The government of Ontario has made a number of important announcements regarding its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), one of Canada's Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). Through these programs, provinces may welcome newcomers who will be able to settle into life in the region and effectively contribute to the community. As Canada's most populated province, Ontario continues to be a popular immigration destination.
On January 12, the provincial government stated the following on its website:
'The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has fulfilled its 2016 federal nomination allocation. The OINP will continue to process applications. Any additional nominations will go towards Ontario’s 2017 allocation. The OINP will continue to introduce online application systems in 2017 to make it easier for clients to apply and improve processing times.'
The move towards more online application systems is in line with the latest trends in Canadian immigration processing at the federal and provincial levels. The most well-known example of this move toward online processing is the federal Express Entry selection system. Indeed, the OINP includes two streams ed with Express Entry: the Human Capital Priorities Stream (currently closed to new applications) and the French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream (currently open to new applications).
In May, 2016, the OINP announced that is was placing a temporary pause on the intake of new applications under certain streams. The province stressed the temporary nature of this pause, and it is expected that streams will reopen or be launched in the near future.
The current status of OINP may be reviewed in the table below.
| OINP Stream | Status | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Human Capital Priorities | Temporary pause on Notifications of Interest (NOIs) being sent as of February 16, 2016. | Aligned with federal Express Entry system. |
| French-Speaking Skilled Worker | Open — OINP continues to accept and process applications. | Aligned with federal Express Entry system. |
| Temporary pause in effect as of May 9, 2016. | Job offer not required. | |
| Temporary pause in effect as of May 9, 2016. | Job offer not required. | |
| International Student with a Job Offer | Open to eligible candidates whose job offer has been approved through the Employer Pre-screen application process. | Previous education requirement is not Ontario-specific; graduates who studied in any province may be eligible. |
| Foreign Worker | Open to eligible candidates whose job offer has been approved through the Employer Pre-screen application process. | Job offer must meet the prevailing wage level in Ontario for that occupation. |
| Corporate | Open — OINP continues to accept and process applications. | Successful applicants obtain Temporary Work Permits before Permanent Resident status may be obtained. |
| Entrepreneur | Open — OINP continues to accept Expressions of Interest. | Successful applicants obtain Temporary Work Permits before Permanent Resident status may be obtained. |