With 40% of the Canadian population residing in Ontario, it is one of the most populated provinces of the country. It also includes two of the most important cities of Canada, namely Canada’s Capital City – Ottawa, and the country’s business and financial hub – Toronto. Being at the heart of social, political and economic happenings of the country along with its multicultural communities and Immigration friendly policies, Ontario offers the most incredible opportunities for international migrants looking to work and study abroad. To attract quality immigrants, Ontario supports regional immigration with numerous well-structured immigration programs including Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
Know OINP
OINP is a partnership program between the provincial and federal governments which grants permanent residence to students who are in Canada for a master’s degree or PhD. Under OINP, the candidates apply directly to the federal government. It supports local employers to attract skilled workers or international for permanent stay, study and work in Ontario. OINP enables the local employers to find the right match basis their skills, experience and qualifications listed by the Ontario’s labour market for a particular job. OINP can nominate candidates selected under the Express Entry pool of Citizenship and Immigration Canada for the local jobs.
There are as many as 6 different categories given below, each with its own eligibility requirements –
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
- Corporate
- General
- International Students
- Entrepreneur
- French-speaking Skilled Worker
- Human Capital Prioritie
International Student Category – OINP
It is specifically designed for international students for overseas study programs and is the most popular route to get into local universities. It is further divided into 3 sub-categories. They include–
1) International Student with a Job Offer
- Open to international students with approved job from a Canadian employer.
- Applicant should have completed at least half of the studies from a publicly funded college or university in Canada
- He/ She must hold at least a 2 year full-time degree or diploma, or at least 1 year post-graduate degree or certificate program in which case he should have previous degree or diploma from abroad
- Applicant must have a permanent, full-time job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC Levels 0, A, or B), which is approved and remain valid at time student’s application is approved.
- He/She should submit an application within 2 years of receiving the Canadian degree or diploma.
2) International PhD Graduate stream
- Must have graduated from existing PhD program at an eligible publicly funded university in Ontario, or successfully completed all required degree programs, or have at least 2 years of completed PhD studies from publicly funded university in Ontario.
- Submit application within 2 years from receiving a PhD.
- It does not require applicants to have a job offer.
- Should be a legal resident if living in Canada.
3) Pilot International Masters Graduate –
- It is a pilot program which accepts only 1000 applicants.
- The applicant should intend to live and work in Ontario
- He / she must have graduated from an existing Masters program at an eligible publicly funded university in Ontario
- Candidate must enrol in one year full-time course
- He/ she should apply within 2 years from completion of a Masters degree and must have stayed in Ontario for at least one year within last two years
How to apply for OINP?
a) Application for OINP can be made after receiving the original documents from the employer which includes –
- Pre-Screen Approval Letter,
- Job Offer Letter,
- Pre-Screen Position Form,
- Joint Verification Form
b) Applications must be submitted within 60 days of issue-date of Pre-screen position form, beyond which the approved position is no longer eligible
c) Submit the Nominee Application Form with Authorizing or Cancelling a Representative Form
d) Nominee Application Form must be submitted in English or French, with supporting documents like birth certificates, passport, educational certificates etc., as per the checklist. A translation of documents, certified by Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO), can be submitted if the form is in another language.
e) Form needs to be notarised if submitted from outside Ontario
f) Only share the copies of supporting documents unless specifically stated. Do not submit originals of civil documents as the application will not be returned.
g) The non-refundable application fee, as applicable, must be paid in Canadian dollars in either certified cashier cheque, money order or a bank draft addressed to Ontario Minister of Finance.
Why applying through OINP makes sense?
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program benefits both employers and individuals. They include –
- It is one of the fastest route to getting a Permanent Residency in Canada.
- OINP does not rely on a point based system. It is an employer-driven provincial nomination system based on a permanent, full-time job in Ontario. It also ensures prevailing wages for international students.
- Fresh international students do not require one year of work experience required under Skilled Worker Categories.
- Other benefits include domestic tuition rates for dependants attending college or university, access to local financial services including mortgages and loans and long-term job security in Ontario.
With so many benefits, OINP is a one of the most popular programs opted by international students to migrate to Canada.