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PGWP Expiring by April 01, 2024. OINP Application (International Student Stream)

Oladimeji2208

Full Member
Apr 10, 2021
30
1
I recently completed a one-year graduate certificate program in Ontario, Canada. I am on a one-year PGWP which will expire on April 1, 2024, and I am currently working as a Field Coordinator at a construction company in Canada. I have a bachelor's from my home country and 3 years of experience working as an architect. I submitted my EE profile with a score of 511 this month and also an EOI for the PNP OINP Application International Student Stream with a score of 91.

With my PGWP expiring soon and the PGWP extension cancelled what other options can I pursue to continue working legally or at least remain in the country legally if I do not get an ITA from the EE application? Thanks.
 
Last edited:

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,930
9,521
I recently completed a one-year graduate certificate program in Ontario, Canada. I am on a one-year PGWP which will expire on April 1, 2024, and I am currently working as a Field Coordinator at a construction company in Canada. I have a bachelor's from my home country and 3 years of experience working as an architect. I submitted my EE profile with a score of 515 this month and also an EOI for the PNP OINP Application International Student Stream with a score of 91.

With my PGWP expiring soon and the PGWP extension cancelled what other options can I pursue to continue working legally or at least remain in the country legally if I do not get an ITA from the EE application? Thanks.
So did you take a Master’s program to be eligible for OINP - International students? To be eligible for International students, you need a two year program or one year program that only admits people with a degree.

EE is your best option and hope you get ITA soon. You can only work if you get ITA, submit PR application and then get AOR to apply for bridging open work permit. If you don’t, then quit job and change status to visitor. Or get employer to file for a LMIA.
 

Oladimeji2208

Full Member
Apr 10, 2021
30
1
So did you take a Master’s program to be eligible for OINP - International students? To be eligible for International students, you need a two year program or one year program that only admits people with a degree.

EE is your best option and hope you get ITA soon. You can only work if you get ITA, submit PR application and then get AOR to apply for bridging open work permit. If you don’t, then quit job and change status to visitor. Or get employer to file for a LMIA.
From the OINP website, my one-year degree is eligible and I was required to have a degree. Thanks for the reply.
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,930
9,521
From the OINP website, my one-year degree is eligible and I was required to have a degree. Thanks for the reply.
From the site,
You must have received from an eligible Canadian institution one of the following:

  • a degree or diploma that takes at least two years to complete if you study on a full-time basis, or
  • a degree, diploma or certificate that takes at least one year to complete if you study on a full-time basis and that requires a completed degree as an admission requirement
This means that in order to be eligible, your one-year program must require a completed degree only as an admission requirement. One-year programs with admission requirements such as “a degree or a diploma”, or “a degree or work experience”, or similar, are ineligible even if you personally completed a degree program prior to being accepted into the one-year program. Please also note that in order for a certificate program to be eligible, it must take at least one year to complete and require a completed degree as an admission requirement. A certificate program that takes two or more years is still subject to the degree requirement.


So you are only eligible if the admission requirements was for people with at least a degree. So couldn’t allow people who applied with a diploma. This would be a Masters program. So you say you took a one year degree but in first post a one year certificate.
 

Oladimeji2208

Full Member
Apr 10, 2021
30
1
From the site,
You must have received from an eligible Canadian institution one of the following:

  • a degree or diploma that takes at least two years to complete if you study on a full-time basis, or
  • a degree, diploma or certificate that takes at least one year to complete if you study on a full-time basis and that requires a completed degree as an admission requirement
This means that in order to be eligible, your one-year program must require a completed degree only as an admission requirement. One-year programs with admission requirements such as “a degree or a diploma”, or “a degree or work experience”, or similar, are ineligible even if you personally completed a degree program prior to being accepted into the one-year program. Please also note that in order for a certificate program to be eligible, it must take at least one year to complete and require a completed degree as an admission requirement. A certificate program that takes two or more years is still subject to the degree requirement.


So you are only eligible if the admission requirements was for people with at least a degree. So couldn’t allow people who applied with a diploma. This would be a Masters program. So you say you took a one year degree but in first post a one year certificate.
I have a 4 year bachelor's degree from a university back home and I took a one-year college graduate certificate degree in Canada.
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,930
9,521
I have a 4 year bachelor's degree from a university back home and I took a one-year college graduate certificate degree in Canada.
So you are not eligible for the OINP stream unless your certificate program is only open to degree holders. People with diplomas or work experience cannot apply. So a Masters.
 

Oladimeji2208

Full Member
Apr 10, 2021
30
1
Ok. What is the certificate?
A one year Post-Graduate Certificate.
And it meets this criteria:
  • a degree, diploma or certificate that takes at least one year to complete if you study on a full-time basis and that requires a completed degree as an admission requirement
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
44,930
9,521
A one year Post-Graduate Certificate.
And it meets this criteria:
  • a degree, diploma or certificate that takes at least one year to complete if you study on a full-time basis and that requires a completed degree as an admission requirement
Since you don’t say your university or program then keep reading in the post. But since you say your program is eligible and taken at a university then you are fine. The program can only be open to degree holders not diploma holders.

This means that in order to be eligible, your one-year program must require a completed degree only as an admission requirement. One-year programs with admission requirements such as “a degree or a diploma”, or “a degree or work experience”, or similar, are ineligible even if you personally completed a degree program prior to being accepted into the one-year program. Please also note that in order for a certificate program to be eligible, it must take at least one year to complete and require a completed degree as an admission requirement. A certificate program that takes two or more years is still subject to the degree requirement.
 

Oladimeji2208

Full Member
Apr 10, 2021
30
1
Since you don’t say your university or program then keep reading in the post. But since you say your program is eligible and taken at a university then you are fine. The program can only be open to degree holders not diploma holders.

This means that in order to be eligible, your one-year program must require a completed degree only as an admission requirement. One-year programs with admission requirements such as “a degree or a diploma”, or “a degree or work experience”, or similar, are ineligible even if you personally completed a degree program prior to being accepted into the one-year program. Please also note that in order for a certificate program to be eligible, it must take at least one year to complete and require a completed degree as an admission requirement. A certificate program that takes two or more years is still subject to the degree requirement.
Okay thanks.
 

Oladimeji2208

Full Member
Apr 10, 2021
30
1
Since you don’t say your university or program then keep reading in the post. But since you say your program is eligible and taken at a university then you are fine. The program can only be open to degree holders not diploma holders.

This means that in order to be eligible, your one-year program must require a completed degree only as an admission requirement. One-year programs with admission requirements such as “a degree or a diploma”, or “a degree or work experience”, or similar, are ineligible even if you personally completed a degree program prior to being accepted into the one-year program. Please also note that in order for a certificate program to be eligible, it must take at least one year to complete and require a completed degree as an admission requirement. A certificate program that takes two or more years is still subject to the degree requirement.
Does the OINP Job offer stream PNP require a LMIA from an employer?
 

deltabrown

Newbie
Jan 17, 2024
1
1
I recently completed a one-year graduate certificate program in Ontario, Canada. I am on a one-year PGWP which will expire on April 1, 2024, and I am currently working as a Field Coordinator at a construction company in Canada. I have a bachelor's from my home country and 3 years of experience working as an architect. I submitted my EE profile with a score of 511 this month and also an EOI for the PNP OINP Application International Student Stream with a score of 91.

With my PGWP expiring soon and the PGWP extension cancelled what other options can I pursue to continue working legally or at least remain in the country legally if I do not get an ITA from the EE application? Thanks.


  • Effective January 1, 2024, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) expanded eligibility under the Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream to any student who completes a one-year college graduate certificate from an Ontario college and has obtained an Ontario College Graduate Certificate.
 
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NewDelhi

Full Member
Apr 24, 2022
48
7
  • Effective January 1, 2024, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) expanded eligibility under the Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream to any student who completes a one-year college graduate certificate from an Ontario college and has obtained an Ontario College Graduate Certificate.
Yes that’s a big change. Now students with a one year certificate course from an Ontario college are eligible for OINP.