Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP)
The Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) allows foreign workers, international students and others with the right skills, experience and education to apply for a nomination for permanent residence in Ontario.
The OINP is made up of three categories and each category is divided into several streams:
1. Employer Job Offer Category:
i) Foreign Worker Stream:
To qualify you must meet the following criteria:
ii) International Student Stream:
To qualify as an International Student with a job offer, you must meet the following criteria:
ii) In-Demand Skills Stream:
To qualify in the In-Demand Skills Stream, a job offer must meet the following criteria:
*In addition to the requirements in each stream foreign workers must meet additional requirements as well.
2. Human Capital
OINP helps employers meet their human resource needs for workers by enabling them to recruit foreign workers and international students. The two sub-categories in this stream are:
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 Ph.D. program at an eligible Ontario university. A job offer is not required.
Express Entry:
To qualify for the Ontario Express Entry Stream and be considered for nomination, candidates must qualify for one of two federal immigration programs:
Ontario also has three streams which draw from the Federal Express Entry Selection:
French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream: It gives French-speaking skilled workers with strong English language abilities the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.
Human Capital Priorities Stream: It gives foreign workers with the required skilled work experience, language abilities and education the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.
Skilled Trades Stream: It gives foreign nationals with Ontario work experience in eligible skilled trades the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.
3. Business : The business category has one stream. You must be an entrepreneur from outside of Canada who is looking to implement a new business idea or buy and grow an existing business in Ontario.
i) Entrepreneur Stream: OINP’s Entrepreneur stream is designed to support individuals from countries outside Canada who are looking to implement a new business initiative or to buy an existing business in Ontario. The program offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to be nominated for permanent resident status once their new business has been successfully established in Ontario.
The Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) allows foreign workers, international students and others with the right skills, experience and education to apply for a nomination for permanent residence in Ontario.
The OINP is made up of three categories and each category is divided into several streams:
- Employer Job offer
- Human capital
- Business
1. Employer Job Offer Category:
i) Foreign Worker Stream:
To qualify you must meet the following criteria:
- Have a permanent, full-time job offer in a NOC 0, A or B occupation
- Two years of relevant work experience in the last five years
- Legal status in Canada if currently residing in Canada
ii) International Student Stream:
To qualify as an International Student with a job offer, you must meet the following criteria:
- Have a permanent, full-time job offer in a NOC 0, A or B occupation
- Meet the low wage level in Ontario
- Graduated from an eligible publicly-funded Canadian college or university.
- Apply within two years from the date of graduation
- Intend to reside in Ontario
- Have legal status in Canada
ii) In-Demand Skills Stream:
To qualify in the In-Demand Skills Stream, a job offer must meet the following criteria:
- Is a permanent and full-time job offer in an eligible occupation in the agricultural or construction sectors
- Meet the median wage levels in Ontario
- Have a job offer in an eligible occupation in NOC skill level C or D
*In addition to the requirements in each stream foreign workers must meet additional requirements as well.
2. Human Capital
OINP helps employers meet their human resource needs for workers by enabling them to recruit foreign workers and international students. The two sub-categories in this stream are:
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 Ph.D. program at an eligible Ontario university. A job offer is not required.
Express Entry:
To qualify for the Ontario Express Entry Stream and be considered for nomination, candidates must qualify for one of two federal immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Canadian Experience Class
Ontario also has three streams which draw from the Federal Express Entry Selection:
French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream: It gives French-speaking skilled workers with strong English language abilities the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.
Human Capital Priorities Stream: It gives foreign workers with the required skilled work experience, language abilities and education the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.
Skilled Trades Stream: It gives foreign nationals with Ontario work experience in eligible skilled trades the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.
3. Business : The business category has one stream. You must be an entrepreneur from outside of Canada who is looking to implement a new business idea or buy and grow an existing business in Ontario.
i) Entrepreneur Stream: OINP’s Entrepreneur stream is designed to support individuals from countries outside Canada who are looking to implement a new business initiative or to buy an existing business in Ontario. The program offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to be nominated for permanent resident status once their new business has been successfully established in Ontario.
