Why should I consider living in Ontario?

Ontario is home to over thirteen million people and the largest economy in Canada. It’s GDP is almost double that of Quebec, which has the second largest economy. Manufacturing and tourism are important components, but it is the services sector that accounts for the majority of Ontario’s economic activity.

Much of Ontario’s population is centred around Canada’s largest city, Toronto, with almost six and a half million living in the Greater Toronto Area. Ontario is also home to Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. Not only is the province central to the Canadian economy, it is also the hub of the country’s political activity.

What is OINP?

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, or OINP, allows prospective immigrants with in-demand skills and experience to receive an Ontario Provincial Nomination Certificate. The individual can then apply for Canadian permanent residence with processing times that are faster than for most federal immigration classes.

Immigration under OINP is divided into four broad categories, as follows:

• Ontario Express Entry
• General Category, or Employer Job Offer Category
• International Student Category
• Business Category

Ontario Express Entry

In some cases, individuals who are in the federal Express Entry pool, and who have skills and experience that are needed by the province of Ontario, can be given the opportunity to apply for Ontario express entry.

The Ontario Express Entry program has the following streams:

• Human capital priorities stream: OINP can nominate individuals who qualify for the federal Express Entry pool, and who have in-demand skills and experience combined with language ability and other factors that can determine their ability to successfully integrate into an Ontario community.
• French-speaking skilled worker stream: This is similar to the human capital priorities stream, but it targets individuals who speak French as a first language, and who have strong English language skills.
• Skilled trades stream: This category is open to tradespeople who are working or have recently worked in Ontario under a valid work permit.

Employer Job Offer Category

Individuals who have a job offer from an Ontario employer for a position classified as skill type 0, A or B on the National Occupation Classification (NOC) may be eligible to apply for immigration under this class. Applicants do not have to be living in Canada at the time of application.

The recently launched Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream provides a path to immigration for workers in some agricultural and construction occupations.

International Student Category

International students who are have studied at a provincially recognized educational institution under a valid study permit may be able to apply for immigration in one of the following streams:

• International student with a job offer: open to students who have received an offer of employment from an Ontario employer
• International masters graduate stream: open to students who have obtained a Master’s degree from a publicly funded Ontario university
• International PhD graduate stream: open to students who have obtained a PhD from a publicly funded Ontario university

Job offers are not required for the international masters and PhD graduate streams.

Business Category

The streams available under this category are as follows:

• Entrepreneur stream: This is open to individuals with the intention, ability and financial means to create or acquire a business in Ontario. Under this stream, applicants are first given a temporary work permit support letter that outlines an agreement relating to business performance, investment and job creation. If this agreement is adhered to, the applicant may be nominated to apply for immigration.
• Corporate stream: This allows corporations that are established in other countries to expand into Ontario, either by starting new business operations or by acquiring an existing business. If the business is able to successfully establish operations in Ontario, key staff members can be nominated by the province to apply for immigration.

A third stream, the Investors Stream, is no longer accepting applications.