Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) – Full Guide

Ontario is the fastest-growing province in Canada, with cities like Toronto and Ottawa expanding rapidly. So if you want to live and work in Ontario, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program may be right for you.

Many foreign workers seeking secure, long-term employment find Ontario an appealing alternative because of its job prospects.

Despite being the most populous province in Canada, Ontario is experiencing a skilled labor shortage. As a result, Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program (OINP) is essential in meeting this demand. However, the system is presently receiving more applications than it can handle.

In December 2019, Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, asked to double the number of immigration candidates that Ontario can choose for its Provincial Nominee Program.

If approved, Ontario would be able to nominate 13,300 candidates by 2023.

In the meantime, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, which comprises five towns or communities throughout Ontario, could help ease the labor shortage.

What is Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program?

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Scheme (OINP) is an immigration program for persons who have a job offer in Ontario. It can also assist companies in locating skilled personnel.

Employers or investors can apply to this program to hire or retain foreign nationals or temporary residents.

If the province approves an application of Ontario, that person will be nominated for permanent residence.

Candidates must apply for permanent residency with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada after being nominated by a province (IRCC).

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Streams Status

Immigration Stream	Status	Notes
Human Capital Priorities	Open	Linked to the federal Express Entry system
French-Speaking Skilled Worker	Open	Linked to the federal Express Entry system
Skilled Trades	Open	Linked to the federal Express Entry system
Employer Job Offer	Open	Job offer required under all three sub-streams
International Student (Masters Graduate)	Closed	Stream opens and closes throughout the year
International Student (PhD Graduate)	Open	Stream opens and closes throughout the year
Business Immigration (Corporate)	Open	Eligible candidates may apply directly
Business Immigration (Entrepreneur)	Open	Eligible candidates submit an EOI and must wait for an invitation to apply

Source: www.ontarioimmigration.ca

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Division

Generally, there are three types of immigration channels available through the OINP that you can use to immigrate to Canada:

• Employer job offer category
• Human capital category
• Business Category

Every category has different streams for each applicant; the abovementioned channels are the most significant for immigrants; however, the official pages can provide more information.

Ontario also has three divisions for workers wishing to work permanently (with settlement) in Ontario.

It’s called the Express Entry System, and the divisions or categories were imported from the same structure in the federal selection system for express entry.

The programs are divided into French-speaking workers, Human Capital Priorities, and Skilled Trades.

The divisions work so that Ontario Provincial Nomination can successfully select and nominate candidates for the IRCC Express Entry pool.

Furthermore, these applicants must get education and work experience, among other qualifications, to successfully integrate into the Ontario market and community.

Ontario’s province programs have their ways of luring international firms and entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs can apply for permanent residence under the Ontario PNP to try out new company ideas or expand existing operations.

Employer job offer category

The employer job offer category is divided into three main streams, each of which operates on an expression of interest basis.

To be eligible for the employer job offer streams, you must create an account on the OINP e-Filing Portal, register an expression of interest for your employer job offer category, have been invited to apply, and have a full-time and permanent job offer from an Ontario business.

The three main streams are:

• Foreign Worker Stream: for skilled workers from other countries.
• International Student stream: for recent graduates in Ontario
• In-Demand Skills stream: Intermediate skilled individuals in specified areas, such as agriculture, construction, trucking, etc.

Human Capital category

In addition to the above category, we have the human capital category, which has two sub-categories, the international graduate streams and Ontario’s Express Entry streams.

International graduates

These streams are run under an expression of interest system.

To be eligible for the Master’s Graduate or Ph.D. For graduate streams, you must first create an account on the OINP e-Filing Portal, register an expression of interest for your graduate stream, receive an invitation to apply, and submit your application within two years of receiving your graduate degree from an eligible Ontario university.

Ontario’s Express Entry

The Express Entry System, which the federal government runs, manages these streams.

To be eligible for one of Ontario’s Express Entry streams, you must have received a notice of interest from the province and have an up-to-date profile in the federal government’s Express Entry system with your most recent work experience, language tests, and education.

Under this category, we have the following:

• French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream
• Human Capital Priorities stream
• Skilled Trades stream

Business Category

The business category has one stream, which is the Entrepreneur stream.

This stream allows entrepreneurs from outside Canada who wish to establish a business in Ontario and expand an existing one.

How to Apply for Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program

First, pick one of the streams that will be most beneficial to you. After that, go over its prerequisites and double-check that you’ve covered all of them.

After you have selected the stream, you can enter the website and apply through the Ontario PNP’s online Portal. It takes a couple of hours for the application to finish.

Applying costs $1,500 or $2,000 depending on the stream you choose; entering via an employer job offer or as human capital costs $1,500 or $2,000.

Every partner or key staff member who applies with you in the business streams (corporate or entrepreneur) will be charged $3,500.

You can also pay with Visa and Visa Debit, as well as with MasterCard and MasterCard Debit.

The application may take time (from 6 months to a year on average).

Go to the last section to discover how to make the procedure more efficient.

If your application is approved and nominated by the Ontario government, you must apply for permanent residency through the IRCC.

After that, the Canadian government will decide whether or not you can stay in the country permanently.

Documents Required for the Ontario PNP

The documents required to apply for the Ontario PNP differ. Depending on the immigration program you apply for, this may change.

However, certain fundamental documents are required. These are the following:

• Identity proof
• Valid passport
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Settlement plan
• Investment funds (if required)
• Job offer (if required)
• Language skill results
• Medical examination reports
• Police Clearance certificate
• ECA (Educational Credential Assessment)
• Proof of previous work experience (if required)
• Dependent Children Information Certificate
• Marriage certificate (if your partner is accompanying you)

OINP Processing Time 2023

The time it takes to process an application for the Ontario PNP varies. It varies based on the types of immigration.

Application Fees for the Ontario PNP

The cost of the Ontario PNP is determined by the immigration program.

2022 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Updates

The OINP explores the IRCC’s Express Entry pool for candidates who might qualify for one of Ontario’s Express Entry immigration streams.

Individuals from the Express Entry Pool are gathered by the OINP to be personally invited to live and work in Ontario.

Do you want to know when the next Ontario PNP Draw will occur? Our best guess is a month or more from the previous draw.

See Also: How to obtain a Work Permit Support Letter from MPNP.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a job offer required for the Ontario PNP?

No, a job offer is not required for the Ontario PNP.

In that case, you must apply for one of the following immigration programs:

• Ph.D. Graduate stream
• Masters Graduate stream
• Entrepreneur stream
• Skilled Trades Stream
• French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
• Human Capital Priorities Stream

Can I apply for PR without IELTS?

You cannot apply for PR without first passing the IELTS exam.

However, you can also submit the results of other language tests. These are the following:

• CLIP
• TCF
• TEF

Is PNP open in Ontario in 2023?

The OINP expression of interest system is now open for intake to the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream.

The expression of interest system will be open throughout the year, and you can submit your application anytime.

What is the minimum CRS score for Ontario PNP 2023?

The OINP sought applicants with a comprehensive ranking system score of 453 to 470 for the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream.

Candidates with a comprehensive ranking system score of 436 to 470 were targeted for the Skilled Trades stream by the OINP.

A few more notes.

Ontario PNP draw happens regularly, and we always do our best to update the latest invitation, cut-off marks and draw stream. Invitations for OINP often depend on candidates’ scores. To estimate your score, you can use the Ontario PNP points calculator on the province’s website. Various occupations in demand exist, such as tech pilot, international graduate, and international skilled labor, to mention a few.

In times of timelines, processing time varies between applications, often depending on candidates’ unique profiles and situations. We hope our information will help you apply for Ontario provincial nominee program this year or whenever you are ready. Finally, submit complete applications with documents like employer requirements, job offer letter, and recommendation letter. Use the program checklist to ensure that nothing is left out.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the OINP is a great way to do it if you’re looking to move to Ontario. The program is designed to help skilled workers immigrate to Ontario, and it’s a great way to get started in your new life. So, if you’re considering moving to Ontario, check out the OINP.