Ontario is the leading destination for newcomers/ immigrants to Canada. The province welcomes over one-third of immigrants/ newcomers every year. Moreover, individuals choose to land in this province because of its job opportunities, diverse/ dynamic population, & high income. In fact, more than half of individuals residing in Toronto were born outside of Canada. The Ontario Provincial Nominee Program is known as the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, i.e., OINP. The Ontario Provincial Nominee Program is known as the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, i.e., OINP. 

Through this program, prospective newcomers/ immigrants with the relevant skills & experience targeted in the province may receive a provincial nomination from Ontario. In addition, upon receiving the nomination, applicants can apply for Canada’s permanent residence with IRCC. 

Ontario Provincial Nominee Program: An Overview 

The Ontario Provincial Nominee Program was launched in 2007 to respond to skill shortages in the targeted regions, thus making it easier to invest in Ontario. In addition, this program also ensures that newcomers can settle & integrate well in the province. 

When the program first began, Ontario PNP was only able to nominate over 1,000 applicants. However, today the province nominates some 8,000 immigrants per year. Some Ontario immigration streams are base streams & others are enhanced streams. 

Enhanced streams are the ones aligned with the Express Entry system. This is the federal immigration system which the nation uses to manage permanent residence applications via the country’s economic class immigration programs. 

Moreover, through this system, the applicant gets a CRS score. Applicants with the highest-ranking scores obtain ITAs to apply for PR. 

Well, individuals with a nomination from a provincial program that is enhanced get additional 600 points, thus guaranteeing getting an ITA for permanent residence. However, they can also get a nomination via an Express Entry profile. 

On the other hand, base streams aren’t aligned with Express Entry systems. Further, applicants who get a provincial nomination need to apply to IRCC. 

Ontario Immigration Categories

If you want to Immigrate to Ontario, then you have four categories, namely: 

• Business Category
• Human Capital Category 
• Employer Job Offer Category
• Masters/ PhD Category 

The Human Capital category is for skilled professionals, French-speaking skilled professionals, & tradespersons. Moreover, it is also for international graduates who have graduated from Ontario University with a Masters or PhD degree. It is vital to note that no job offer is needed to apply through this category.  

The Employer Job Offer Category is for applicants with eligible job offers from an employer wishing to nominate them in Ontario. 

Human Capital Category 

The Human Capital Category is segregated into two streams. One is Ontario Express Entry. Programs in this sub-stream are enhanced, implying they are associated/ linked with the Express Entry System. 

The forthcoming programs fall into the Human Capital Category: 

• Skilled Trades: For individuals with work experience in an eligible trade occupation.
• Human Capital Priorities: This category includes CEC & FSWP. 
• French-Speaking Skilled Worker: This program functions as the Human Capital Priorities stream through FSWP & CEC. Candidates for French-Speaking Skilled Workers must have strong skills in both French as well as English.

You will be notified if you get a nomination via Ontario Express Entry. However, it will then be up to you whether to accept or refuse the nomination. You must note that accepting the nomination will grant you additional 600 points. This implies that you will get an ITA in the next all-program Express Entry draw. 

Minimum Requirements 

An applicant must: 

• Have sufficient money to support themselves & their family
• Intent to reside in Ontario
• Meet the additional requirements for the stream

How It Works

Once you know which stream you are eligible for, you can register for an ONe-key account on the OINP website. 

You will need to create a profile & then begin your application via the portal by clicking on the file number beside the stream you wish to apply for. You will also have to upload the essential documents. 

Well, if you are applying for one of the Express Entry streams, you have to maintain a valid Express Entry profile until you are nominated. If your application is accepted, you will get a Nomination Approval Letter & an OINP certificate of Nomination by email. 

For Express Entry streams, you will get your nomination via the Express Entry profile. Moreover, you have to accept the nomination, after which you will get additional 600 points. This implies that you will receive an ITA for PR in the next Express Entry draw. 

Furthermore, for Graduate streams, you have to apply for PR with IRCC within six months. Don’t forget to include your nomination approval letter & OINP certificate. 

Masters & PhD Category 

The following programs aren’t aligned with Express Entry. In addition, a candidate should create a profile & register an EOI: 

• PhD Graduate Stream: This stream is for applicants who have received a PhD degree from an Ontario University.
• Masters Graduate Stream: This stream is for individuals who have a Masters degree from an Ontario University.  

Note: The Masters Graduate Stream & PhD Graduate Stream uses the EOI system. 

Application Fee: CAD 1,500

Processing Time: 30-60 days 

 

Category	Is a job offer needed?	Express Entry aligned?	Additional Requirements
Masters Graduate Stream	No	No	An applicant must have a Masters degree from an eligible Ontario University.  Language requirement: CLB level 7 or higher in English/ French is needed. Applicants should have legally resided in Ontario for at least one year in the last two years.
PhD Graduate Stream	No	No	Applicants must have a PhD degree from a recognized Ontario university. They should have legally resided in Ontario for at least one year in the last two years.

 

Employer Job Offer Category 

The following three programs are counted under the Employer Job Offer Category: 

• International Students: This stream is for recent graduates from Ontario post-secondary institutions.
• Foreign Worker Stream: This stream is for skilled professionals.
• In-Demand Skills Stream: This stream is for intermediate-skilled workers/professionals in construction, agriculture, & personal support workers. 

Application Fee

• Foreign Worker & In-Demand Skill Stream: CAD 1,500 (Job outside Greater Toronto) & CAD 2,000 (Job within Greater Toronto Area)
• International Student Stream: CAD 1,500 

Processing Time 

• Foreign Worker & In-Demand Skill Stream: 60 – 90 days 
• International Student Stream: 90 – 120 days 

Minimum Requirements 

Applicants must: 

• Have a full-time, permanent job offer in a suitable profession in Ontario
• Have relevant work experience, license, or other authorization which is needed to perform the job
• Intend to reside in the province
• Meet the additional requirements

 

Category	Is the job offer needed?	Additional Requirements
Foreign Worker Stream	Yes	Applicants must have at least two years of relevant work experience if the profession does not need a license.  The pay must be higher than the median wage level for the profession in Ontario.
In-Demand Skills Stream	Yes	Job should be in an in-demand profession  Must have nine months of relevant work experience Must have a high-school diploma Pay should be higher than the median wage level for profession in Ontario Language requirement: CLB 4 or higher in French/ English
Skilled Trades Stream	Yes	The pay must be higher than the low wage level for the profession in Ontario Should have a two-year degree/ diploma from a Canadian institution

 

How It Works 

Applicants must first create a profile on the OINP e-Filing portal & register their EOI. 

The province often holds provincial draws to invite the highest-ranking applicants in the pool. So, in case you are invited, you will receive a notification in the portal & will have to apply within 14 calendar days. You can submit your application via the ONe-key account. 

Ontario Regional Immigration Pilot 

This pilot program works as a part of the Employer Job Offer category. The pilot helps the province attract & retain immigrants/ newcomers to rural & small communities in Ontario to fill labor shortages. Moreover, it also supports the growth of the economy in communities. The pilot is for individuals with an employment offer from an employer in the pilot community. 

However, there are three pilot communities which are part of the regional immigration pilot. They are: 

• Chatham-Kent
• City Of Cornwall
• Cities of Quinte West & Belleville 

In order to be eligible to immigrate to the province via the regional immigration pilot, applicants must: 

• Have a full-time, permanent employment offer from an employer in either one of the pilot communities
• Meet the criteria for the Employer Job Offer streams (any one)   

In case you wish to apply for the pilot, you must register an EOI. While doing this, you will be asked if you intend to apply under the region immigration pilot or not. 

Business Category

The Business category is for individuals who wish to begin a business or buy an existing business in Ontario. There is presently one stream under this category, i.e., Entrepreneur Stream. 

Application Fee: CAD 3,500

Processing Time: 

The EQI assessment takes less than 30 days.  

Minimum Requirements: 

Applicants must: 

• Have a business experience of 24 months in the last 60 months.
• Have a net worth of CAD 800,000 if the business is located in the Greater Toronto Area or CAD 400,000 if the business is located outside Greater Toronto Area.
• Make the lowest/ least personal investment of around CAD 600,000 if the business is situated in GTA or CAD 200,000 if the business is situated outside the GTA.
• Control almost one-third of the equity in the business.
• Be actively involved in business management. 
• Create two permanent full-time jobs if the business is in GTA or one permanent full-time job if the business is outside GTA.
• Meet additional requirements if you are buying an existing business.

How It Works:

You must first submit an EOI by contacting the OINP by email & request a copy of the registration form. In addition, you will be required to complete the form & send it back by email. 

You will then be placed in the pool & will be ranked against other applicants. The province regularly holds draws where the highest-ranking applicants are invited to apply to the Entrepreneur stream via OINP e-Filing portal. 

In addition, you’ll also need to recruit a qualified vendor to review your net worth & legal accumulation of funds. 

Conclusion 

Ontario Provincial Nominee Program is a beacon of opportunity for people looking for a pathway to Canada’s promising future. With its diverse streams catering to numerous skill sets, this program opens doors to a life enriched with economic growth as well as cultural change. 

From professionals to entrepreneurs, the provincial nominee program welcomes people who wish to contribute to Ontario’s dynamic landscape. As applicants embark on this journey, they get a chance to settle in the province & become a part of a supportive community that thrives on diversity. 

Thus, the Ontario PNP serves as a bridge to new beginnings, thus fostering & creating lasting connections.

FAQs 

• Is the Ontario PNP easy? 

There are numerous streams to choose from when you are seeking to immigrate to Ontario via the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program.

However, it is unlikely that just one person is eligible for all the streams. For this reason, it is vital to know about the stream you are suitable for. That will be the apt & most accessible stream as per your situation. 

• How long does Ontario PNP take? 

The processing time for the Human Capital category is 30-60 days. 

Similarly, for the Employer Job Offer category, it takes around 60-90 days, except for the International Student stream, which takes 90-120 days. 

Furthermore, the EOIs take less than 30 days to process for the Business category. However, the processing time for the applications depends upon the complexity of the application. 

• When does the Ontario PNP open?

All streams are presently accepting applications. 

• What are popular colleges in Ontario?

The popular colleges are: 

• Niagara College
• George Brown College
• Mohawk College
• Humber College
• Seneca College
• Centennial College
• Canadore College