Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream

The OINP Foreign Worker Stream allows foreign workers in skilled occupations or eligible physicians to migrate to and live permanently in Ontario. To qualify for this program, you must:

• Have a full-time and permanent job offer from an eligible Canadian employer with a minimum of 1,560 hours annually or 30 hours weekly.
• Be paid at least the median wage level for similar occupations in Ontario.
• Be offered a role at TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) 0,1,2,3 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
• Work in a role integral to your employer’s business activities.
• Work primarily and intend to live in Ontario
• Meet one of the following work experience requirements:
  • Hold a valid license from the appropriate regulatory body for authorized occupations, or
  • Demonstrate two years of full-time work experience in authorized jobs in an occupation of the same NOC code as the one they’re applying for in the five years before their application.

Physicians may apply for the Foreign Worker Stream without having a job offer if they are:

• Registered in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in either:
  • Academic practice
  • Independent practice, or
  • Postgraduate occupation
• Eligible to receive payment for publicly funded health services under the Health Insurance Act,1990.

Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream

The International Student Stream allows foreign students from inside and outside Canada to live and work permanently in Ontario. To be considered for the stream, you must get a job offer in an eligible skilled occupation (TEER Category 1, 2, or 3 of the NOC but are not required to have work experience.

You must also:

• Be paid equal to or higher than the low wage level for your occupation in the Ontario region where they will be working.
• Be offered a role that is urgently necessary for your employer’s business activities
• Work and intend to live in Ontario
• Hold an academic qualification equivalent to any of the following:
  • A Bachelor’s degree or diploma requiring at least two years of full-time study to complete
  • A graduate degree or diploma requiring at least one year of full-time study to complete
  • A college or university graduate certificate requiring at least one year of full-time study for completion
• Submit an OINP application within two years of receiving your academic qualification
• Hold a valid licence or other forms of authorization if you work in an occupation that requires one.

Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream

The In-Demand Skills stream targets specific, in-demand workers in healthcare, agriculture, construction, and other select occupations. To be eligible for this OINP stream, potential in-demand workers must:

• Be offered a role in an eligible occupation in the NOC TEER category 4 or 5.
• Be paid an equivalent or higher median wage for the role in the Ontario area where the job is located.
• Have a minimum of nine months of cumulative full-time paid work experience in the same occupation within the three years before the date of application submission.
• Work in a role urgently integral to the employer’s business growth
• Demonstrate an intent to settle in Ontario
• Meet a level 4 or higher language requirement in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels.
• Have a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent from another country.

Applicants who obtained their educational qualification outside Canada must obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to demonstrate the equivalency of their credential to a Canadian certificate.

OINP Master’s and PhD Graduate Streams

The OINP Master’s and PhD Graduate streams allow applicants with an Ontario Master’s or PhD degree to live and work permanently in the province if they satisfy the eligibility requirements. Unlike the International Students Stream, you do not need a job offer to apply for the OINP Master’s and PhD Graduate Streams.

However, you must have enough funds to support yourself and your dependent family members. You can prove sufficient funds through bank balance, proof of annual earnings from ongoing employment in Ontario or a job offer in Ontario. You must also demonstrate your intent to live in Ontario after obtaining permanent residence.

Note that you must apply for the stream within two years of completing your Master’s or PhD program.

Here are specific eligibility requirements for each immigration stream:

OINP Master’s Graduate Stream Requirements

To be eligible for the Master’s Graduate Stream, you must:

• Have completed the requirements for a Master’s degree from an eligible Ontario university
• Demonstrate proficiency in English or French at CLB level 7 or higher.
• Reside in Ontario or outside Canada at the time of your application. Individuals residing in other Canadian provinces are not eligible.

Applicants who reside in Ontario must have done so for a cumulative period of at least one year in the past two years before their application.

While you are expected to have completed your education program before applying, Master’s degree students may be eligible to apply under any of the following circumstances:

• If their application is to meet the requirements to be licensed in a regulated occupation in Ontario
• They are also working full-time in Ontario.

OINP PhD Graduates Stream Requirements

PhD Graduates Stream applicants must:

• Have completed at least two years of PhD studies from an eligible Ontario university.
• Have lived legally in Ontario for a cumulative period of at least one year in the last two years before their application.

OINP Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

This immigration stream targets French-speaking skilled workers with strong English language skills who want to settle and work in the province of Ontario.

To be eligible for this stream, you must first qualify for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) federal Express Entry pool through either the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class.

To be eligible for the French-Speaking Stream, you must:

• Demonstrate proficiency in English at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 6 and French at CLB level 7 or higher.
• Intend to reside in Ontario and have sufficient funds to cover your stay
• Hold a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report indicating that their foreign education is equivalent to a Canadian degree.

You must also have a minimum level of work experience corresponding to the federal program requirements against which they choose to be assessed.

If you choose to be assessed against the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) criteria, you must have at least one year of continuous and full-time employment experience, or part-time equivalent, in a NOC level 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation in the five years before submitting your provincial nomination application.

Individuals assessed against the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) criteria must have at least one year of cumulative and full-time employment experience, or part-time equivalent, in a NOC 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation in Canada in the three years before the date of the NOI from the OINP.

OINP Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream

The OINP Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream allows foreign workers with the right education, work experience, language proficiency, and other requirements to live and work in Ontario.

To apply for the Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, you must choose to be assessed under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). You must meet the corresponding work experience requirement for the specific pathway under which you choose to be assessed.

In addition, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree or an ECA report establishing their foreign degree’s equivalency to the Canadian standard.
• Demonstrate English or French language proficiency at CLB level 7 or higher.
• Prove intent to and have enough funds to settle in Ontario

OINP Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream

Foreign nationals with Ontario work experience in eligible skilled trades can permanently live and work in the province through the OINP Express Entry Skilled Trades stream.

To be eligible for this stream, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Have at least one year of full-time or equivalent part-time work experience in NOC Major Groups 72 (excluding jobs under transportation officers), 73, 82, 83, and 93 (excluding aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors) and Minor Groups 6320 (excluding cooks) within the last two years.  Some eligible occupations include machinists, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and bricklayers.
• Have an Ontario certificate of licence if they work in a compulsory trade.
• Be an Ontario resident with a valid work permit at the time of their application.
• Meet the CLB requirements of level 5 or higher in English or French
• Demonstrate sufficient settlement funds and a long-term plan to reside in Ontario.

OINP Points Calculator 

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) uses a point-based Expression of Interest (EOI) system for its non-Express Entry streams.

Applicants are assigned points based on one or more of the following key eligibility metrics:

• Education level, field, and where it was completed
• Language proficiency
• Intention to settle outside of the Greater Toronto Area
• Skill and work experience level
• Earnings history
• Canadian work experience
• Attributes that would address immediate labour market needs in Ontario

The Government of Ontario assigns more points to applicants who best qualify for the immigration streams. For instance, in the International Students stream, applicants whose job offer has an NOC TEER 0 or 1 get 10 points on the scale, while those with NOC TEER 2 or 3 get 8 points.

They also assign more points to applicants who earn higher wages, have prestigious academic qualifications, and have higher language proficiency scores.

The location of the job offer or educational institution also influences the points system. The Ontario Government favours applicants who intend to reside in Northern Ontario and other regions outside Greater Toronto.

Applicants with the highest points during the occasional draws get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for provincial nomination. Individuals who receive a successful nomination can apply to the IRCC for permanent residence.

Comprehensive Ranking System

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is Canada’s official grading scale for Express Entry applicants. The IRCC assigns CRS points to applicants based on eligibility and typically holds draws every two weeks. It nominates those with the highest points in these draws to apply for Canadian permanent residency (PR).

Here is a breakdown of the CRS scoring system and factors considered:

• Core human capital Factors – Maximum 500 points
  • Age
  • Level of education
  • First language ability (English or French)
  • Second language ability (English or French)
  • Canadian Work Experience
• Skill transferability factors – Maximum 100 points on the following skill combinations
• • Education and Canadian work experience
  • Education and language ability
  • Language ability and non-Canadian work experience
  • Canadian and non-Canadian work experience
  • Certificate of qualification in a trade and language ability
• Additional factors – Maximum 600 points
  • Provincial nominee program (PNP) certificate (Excluding Quebec)
  • Canadian study experience
  • A sibling in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years of age
  • French language ability

In addition, applicants who choose to be assessed under the Federal Skilled Worker’s Program must score at least 67 points out of 100 in the following six selection factors:

• Language – Maximum 28 points
• Education – Maximum 25 points
• Skilled work experience – Maximum 15 points
• Age – Maximum 12 points
• Arranged Employment in Canada – Maximum 10 points
• Adaptability – Maximum 10 points

Like other point systems, applicants get higher scores for their performance. For instance, they will get the maximum points in language if they score 9 or higher on all their language skills in an authorized proficiency test. Applicants with more extended experience also get more points.

For the OINP applications, the Government of Ontario occasionally searches the IRCC’s Express Entry pool to identify applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for its Express Entry-aligned provincial streams and have a high CRS score. While there is no fixed benchmark, candidates with a CRS score of 400 and above are often targeted, especially during periods of high demand.

Eligible applicants will receive a notification of interest (NOI), which they can then use to apply for provincial nomination. If their provincial nomination application is successful, it will automatically add 600 points to their CRS score, increasing their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.

Recent OINP Draw Results

The OINP only issued four ITAs for applicants in the Foreign Worker Stream between January and April of 2025, and this draw was held in January. More draws are expected throughout the year, where applicants will be chosen for eligible programs.

Points thresholds were not released for the four successful applicants in the January 2025 draws. However, based on the 2024 draws, applicants for streams like the OINP Foreign Worker should aim for at least 50-60 points. The International Students Stream has more stringent requirements, and applicants may require a points tally as high as 80 to be eligible.

For other streams, a minimum score of 50 points can get an applicant an ITA, although it is not guaranteed. The minimum OINP points also fluctuate monthly. Applicants should aim for a score higher than the minimum released for the previous draws.

How Do OINP Draws Work?

The OINP draw is where the government of Ontario selects eligible candidates for nomination into the various streams. It does this occasionally and could be on a general or targeted basis.

The general basis requires evaluating all Expressions of Interest from applicants in a similar pool. A targeted basis requires tailoring the draws to applicants with one or more target labour market or human capital skills required in Ontario. An example is the targeted tech draw for the Human Capital Priorities Stream, which identifies applicants with advanced and required technological skills.

If selected, candidates will receive an invitation to apply from the OINP to continue their application. Successful applicants must apply for nomination within 14 days of receiving an ITA, or they will lose the invitation.

Key Factors Influencing OINP Draws

Certain factors can influence your chances during OINP draws, and here are some of the most essential:

Expression of Interest Points

The points assigned to applicants after submitting an EOI are a significant determinant of whether they will get an invitation to apply from the Ontario Government. Applicants are advised to score high in key metrics to ensure a high overall score.

A good way to get a high point is to attain more than the minimum required CLB score in their language proficiency test and negotiate better wages with their employer. These actions can improve your CRS score and increase your success rate at the draws.

The same applies to Express Entry-aligned streams. Aiming for a high score can improve their success in the Express Entry draws.

Provincial Priorities

A high CRS or EOI points score does not necessarily mean that the OINP will grant an applicant a notification of interest or invitation to apply. The priorities of the Ontario province can affect the government’s decision on the type of draws to hold and when to hold draws.

All draws, particularly targeted ones, prioritize jobs most integral to the province’s immediate needs. For instance, on October 8, 2024, the OINP draw targeted health professionals, who got nearly half of the ITAs issued.

Application Timelines

OINP applicants should follow the draw schedule to enable them to submit their applications on time. Failing to submit an application before a draw or being too close to the scheduled date may affect an applicant’s chances.

Although draws are expected to be held biweekly, there are some exceptions, and the OINP does not always follow a structured calendar. Applicants are advised to submit their application 6 to 12 months before their travel dates.

Trends in OINP Draws for 2024

The OINP issued 22,024 ITAs from Expression of Interest draws in 2024. The routes with the highest number of ITAs awarded in 2024 were the Foreign Worker and International Students applicants. The OINP awarded 8,363 ITAs for the International Students stream and 6,695 for the Foreign Worker stream.

Master’s Graduate stream applicants were issued 5,519 ITAS, while the PhD Graduate stream received 533 ITAs. The Master’s Graduate stream is dynamic with its EOI points threshold. For example, the minimum score for January of 2024 was 50 points, while applicants in the July draws were required to have a minimum of 54 points to be eligible.

The OINP held only two In-Demand Skills stream draws in 2024, which were general draws and resulted in 914 ITAs issued. The OINP also expanded the eligible occupations for the In-Demand Skills Stream by 35 occupations, which span the agriculture, manufacturing, and health sectors.

Furthermore, the OINP also issued 23,262 Notifications of Interest and 21,500 provincial nominations in 2024. Human Capital Priorities stream applicants received the highest NOIs, at 12,731; Skilled Trades stream applicants followed, at 9,006; and the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream received 1,525 NOIs.

Securing a Job Offer

Successful OINP nominees who may not already have a job offer, such as Master’s and PhD Graduate stream candidates, can begin their job application process ahead of receiving permanent residence or moving to Ontario.

Applicants can search for Ontario-based job offers through routine adverts on job boards or by directly contacting the company. It is advisable to build connections with Ontario businesses and industry stakeholders to increase employment chances.

Settlement Support for Successful Applicants 

If your OINP application is successful, you can access various settlement services to ease your transition into life and work in Ontario.

As a permanent resident, you can benefit from government-funded programs that help you find affordable housing, access healthcare, and navigate public services. Access to public elementary and secondary education is free for children of permanent residents.

Organizations such as Settlement.Org and the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Welcome Services connect skilled workers with employment preparation workshops, language training, mentoring opportunities, and information on settling in Ontario. You can also participate in community networks, including cultural associations, to help you build social connections.

Settlement services are also available through local settlement agencies, many of which provide support in multiple languages.

The OINP Stream Selector Tool

The stream selector tool is an official tool that helps candidates determine a suitable OINP stream. It can reduce hours or days of decision-making to just minutes. Users only need to answer a few questions, and the tool will determine the most suitable stream for their situation.

The tool’s questions are based on education, work experience, residency, language ability, and an Ontario job offer. Before using the tool, you should determine the NOC of your job offer and work experience on Employment and Social Development Canada’s website. You should also take an English proficiency test for improved accuracy.

Note that the stream selector tool is for informational purposes only. It is an applicant’s responsibility to ensure they meet all eligibility criteria for their stream before applying.

Job Bank

Job Bank is Canada’s National Employment Service and one of the most reliable Canadian platforms for job seekers to find jobs and employers to recruit workers. It lists thousands of openings, which applicants can access for free, and you can use it to search for Ontario-based jobs.

Job Bank also provides other valuable services such as wage reports, career planning, outlook reports, and labour market news.

Third-party OINP Score Calculators

You can get an estimate of your OINP scores before making your application using online third-party score calculators. You will need to enter details such as their stream, occupation, residency status in Canada, wage rate, educational qualification, and language proficiency.

The tool calculates users’ estimated points based on the information provided and generates a total score. Although the outputs may not directly reflect the points you will get on the OINP, these tools are reliable guides.

CRS Score Calculator

The Government of Canada’s website has a CRS score calculator that helps Express Entry applicants determine their CRS scores. The information requested is optimized for the Comprehensive Ranking System, and it includes marital status, age, education, language, work experience, certification, and Canadian sibling.