Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is a key pathway for individuals seeking permanent residence in Ontario, Canada’s largest province. The program allows Ontario to nominate individuals who meet its specific labor market and economic needs. The program is designed for semi-skilled and high-skilled workers, French-speaking high-skilled workers, and international students.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) offers various immigration streams tailored to meet the province's labor market needs. The main categories under the OINP include Express Entry based streams such as the Human Capital Priority stream, Skilled Trades stream, and French-Speaking Skilled Workers stream; and broad category is Employer Job Offer-Based streams such as International Students stream, In-Demand Skills stream, and Foreign Worker stream.

Successful nominees receive an Ontario nomination, which boosts their chances of receiving an invitation for permanent residence through Express Entry. This program plays a crucial role in attracting skilled immigrants to fill gaps in Ontario’s workforce and contribute to its economic growth.

Different Pathways under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

1. Express Entry Driven streams

This category is aimed at individuals with strong qualifications, education, and work experience. It is further divided into two main streams:

• Human Capital Priorities Stream: This stream is linked to the federal Express Entry system, allowing Ontario to select candidates from the Express Entry pool based on skills, work experience, language ability, and adaptability. It is ideal for those who meet the criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

• Skilled Trades Stream: This stream is linked to the federal Express Entry system, allowing Ontario to select candidates from the Express Entry pool based on their experience in skilled trades occupation in Ontario.

• French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream: This stream gives foreign workers with the required skilled work experience, French language abilities and education the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario. You must be able to understand, read, write and speak English at a CLB level 6 and French at a CLB level 7 or higher.

2. Employer Job Offer Category
This category is employer-driven, enabling Ontario employers to recruit foreign workers for positions they cannot fill with local talent. Applicants must have a job offer from an eligible employer in the province. It includes three streams:

• Foreign Worker Stream: For skilled workers with a valid job offer in Ontario. The job offer should be in TEER Category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the National Occupation Classification.

• International Student Stream: For international graduates with a job offer in a skilled occupation i.e. TEER Category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the National Occupation Classification.

• In-Demand Skills Stream: Targets workers in specific industries such as agriculture, construction, and trucking, where there are labor shortages. This stream is for workers with a job offer in TEER Category 4 or 5 of the National Occupation Classification.

3. International Graduate Stream: Ontario encourages international graduates from eligible Canadian universities to apply for permanent residence. This stream has two subcategories:

• Masters Graduate Stream: Open to individuals with a master’s degree from an Ontario university.

• PhD Graduate Stream: For graduates with a doctoral degree from an Ontario institution.

Both subcategories are designed to retain highly educated talent within the province.