Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program

Immigrants from all over the world like living in Ontario, one of Canada’s most recognized provinces. The immigrant population in the multicultural province is high. The province, which is in central Canada, hosts two of the most well-known Canadian cities: Toronto, which is the world’s most diverse city, and Ottawa, which is the country’s capital. It is without a doubt a great attraction for newcomers to Canada since it has everything immigrants want, including a variety of cultures, job opportunities, and a top-notch quality of life.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

The main and best immigration program for immigration to Ontario is the Ontario PNP, also known as the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The program was started in 2007. It consists of a number of immigration routes that provide those with the education and work experience needed by the province’s economy the opportunity to move to Canada.

OINP is run in collaboration with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the federal immigration department of Canada.  The program selects individuals and nominates them for permanent residence in Canada based on economic and labour market needs. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) takes the final decision on their application for permanent residence in Canada.

Employers in Ontario who are wanting to fill their human resource needs find the program to be a great resource. The economic immigration program offers three immigration categories: Human Capital, Employer Job Offer, and Business Immigration, allowing the province to hire a variety of foreign talents including managers, skilled workers, and international students.

OINP Process

The OINP has a two-step immigration process. The candidate submits an application for nomination to the provincial government in the first step. The nominated candidates submit a comprehensive Canada PR application to the federal government in the second step.

Some of the program’s streams are base streams, meaning they have no relationship to Express Entry and need nominees to submit their applications directly to IRCC. The other streams, referred to as enhanced streams, are those that are in line with Express Entry, requiring that applicants for Canada PR have an Express Entry profile.

Different Categories for Ontario Immigration

There are three main categories that the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program’s immigration streams fall under.

1. Ontario Human Capital

The category is for applicants who have the appropriate skills, credentials, and job experiences to support Ontario’s economy. The category consists of five streams that are divided into two groups: the International Graduates Streams and the Ontario Express Entry Streams. In order to qualify for any of the streams under Ontario Human Capital, applicants are not required to have a job offer.

a) Ontario Express Entry Streams

Candidates applying through the Ontario Express Entry Streams must have an updated Express Entry profile as well as a Notification of Interest from Ontario. The different Ontario Express Entry Streams are 

• Human Capital Priorities 
• French-Speaking Skilled Worker 
• Skilled Trades 

b) International Graduates Streams

Graduates of eligible Ontario universities may apply for the International Graduates Streams. This category comprises two streams.

• Masters Graduate
• Ph.D. Graduate

2. Ontario Employer Job Offer

The category is for those having a full-time and permanent job offer from an Ontario employer. The streams that fall under this are 

• Foreign Worker
• International Student with a Job Offer
• In-Demand Skills

3. Ontario Entrepreneur

The category is for entrepreneurs from outside Canada interested in starting or growing an existing business in the province. 

Ontario PNP – Processing Time

The processing time for Ontario PNP varies depending on the immigration stream under which you apply. This time generally lies between 30 and 120 days.