Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program

Ontario is Canada’s most popular landing destination for immigrants from around the world. As Canada’s most populous province, nearly 40 percent of Canadians call Ontario home. Ontario is also home to Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, and its largest city, Toronto. In many ways, Ontario is the center of Canada’s economic, social, and political life.

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 an Ontario Provincial Nomination Certificate, which will allow that foreign national to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence with processing times that are faster than other Canadian immigration classes.

The OINP accepts applications under the following immigration categories:

• Ontario Express Entry
  • Ontario Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities Stream
  • Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
  • Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream
• General Category (sometimes referred to as Employer Job Offer Category)
  • Foreign Workers with a Job Offer Stream
  • Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream
• International Student Category
  • International Students with a Job Offer Stream
  • International Students – Masters Graduate Stream
  • International Students – Ph.D. Graduate Stream
• Business Category
  • Entrepreneur Stream
  • Corporate Stream
  • Investors Category (discontinued)

Ontario Express Entry

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 help them successfully establish and integrate into Ontario’s labor market and communities.

Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

The Ontario French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream is for French-Speaking skilled workers who have strong English language abilities and who want to live and work permanently in Ontario. This stream enables the OINP to nominate individuals in the Express Entry pool and who have the required education, skilled work experience, language ability, and other characteristics to help them successfully establish 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.

Employer Job Offer Category

Through this category, Ontario employers are able to recruit foreign workers for approved skilled positions (classified by the Government of Canada as NOC Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B). These employees may be living abroad or in Canada at the time of application.

Ontario has also launched the Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream, which targets workers in certain agriculture and construction occupations. Learn more about the Ontario Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream.

 International Student Category

This category is for students from abroad. The International Students category accepts applications under the following three streams. International Student with a Job Offer Stream.

This stream was created to help employers recruit international students. It is open to Ontario employers and students with job offers in the province.

International Masters Graduate Stream

This stream targets individuals who have graduated with a Master’s degree from one of Ontario’s publicly funded universities. A job offer is not required.

International Ph.D. Graduate Stream

This stream targets individuals who have graduated from a Ph.D. program at one of Ontario’s publicly funded universities. A job offer is not required.

Business Category

Entrepreneur Stream

This stream is designed to attract individuals who are looking to implement a new business initiative or buy an existing business in Ontario. Successful applicants will obtain a temporary work permit support letter – based on a performance agreement – to establish the business in Ontario. If the investment and job creation agreements outlined in the performance agreement are adhered to, entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to be nominated for Canadian permanent resident status.

Corporate Stream

This stream aims to help, and support established international corporations looking to expand into Ontario or buy an existing business. Once the business has been successfully established, key staff are eligible to apply for a provincial nomination certificate, allowing them to eventually become permanent residents of Canada.