Masters Graduates

The Human Capital Priorities Stream of Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is aligned to the federal Express Entry. It allows eligible Express Entry candidates with required level of skilled work experience, language abilities and education to apply for settling permanently in Ontario.

In order to apply for provincial nomination from Ontario under this stream, the candidate must have an active Express Entry profile and received a Notification of Interest from Ontario inviting them to apply. Besides, the candidate must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the following federal economic immigration programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Selection process

The Human Capital Priorities Stream allows Ontario to search for eligible candidates in the federal Express Entry pool and invite them to apply for provincial nomination. In order to be considered, the candidate must meet the criteria for the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream as well as the specific criteria that are set for each draw.

OINP issues a Notification of Interest to the selected candidates, inviting them to apply for provincial nomination. They can submit the complete application along with supporting documents within 45 days. In the application, the candidate needs to specify which economic immigration program he/she prefers to be assessed against, FSWP or CEC. Upon successful application, the candidate will receive provincial nomination from Ontario for permanent residence in Canada. The nomination would add 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points to the total CRS score of the candidate, guaranteeing them an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

Mandatory requirements

A job offer is not required to qualify under the Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream. However, the candidate needs to meet the following criteria:

1. Work Experience

The candidate must first specify which of the two federal programs–Federal Skilled Worker Program or Canadian Experience Class–he/she would like to be assessed against.

Federal Skilled Worker Program(FSWP)

Under the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the candidate must have minimum one year of paid full time work experience or equivalent part-time work experience in an occupation classified under Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The work experience must have been acquired within the last five years from the date of submitting the application. Besides, the work experience must be in the same primary occupation identified in the Express Entry profile of the candidate.

Canadian Experience Class(CEC)

Under the Canadian Experience Class, the candidate must have minimum one year of cumulative paid full-time work experience or equivalent paid part-time experience in an occupation classified under Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the NOC. The candidate must have acquired the work experience within the last three years from the date of submitting the application. Besides, the work experience must be in one or more occupations identified in their Express Entry profile. The candidate must be residing in Canada legally at the time of application, if they are applying from inside Canada.

However, the candidates must remember that paid work experience acquired while studying full-time at a post-secondary institution and self-employment are not eligible under the CEC.

2. Education

The candidate must have a Canadian bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degree or equivalent qualification acquired from Canada or another country. If the qualification is obtained from outside Canada, the candidates need to produce an Educational Credential Assessment report to prove that their qualification is equivalent to a Canadian degree. The assessment must be done by one of the recognized organizations designated by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

3. Language

The candidate must have proficiency in One of the official languages of Canada (English or French) equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 or higher.  This must be proved with the results of an approved English or French language test.  The candidate must have taken the test within two years before submitting the application. The accepted tests:

English

• International English Language Testing (IELTS) – General
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) –General

French

• Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada (TEF)
• Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada)

4. Settlement funds

The candidate must prove that he/she has enough settlement funds to settle in Canada as well as to support their dependent family members. As a proof of the settlement funds, the candidate can submit one or a combination of the following:

• Bank statements or statements of accounts to show other investments such as non-locked in, fixed term deposits, mutual funds, etc.
• Annual earnings from an ongoing employment in Ontario
• Job offer from an Ontario employer

5. Intent to settle in Ontario

The candidate must demonstrate their intention to settle in Ontario after obtaining Canada PR. This can be demonstrated with any of the following:

• Previous work experience or current employment in Ontario
• A job offer from an Ontario employer. Having applied for or attended interviews for jobs in Ontario
• Study experience in Ontario
• Volunteering experience in Ontario
• Lease or own property in Ontario
• Visiting the province
• Have professional networks and affiliations, family ties and personal relationships

6. Legal status in Canada (if applicable)

The candidate must be legally residing in Canada if the application is being submitted from inside the country. The candidate can submit visitor record, study permit or work permit as a proof of the legal status. This legal status must be valid till the candidate receives the nomination.

7. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

If the candidate prefers to be assessed against the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), he/she must score a minimum of 67 out of 100 points on the points grid that assesses the eligibility of a candidate on the basis of six selection factors, which are–education, language skills, work experience, age, arranged employment in Canada and adaptability.

Provincial Nominee Programs open up vast opportunities for qualified immigrants to start a new life in Canada. Choose the right immigration pathway for you with the help of experienced immigration lawyers and consultants to ensure maximum success for your immigration application. Contact us for more information