Ontario’s diverse landscape ranges from the rocky, mineral-rich Canadian shield to the more than 250,000 lakes that make up one-fifth of the world’s freshwater reserves. In addition, about 60% of the area is classified as forested, which is the second largest forest in the world.
Multiculturalism is highly celebrated in Ontario, and Toronto is considered the most multicultural city in the world. In fact, hundreds of languages and dialects are spoken here, including several Algonquin – Iroquois Aborigines.
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) supports employers by facilitating the recruitment of international students needed to meet their staffing needs.
OINP is operated by the Province of Ontario and is managed by the Office of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Ontario and the Department of Education and Skills Development.
Candidates go through a two-stage process: they have to submit an application for nomination to the state government and then to the federal government for nomination for permanent residence.
In addition, each category is divided into several streams, with a maximum number of applicants per category and a minimum period of time in the program.
Ontario Provincial Nominee Program Streams
The OINP accepts applications under the following immigration categories:
- Human Capital Category
- Employer Job Offer Category
- Business Category
Human Capital Category Ontario Provincial Nominee Program
The human capital category consists of five flows, divided into two categories: Ontario Express Entry Flow and International Graduate Flow. These streams enable OINP to nominate individuals who are eligible to join the Federal Express Entry Pool and who have the ability to integrate into Ontario’s labor market and community.
The OINP Express entries in the Human Capital category and the international graduate stream have been successfully established and are coordinated by the OINP Express Entry Streams with support from the Ontario Department of Employment and Labor Development.
These streams enable Ontario to nominate candidates who are destined to succeed and integrate into Ontario’s labor market and community.
Ontario’s two International Graduate Streams are aimed at international students who have recently completed a Master’s or PhD at a qualified Ontario university. Both streams target individuals with a master’s degree from the University of Ontario and those with a bachelor’s or doctorate from an international university.
Employer Job Offer Category
The Employer Job Offer Stream offers foreign workers the opportunity to work and settle in Ontario as permanent residents. The Employer Job Offer Stream helps recruit and retain more than 100,000 foreign employees in Ontario each year by helping them find employment.
Ontario Provincial Nominee Processing Time
The processing time for the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program is six months.
Ontario Provincial Nominee Program for international students
A person who has recently completed a degree or diploma program at a Canadian university or college may apply for the International Student Category of the Ontario Provincial Nomination Program.
Once nominated, applicants can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent resident status.
The Ontario International Student category is not aligned with the federal Express Entry system. All permanent residence applications made within the framework of the current nomination will be processed exclusively outside of the Express Entry system.