Blog

Yes, you read it right Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program is the best PNP program, let me tell you why?

Before we move on, let me tell you few important things about Ontario.

1. 38% of Canadians live in Ontario, so its most populous province of Canada.
2. Ottawa the capital city of Canada is also in Ontario.
3. Ontario city Toronto is the most populous city of Canada.
4. 20% of the world fresh water is in Ontario, in the form of lakes and rivers.
5. Toronto is the centre of business, finance, arts and culture.

Now, let’s move on to the PNP program offered by Ontario better known as OINP i.e. Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.

This program is designed and developed to successfully bring in skilled foreign workers, international students and investors. Ontario run this program in association with the Federal government via IRCC, better know as Immigration refugees and Citizenship Canada.

This program allows has its own requirements for education, skills and experience, which one should meet in order to be eligible for the nomination.

Three main categories of Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program are:

1. Employer job offer Category
2. Human capital Category
3. Business Category

1. Employer job offer Category

To qualify for this category you must have a full-time job offer from an employer who must be having an Ontario based business.

This category has three streams as follows:

1. Foreign Worker Stream
2. International Student Stream
3. In-Demand Skills Stream

1.Foreign Worker Stream:

You may apply for this program yourself or hire some immigration agency or lawyer for the same. For applying yourself you may log on to OINP e-filling portal

Before registering you must have all the information papers and credit card ready to pay for the process of filing. It takes around 3 hours to complete the application process but you can do it in a number of sessions, but please keep in mind you must submit the application within 14 days of registering on the portal. There is a different process of filing if you hire an immigration lawyer.

Now most important things, you and your employer must meet all the mandatory requirements. Here is the list for employee:

1. You must get the permanent job offer and that too must be full-time, part-time jobs are not considered for this program
2. Your occupation should satisfy National Occupation Classification parameters. Job offered to you must be Skill Type 0 or Skill level A or B.
3. You must be offered a wage higher than the median wage level.
4. You must work in the province of Ontario only.
5. Position or job offered to you must be necessary for your employer.

Here is the list of mandatory requirements to be fulfilled by the employer:

1. The employer must have an active business for the last 3 years
2. Should have office or business premises in Ontario
3. Should prove that efforts were made to recruit local worker especially Canadian citizen or PR.
4. Should have at least 5 or more employees
5. Should have gross revenue more than $1,000,000

2. International Student Stream:

This stream is open for all the international students, who satisfy the job requirements. Here is the list of requirements that applicant must meet before applying for this category:

1. You must have successfully completed a diploma from a Canadian institution that is eligible for this program
2. You must apply within two years of completing your diploma or degree.
3. You must intend to live in Ontario.

Requirement for the employer are same as in case of foreigner worker stream.

3. In-Demand Skills Stream

For this particular stream, candidate must satisfy following conditions:

1. You must have one year of experience of a full-time job in Ontario, with 30 hours of minimum work in a week.
2. CLB level of 4 or higher is required, which should prove that you are good enough to understand English or French covering all the sections, Listening, speaking, writing and reading.
3. Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent international credentials are required.
4. Should have funds enough for you and your dependent family members, better know as Settlement funds.

Requirements for Employer are almost the same except, the position offered must be one of the

• NOC 7441 – residential and commercial installers and services
• NOC 7521 – heavy equipment operators (except crane)
• NOC 7611 – construction trades helpers and labourers
• NOC 8431 – general farm workers
• NOC 8432 – nursery and greenhouse workers
• NOC 8611 – harvesting labourers
• NOC 9462 – industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers

2. Human capital Category :

This particular category is again divided into two categories or subcategories we can say as under:

1. International Graduates
2. Ontario’s Express Entry

1. OINP Masters Graduate Stream:

To qualify first thing that is required for the international graduates is, Master’s degree from Ontario. There is no requirement for a job offer to apply in this particular category.

You have to pay $1500 fees via credit card. Again it takes 2 hours to complete the application but you may complete and submit it within 14 days after you register with OINP e-filling portal. If you get the nomination, you must apply to the federal government via IRCC, where a final decision regarding your PR is taken.

2. Ontario’s Express Entry:

For this particular program you need to have profile in Federal system and receive a notification of interest from the provincial authorities. There are three streams :

1. Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
2. Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream
3. Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream

3. Business Category

There are two streams in this category, they are :

1. OINP Corporate Stream
2. OINP Entrepreneur Stream

1. OINP Corporate Stream:

As the name suggests, you must be international corporation, which is looking for starting new business in Ontario. Even if you are planning to buy existing business in Ontario, you are qualified to apply for this program.

After successfully establishing a business in the province, key employees may apply for permanent residency. In the first stage, they will get temporary work permits letters. Keep in mind a maximum of five employees are eligible for this program. Once they are nominated they will move to the next step, ie. applying to the federaly government via IRCC.

2.OINP Entrepreneur Stream:

This stream is for international Entrepreneurs, planning to start a new venture in Ontario. Entrepreneurs may opt for buying an existing business to qualify for the program.

This program gives a good opportunity to entrepreneurs and their partners(limited to one partner only), to establish their business in Canada and get PR.

There are 2 stages in Entrepreneur stream application process.

Stage 1: In this stage you must register online to show expression of interest in setting up your new venture. If you get an invitation, you will appear for an in-person interview, along with your partner and finally, you sign in the performance agreement.

Stage 2: After successfully completing stage 1, you will be issues temporary work permit and will be given 20 months to establish your business and submit the final report to become eligible for applying for permanent residency via Ontario nomination program.

Summary:

1. Four Immigration Categories
2. Express Entry and Enhanced Streams
3. Regional Immigration Pilot
4. Entrepreneur Stream for Business
5. Application and Nomination

I hope this article is useful for those planning to move to Canada via OINP program.

Note: There are frequent changes in the program rules and requirements for Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, like eligibility criteria, Language proficiency score, educational qualification required, age criteria and even fees.