Ontario has made a significant update to its PNP called ONIP or Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. Immigrants to Ontario must be well aware of the modifications to the program to streamline their immigration to the province. This is possible as Ontario eases its OINP eligibility criteria. Discover the changes below.

Ontario Eases its OINP Eligibility Criteria

The province of Ontario has introduced a significant change to the Employer Job Offer: International Student stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It has expanded the qualification requirement for students who possess a one-year college graduate certificate. 

This adjustment became effective on January 1, 2024. 

Prior to this modification, the Employer Job Offer: International Student stream under the OINP enabled candidates to apply with a one-year credential from an authorized university, but only if the program needed a degree for admission. 

Through this change, the ONIP enables applicants enrolled in any one-year college program that offers students an Ontario College Graduate Certificate to qualify for the program. This expanded the number of certificate programs eligible for Ontario’s PNP.

Understanding OINP’s Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream 

As Ontario eases its OINP eligibility criteria, it’s essential to understand the stream. 

The Employer Job Offer: International Student stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) offers international students with a job offer in any approved skilled occupation in Ontario a pathway to gain permanent residence.

The stream is specifically for international students living in Canada or outside it with a job offer in a skilled profession. These are categorized into Type/Level 0, A, or B, as per the National Occupational Classification (NOC) in Canada.

Besides a job offer, these students have to confirm that their job offer, employer, and they satisfy the program’s requirements. Students have to submit an “Employer Form” along with their application that their Ontario employer must complete.

Once an applicant’s application under the OINP gets approved and they receive Ontario’s provincial nomination under this stream, they can apply to IRCC for a work permit and permanent residence status in Canada.

Requirements & Eligibility Criteria of OINP’s Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream

To qualify for OINP’s Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream, candidates must verify that they hold any of the following eligible credentials. 

  • An undergraduate degree or diploma that requires a minimum of two years is studied full-time at an approved university in Canada.
  • A graduate degree or diploma that requires a minimum of one year is studied full-time at an approved university in Canada.
  • A college graduate certificate that requires a minimum of one year if studied full-time at an approved university in Ontario.
  • A university graduate certificate that requires a minimum of one year if studied full-time at an approved university in Ontario.

Notably, more than 50% of the applicant’s education must be completed at an approved institution in Canada while residing and studying in Canada. To check if a graduate certificate is an eligible credential, applicants should ensure that the official certification from their acquired institution is an Ontario College Graduate Certificate.

Along with the proper education credentials, applicants under this stream must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Candidates must have an authorized full-time job offer of indefinite duration. It must be in a skilled occupation under NOC 0, A, or B in Ontario. Also, the job offer has to satisfy the entry-level salary levels in Ontario for that occupation.
  • When applying, they must have the necessary license or authorization required for the job.
  • Applicants must show their desire to reside in Ontario. They must reveal their ties in Ontario.
  • They must have maintained their legal status in Ontario. For instance, a visitor record, study permit, or work permit during the application period if they are living in Canada.

How can a possible applicant show a connection to Ontario?

An interested applicant under OINP’s stream can show their relation in Ontario by using the following things:

  • Recent and/or prior job in Ontario
  • Job offers, jobs applied, or jobs interviewed for in Ontario
  • Education in Ontario
  • Family connections
  • Social links or personal relationships
  • Previous travels to Ontario
  • Volunteer work in Ontario
  • Property ownership or lease agreements for a home in Ontario 
  • Professional associations and affiliations in Ontario