Ontario is the most sought-after province in Canada as it is the center of the country’s economic, social, and political life. It is the most populous province in Canada, with approximately 40% of the Canadian population living in the province. In order to fulfil the labour market needs of Ontario, the province operates the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), which nominates potential immigrants who can contribute to the economic development of the province.
Ontario’s PNP/ OINP, has the following sub-categories that are designed to welcome immigrants with different backgrounds, like skilled workers, business immigrants, and graduates:
OINP’s Human Capital Immigration Stream focuses on the applicant’s skills and experience and helps in the economic development of the province. This immigration stream has the following sub-categories:
Ontario Express Entry Stream
This Immigration Stream is in line with IRCC’s Express Entry program. You can apply under this stream, but for that, you should have an active profile in the Express Entry pool. The three components of the OINP express entry are as follows:
International Graduates Stream
The International Graduate stream targets recently graduated international students who have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree from an eligible university in Ontario.
In this category, eligible employers in Ontario nominate immigrants and/or international students who have a valid job offer in the province.
Experienced business people from all over the world who wish to own and manage their own business in the province of Ontario can apply through this stream. Once the candidate’s application is successfully processed, a letter of support for a temporary work permit—which is based on a performance agreement—is issued to them to start a business in the province. If the candidate meets all the conditions of the signed performance agreement, then they are nominated for a permanent resident visa in Canada.
The table below depicts the minimum eligibility criteria for Ontario PNP – Express Entry Streams:
| Eligibility/ Stream | Human Capital Priority Stream | French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream | Skilled Trades Stream |
| Living in Ontario | Not Mandatory | Not Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Active Express Entry Profile | RequiredMust have a profile under one of the following two federal programs: | RequiredMust have a profile under one of the following two federal programs: | Not Required |
| Education | Must have education equivalent to Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree. | Must have education equivalent to Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree. | Not required |
| Language Skills | CLB Level 7 or higher (either English or French Language Exam) | Primary Language: French (CLB Level 7 or higher)&Secondary Language: English (CLB Level 6 or higher) | CLB Level 5 or higher (either English or French Language Exam) |
| Work Experience | For candidates with profile in FSWP
| For candidates with profile in FSWP
|
|
| Skill Level of Work Experience | Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the NOC | Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the NOC | In a skilled trade that is listed in Minor Group 633 or Major Groups 72, 73 or 82 |
| Job offer | Not Required | Not Required | Not Required |
The following table will illustrate the basic criteria to be eligible under various categories under the Ontario PNP – Employer Job-offer category:
| Stream/Category | Minimum Requirements | Job-offer Requirement |
| International Student | Graduated from a degree program at a Canadian education institution that is of minimum two years of duration, or a diploma, or a university that is a minimum one-year post-graduate certificate program | Yes |
| Foreign Worker | A job offer in a skilled profession | Yes |
| In-demand Skills | Recently worked in the province in a high demand occupation either in agriculture or construction-related industry | Yes |
The minimum eligibility requirements in Ontario to be eligible under the OINP’s Entrepreneur Stream are as follows:
Requirements | Conditions |
Position/ Designation | Business owner or managerial position |
Minimum Experience | At-least 24 months in the last 60 months. |
Net Worth |
|
Personal Investment Funds/ Minimum Equity |
|
Job Creation |
|
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Tech draw is a newly introduced pathway of the OINP under the Human Capital Priorities Stream that identifies candidates with technical skills from the Express Entry pool and invites them to apply for an Ontario provincial nomination and live and work in Ontario permanently.
Candidates must:
The list of targeted in-demand NOC codes for OINP Tech Draws is as follows:
The processing time of Ontario PNP or OINP streams depends on the number of applications submitted into the stream. The average processing time of each stream operated under the Ontario PNP or OINP is as follows:
OINP Stream | Estimated Processing Time |
Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker | 70 – 100 days |
| Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities | 70 – 100 days |
| Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades | 70 – 100 days |
| Masters Graduate | 90 – 120 days |
| Ph.D. Graduate | 90 – 120 days |
| Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker | 90 – 120 days |
| Employer Job Offer: International Student | 90 – 120 days |
| Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills | 90 – 120 days |
| Entrepreneur Stream | Expression of Interest (EOI) Assessment: Less than 30 days Applications: Depends on application complexity |
Candidates are required to scan and upload copies of the following mandatory documents with the application:
No, you can also apply for Ontario PNP without a job offer. Streams that accept applications without job offer letters are:
When deciding to immigrate to Ontario using the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), there are a number of streams from which to select. One person probably won't be qualified for all of the streams, and that's why it is important that you are aware of the stream you qualify for. Contact us so we can address all of your inquiries.
The average processing time for the applications submitted under the Human Capital category is 70-100 days, whereas for applications submitted under the Employer Job Offer category and International Student stream, it is 90-120 days.
For the business category, the expression of interest (EOI) takes less than 30 days to process, but the application processing for nomination time depends on the complexity of the application.
Yes. Currently, all streams are available.
Best-in-class service and field-expertise with high professionalism is what makes us stand out from others consultants. We are Your Partner in Success. For your Immigration related concerns, call us now.
+91 8595010514
[email protected]
G- 36, G-Block, Outer Circle, Connaught Place, Delhi, 110001
We’ll send you updates and special offers if you enter your email address.
