Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is the province’s economic immigration program. It works in partnership with the Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Foreign workers, international students and others with the right skills, experience and education apply to the OINP for a nomination. The OINP recognizes and nominates people for permanent residence who have the skills and experience the Ontario economy needs, and the Government of Canada makes the final decision to approve applications for permanent residence.

There are three main categories you may qualify for as a nominee:

Employer job offer category: for workers who already have a permanent job offer from an Ontario employer
Human capital category: for workers who have valuable work experience, education, language skills, and a profile in Canada’s Express Entry system; or for graduate students
Business category: for entrepreneurs looking to start a new or buy an existing business in Ontario

Employer job offer category

The employer job offer category has three streams. You must have a full-time and permanent job offer from an Ontario employer to qualify.

Foreign Worker stream: for workers in skilled positions
International Student stream: for recent graduates in Ontario
In-Demand Skills stream: for intermediate skilled workers in specific sectors, such as agriculture, construction, trucking and personal support workers

Human capital category

The human capital category has two sub-categories, the international graduate streams and Ontario’s Express Entry streams.

International graduates

To qualify under the Masters Graduate or PhD Graduate streams, you must have a graduate degree from an eligible Ontario university and apply within two years of getting your degree.
Masters Graduate stream
PhD Graduate stream

Ontario’s Express Entry

To qualify under Ontario’s Express Entry streams, you must have received a notification of interest from Ontario and have an up-to-date profile with your most current work experience, language tests and education in the federal government’s Express Entry system.

French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream: for French-Speaking skilled workers with the required work experience, education and language proficiency in French and English
Human Capital Priorities stream: for skilled workers with the required work experience, education and language proficiency in French or English
Skilled Trades stream: for workers with work experience in Ontario in an eligible trade occupation

Business category

The business category has one stream. You must be an entrepreneur from outside of Canada who is looking to implement a new business idea or buy and grow an existing business in Ontario.
Entrepreneur stream