eligible Ontario university. A job offer is not required.
PhD Graduate Stream
This stream targets individuals who have graduated from a PhD program at an eligible Ontario university. A job offer is not required.
Employer Job Offer Category
Through the Foreign Worker and International Student streams, Ontario employers are able to nominate foreign workers and/or international students with an eligible job offer for a job in Ontario. Applicants can either be living abroad or in Canada at the time of application.
Foreign Worker Stream
This stream provides foreign workers with a job offer in a skilled occupation in Ontario. It also allows them to settle and work in Ontario.
International Student Stream
This stream assists international students with job offers in Ontario to work and settle as permanent residents in the province.
In-Demand Skills Stream
This stream targets foreign workers abroad or those who live in Canada with a job offer in specific in-demand occupations. Examples of sectors include in agriculture or construction.
Business Category
Entrepreneur Stream
This stream was created to attract applicants who are looking to start a new business or buy an existing business in Ontario.
Successful applicants will get a temporary work permit support letter based on a performance agreement in order to establish the business in Ontario. If the investment and job creation agreements outlined in the performance agreement are abided by, entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to be nominated for Canadian permanent resident status.